Due to the numerous advantages, the demand for infrared heaters is increasing every year. With their help, you can quickly and efficiently warm any residential and industrial premises. IR heaters generate significantly more heat than many other heating devices. For example, fan heaters. In addition, this type of climatic technology does not burn the oxygen present in the room. According to the assurances of manufacturers, the harm of an infrared heater to human well-being is insignificant. But the practice of use and the research carried out do not fully confirm this.
What is IR radiation
Any household heating appliance emits a certain amount of infrared radiation. This even applies to conventional steam heating radiators. But when using infrared heating devices, their frequency and wavelength are much greater.
Infrared radiation is one of the types of electromagnetic fluxes. The most powerful natural source of such radiation is the sun. But despite this, being under the rays of the sun is not dangerous for humans.
Attention: The rays of heat, during the operation of the IR heater, are directed to the desired area of the room and evenly heat it.
With these devices, only certain areas in the room can be warmed. Radiated waves are of the following types:
- Short. Their length is 0.76 - 2.5 microns, and the element temperature is not less than +800 degrees.
- Average. Long 50 microns, and the temperature is about +600 degrees.
- Long. Their length is 200 microns, and the temperature is +300 degrees.
If the instructions are not followed, infrared heaters are harmful to health, because their radiation can penetrate into human skin. The depth of exposure to the skin largely depends on their intensity. Waves arising during the operation of an IR heater are of three following categories:
- IR-C - characterized by an insignificant effect on the human body. Their length is equal to 3 microns. The effect is on the surface of the skin.
- IR-B - lengths from 1.5 to 3.0 microns. These waves penetrate only the surface layer of the skin.
- IR-A - these waves have the deepest penetration. Their length is from 0.76 to 1.5 microns. The penetration depth is approximately 4 centimeters.
During the operation of the IR heater, waves of various sizes are formed. In this case, the number of certain rays can be different. But as studies show, the higher the heating temperature, the more short waves there will be.
Much also depends on the material from which the radiating surface of this heating device is made. The black heated surface has the greatest negative impact. If the body is made of ceramic materials, then the strength and frequency of radiation is much lower.
How to keep warm safely?
Pay attention to power. Infrared equipment is considered optimal, emitting about 60-100 W of energy per 1 m2, if the room is thermally insulated or there is additional heating in the house. If these conditions are not met, many advise to buy heaters of higher power. But doctors' reviews indicate that exceeding the threshold of 150 W / m2 causes serious harm to a person. With such a powerful radiation, it is possible to weaken the immune system and even disrupt the structure of proteins in the body.
In order not to experience discomfort from infrared waves, it is better to replace single ceiling heaters with several distributed emitters of lower power.So there will be no harm, and the heating of the premises will become more uniform. In this case, the characteristics of the technique should indicate the wavelength within 3-10 microns. Thermostats are welcome.
Long-wave emitters are considered the safest, since, unlike short waves, their heat does not penetrate under the human skin. However, they can also be harmful if the installation height is not observed. Indeed, the greater the distance from the heater, the lower the IR intensity. So do not dismiss the recommendations of the infrared system manufacturers. It is not for nothing that they indicate the maximum effective and minimum safe distance from their devices. Also, in places where the infrared radiation of the heater is particularly intense, you should protect your eyes, since drying of the shell provokes inflammation and deterioration of vision. In the peripheral areas of the heating spot, these risks are minimized.
Infrared radiation harm
The issue of the negative impact of infrared radiation on humans has occupied many leading scientific and medical figures. Numerous studies have been carried out which have shown that these heaters are capable, in some cases, of negatively affecting human health.
Attention: The greatest harm from infrared heaters is associated with overdrying of the skin, which heats up very quickly, after which moisture evaporates, which the body is not able to quickly restore.
If you are in close proximity to such a heater for a long time, you can get burned. Indeed, at a short distance, this heating device emits waves that are the most dangerous.
Infrared radiation is always available in any production. People, being in the workplace, a person is regularly exposed to it. If the skin is not protected by clothing, then with daily exposure, changes occur within its structure. In particular, the permeability of the cell membranes decreases, the protein melts, which is irreversible, and the appearance of the blood cells changes.
The eyes also suffer from radiation. Especially the retina and lenses. Because of this, vision may deteriorate. In addition, cataracts may occur in the future.
To heat various objects on the street, heaters are most often used that emit short or long waves. They can be installed in gazebos, cafes, summer areas. If such a device is mounted indoors, a person who is regularly exposed to radiation can get quite severe burns. Often, skin redness and blisters appear.
What is infrared radiation
To dispel myths, challenge or confirm what manufacturers say about the safety of IR devices, it is necessary to turn to the physics of the process, to understand the principle of their operation and the effect of this type of radiation on a person.
Longwave IR devices are effective and harmless
Electromagnetic radiation and wavelength
Infrared radiation is compared to sunlight. It is known that the electromagnetic rays emitted by the Sun have wavelength-dependent properties. According to this parameter, they are divided into several groups: gamma, X-ray, ultraviolet, light, infrared, microwave and radio waves. Infrared radiation is the waves that heat our planet. Thanks to the rays coming from the Sun, the Earth remains warm.
Modern infrared devices operate at long wavelengths that are safe for humans in the range from 7 to 14 micrometers
According to the wavelength of the emitted rays, infrared radiation is divided into three groups:
- from 0.75 * 10-6 to 1.5 * 10-6 m - shortwave;
- from 1.5 * 10-6 to 4 * 10-6 m - medium wave;
- from 4 * 10-6 to 1 mm - long-wave.
Safe radiation range for humans
Scientists have found that each of us is also a source of energy. The waves emitted by us represent the IR radiation of the long-wave group in a small range: from 6 * 10-6 to 20 * 10-6. Studies have shown that radiation in the range emitted by humans is not harmful. For safety and exclusion of harmful effects, in accordance with the requirements of the standard, modern infrared heaters operate at safe wavelengths from 7 to 14 micrometers.
Infrared protection methods
In order to understand whether an infrared heater is harmful or not, you need to familiarize yourself with the methods of protection against their radiation. There are several effective methods on how to reduce the negative impact of infrared heaters on the human body. Much depends on the correct choice of the heater and the place of its installation:
- Do not install an IR heater in a children's room or bedroom. If for some reason this cannot be done, then he should be directed to an area in which people are not constantly present. In no case should radiation from it fall on the bed, since then the person will be exposed to constant exposure to radiation.
- It is best to install an IR heater in the far corner of the room or under the ceiling. Such an arrangement will allow high-quality heating of the room and protect people from direct exposure to radiation.
- You should not buy infrared heaters with too much power for heating living quarters. As the practice of their application shows, it will be enough for it to heat only the ceiling, floor and walls with high quality. They, in turn, will transfer heat to the room.
- When choosing a heater, you should give preference to quality models. When buying a cheap product, you risk not only that it will quickly fail and will not be able to perform the functions assigned to it, but also your health. Indeed, when heated, harmful substances will enter the atmosphere of the room. The safest are tubular, ceramic and carbon infrared heaters.
- Before purchasing an infrared heater, you should carefully read its performance characteristics. Find out all the details related to its operation. This information can be obtained from consultants or found on the Internet. It will be useful to read reviews about it.
If you follow these rules, you can not only quickly and effectively warm the room, but also protect yourself from the negative effects of infrared rays on the human body.
The principle of operation of an infrared heater
The developers of the infrared heater took their idea from nature itself. It is with infrared rays that the sun and open fire warms us. Infrared rays are in the spectrum invisible to the human eye. Therefore, we perceive them as just warmth.
The device uses different working elements that, when heated, emit infrared rays. There are halogen, carbon, micathermic and other types of infrared heaters. They heat up to different temperatures, respectively, emit different types of waves.
The heater heats directly objects and people that are located in the path of the rays. At the same time, the air does not warm up. After the objects are heated, they give off their heat and already heat up the air. Therefore infrared heaters are ideal for warming up very quickly.
Safety Precautions and Tips for Positioning an Infrared Heater
To extract a positive effect from the equipment, the following recommendations should be observed:
- Do not target devices with the highest power. It will be sufficient to purchase a medium-power device that allows heating the ceiling, floor and walls.
- The radiation source should be located as far as possible from a person.The actual distance required will be determined based on the power of the device. So, if the power is 700-800 W, then the unit must be placed at a distance of 0.7 meters, and with a power of 1000-1500 W, the distance should be at least 1 meter.
- Infrared heaters should not be placed in children's and sleeping rooms. If your living environment does not allow you to do otherwise, pay attention that the infrared radiation is not directed towards the bed and the area where people are for a long time.
- The best location for equipment is the farthest corner of the room under the ceiling. Moving brackets, which will allow you to install equipment at a horizontal angle, will also get rid of the inconvenience and harmful effects.
- When buying an IR heater in general, pay attention to its performance characteristics, type and workmanship. The safest are tubular, ceramic and carbon models. It is not recommended to purchase cheap installations from little-known manufacturers, since no one knows what materials they are made of and what harm they can cause to health.
Watch a video about the impact of infrared radiation on human health
Infrared heater is harmful or not
The devices are available in floor-standing, wall-mounted and ceiling-mounted versions. If we talk about small children and animals, then if you have access to the device, it can be not only harmful to health, but also life-threatening.
Recommendation! You should not install ceiling-type infrared emitters in low rooms (less than 2.5 meters), as this can lead to both overheating of interior items and household appliances, and to constant heating of the scalp and corresponding negative results.
We propose to consider the main advantages of IR heaters, and then outline the cases when the device can harm.
The benefits of an infrared heater
Infrared heaters have a number of advantages over other types of devices:
- provide local heating of certain objects;
- do not "burn" oxygen and do not make the air excessively dry;
- have a low noise level;
- allow you to adjust the direction and width of the radiation zone and keep warm for a long time;
- during the operation of the device, there is practically no air convection, therefore, dust does not move in the room;
- when infrared rays hit a person, they improve blood circulation, normalize metabolism and cheer up.
How an infrared heater works
Options for the location of IR heaters
Interesting! Infrared radiation can have a positive effect on the human body only as a result of short-term exposure.
Infrared heater harm
The device is really capable of harming human health and life. However, it is important to understand that this is directly related to its incorrect installation and operation. Such cases can lead to various consequences:
- significant overdrying of the skin, and with too long exposure - the appearance of an extensive burn;
- photochemical effect on cells: with daily long-term exposure, the permeability of cell membranes decreases, an irreversible violation of the protein structure (melting) occurs and the appearance of blood cells changes;
- long-term irradiation affects the mesh structure of the eye and the lens, as a result of which, in the future, cataracts can form.
Helpful! The first symptoms indicating an excessively long stay near an infrared heater:
- feeling of a "cotton" head and headache;
- numbness;
- dry mouth.
