A radiant heater warms you the way sunshine does: instead of heating the air, it sends infrared energy straight to your skin, your clothes and the furniture around you. That is why a patio heater keeps you cosy on a cool evening even though the air around it stays cold. Indoors, the same principle gives fast, silent, draught-proof warmth exactly where you sit.
Canadians use radiant heat in more places than most people realise, from bathroom wall panels to workshop ceiling units to the mushroom heaters on restaurant patios. This guide explains 10 types of radiant heat, how each one works, and which is worth your money in our climate.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Table of Contents
- 1. Wall-Mounted Quartz Bathroom Heater
- Carbon Fibre vs Quartz Tubes
- Far-Infrared Wall Panels
- Ceiling-Mounted Infrared Panels
- Decorative Ceramic Radiant Panels
- Parabolic Dish Heaters
- Gas Mushroom Patio Heaters
- Propane Pillar Patio Heaters
- Commercial Outdoor Infrared Heaters
- Infrared Heat Lamps
1. Wall-Mounted Quartz Bathroom Heater
Step out of the shower on a January morning in Edmonton and you will understand this heater instantly. A wall-mounted quartz unit, about 60 cm wide, throws gentle infrared heat across the bathroom in seconds with no fan noise. Most run 1,200 to 2,400 watts on a normal circuit and cost $60 to $150, making them one of the cheapest comfort upgrades in the house.
Mount it high on the wall opposite the shower, at least 2 metres from any water source, and never where the spray can reach it. Because there is no fan, it is silent and does not stir up dust, which allergy sufferers appreciate. Look for a model with a pull cord or timer so it cannot be left on all day by accident.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
2. Carbon Fibre vs Quartz Tubes
Look inside a glowing infrared heater and you will see one of two elements: a quartz tube or a carbon fibre tube. Quartz tubes heat up almost instantly and throw intense, focused heat, which is great for a workshop or a chilly sunroom. Carbon fibre tubes warm up a touch slower but spread a softer, wider heat and typically last longer, often rated for 5,000 to 10,000 hours.
In practice, either works for spot heating a living room corner or a home office. Carbon fibre models usually cost a little more, $120 to $250 for a tower unit, but the longer element life pays back if you run it daily. Whichever you choose, keep the glowing face at least a metre from curtains and furniture, and never touch the tube, the oils from your fingers create hot spots that shorten its life.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
3. Far-Infrared Wall Panels
Far-infrared panels are the quiet minimalists of the heating world: slim white rectangles that mount on the wall like a picture and radiate gentle, even warmth with no glow and no noise. They run at lower surface temperatures than quartz heaters, so they feel safe around kids, and a 600-watt panel comfortably takes the chill off a 12-square-metre bedroom. Expect $150 to $400 per panel in Canada.
Placement matters more than power. Mount the panel on the coldest wall, ideally under or opposite the window, so it counters the draught where you feel it. Because they are silent and glow-free, panels suit bedrooms and nurseries better than any glowing heater. They pair beautifully with a programmable thermostat plug so the room is warm when you wake up and off when you leave.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
4. Ceiling-Mounted Infrared Panels
Put the panel on the ceiling and it disappears entirely, radiating warmth downward over desks, workbenches and dining tables. Offices, workshops and church halls across Canada use ceiling-mounted infrared panels because they free up every centimetre of wall and floor space. A 1,000-watt ceiling panel covers roughly 10 square metres and costs $200 to $450 plus mounting hardware.
Ceiling mounting needs solid fixings into joists, not just drywall anchors, and the panel must hang at the height the manual specifies, usually 2.4 to 3 metres. Keep the zone below it clear of tall shelving that would block the rays. For a home workshop where wall space is all pegboard and cabinets, this is often the only radiant option that fits.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
5. Decorative Ceramic Radiant Panels
Who says a heater has to look like a heater? Ceramic radiant panels come finished like marble, slate or even printed artwork, and roll on discreet casters or hang on the wall as a design feature. The ceramic face stores heat and releases it slowly and evenly, so the room feels warm long after the thermostat clicks off. Designer panels cost $250 to $600 in Canada.
The marble-look panel in the photo is a good example: it reads as decor, not an appliance, which matters in a living room you have carefully styled. Check the wattage before you fall for the looks, most decorative panels run 500 to 1,000 watts, enough for a bedroom or study but not a great room. Keep the front face clear by at least 50 cm so the radiant surface can do its work.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
6. Parabolic Dish Heaters
A parabolic dish heater is the simplest radiant design of all: an element at the focus of a curved metal reflector that throws every watt forward in a tight beam. Vintage models like the little dish in the photo still turn up at flea markets, and modern versions cost $60 to $120. They are unbeatable for one person at one desk, warming you in under a minute.
The beam is narrow, so this is personal heat, not room heat: sit in front of it and you are toasty, step aside and you are cold again. That makes it a brilliant companion to a turned-down thermostat, heat yourself, not the whole house, and watch the hydro bill shrink. Keep the dish stable on a flat surface and never drape anything over the reflector, which reaches high temperatures fast.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
7. Gas Mushroom Patio Heaters
The classic mushroom heater with its wide reflector cap is the reason restaurant patios stay open into October in Toronto and Vancouver. A standard propane model puts out about 12 kW, enough to warm a 5-metre circle, and costs $200 to $500. The gas bottle hides in the base, and one 9 kg tank gives roughly 8 to 10 hours of heat on high.
These are outdoor-only, no exceptions: burning propane in an enclosed space produces carbon monoxide. Set the heater on level ground away from the house eaves and any low awning, because the reflector throws serious heat upward as well as outward. In windy spots, look for a model with a weighted base and an anti-tilt shut-off, a toppled heater on a wooden deck is every fire chief's nightmare.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
8. Propane Pillar Patio Heaters
Pillar or pyramid patio heaters trade the mushroom cap for a tall glass tube with a visible flame dancing inside. They put out similar heat to mushroom models, around 12 kW, but the flame effect makes them a favourite for home patios where atmosphere matters as much as warmth. Prices run $250 to $600 in Canada, with the glass tube as the part you will eventually replace.
Handle the glass tube with care during assembly and keep a spare on hand, because a cracked tube means no heat until it is replaced. Like all gas patio heaters, it belongs outdoors on a stable, level surface, well clear of railings and overhangs. Turn the gas off at the bottle when you are done, not just at the control knob.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
9. Commercial Outdoor Infrared Heaters
Transit stations, ski lodges and covered markets use hard-wired electric infrared heaters mounted overhead, and the same units work brilliantly on a covered home deck or in a three-season sunroom. They are weatherproof, silent and instant, with no fuel to buy and no tank to swap. A 2 to 3 kW wall- or ceiling-mounted unit costs $150 to $400 plus an electrician's visit for the dedicated circuit.
The red glow in the photo is the telltale sign of a quartz element at work. Mount these under a solid roof or overhang, at the height and clearances in the manual, and aim them at the seating area, not the walkway. On a covered deck in Victoria or Halifax, one well-placed unit can add two months to your outdoor season.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
10. Infrared Heat Lamps
The humble infrared heat lamp, the red bulb in a clamp reflector, is radiant heating in its simplest form. One 250-watt bulb focuses intense warmth on a small area, which is why they are standard in bathrooms for post-shower warmth, in workshops for curing paint, and above changing tables. A fixture plus bulb costs under $40, and replacement bulbs are a few dollars.
Respect the intensity: that little bulb runs hot enough to scorch wood and melt plastic, so keep it at least 60 cm from any surface and never leave it on unattended. Use only bulbs rated for the fixture's wattage, and let the bulb cool before moving the lamp. For a quick, cheap blast of targeted warmth, though, nothing beats it.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
FAQs
Do radiant heaters use a lot of electricity?
A 1,500-watt model costs about 20 to 25 cents an hour at typical Canadian rates. Because the heat is instant and targeted, most people run them for shorter periods than central heating, which keeps bills reasonable.
Are infrared heaters safe around children and pets?
Far-infrared panels and ceramic panels with low surface temperatures are the safest choices. Glowing quartz and carbon heaters get very hot, so keep them out of reach and never leave them unattended with kids or pets nearby.
Can I use one as my main heat source?
In a small, well-insulated room, a properly sized panel system can do the job. For a whole house in a Canadian winter, they work best as supplemental heat alongside a furnace or heat pump.
What is the difference between infrared and ceramic heaters?
Infrared heaters warm objects and people directly with radiant energy, while ceramic heaters warm the air with a fan. Infrared feels instant and silent; ceramic spreads heat more evenly through the room.
Can patio heaters be used indoors?
Never. Gas patio heaters produce carbon monoxide and are strictly outdoor appliances. For indoor spot heating, use an electric radiant model designed and certified for indoor use.
Final Thoughts
Radiant heat is all about putting warmth exactly where you are, whether that is a bathroom wall panel, a workshop ceiling unit or a mushroom heater on the deck. Choose the type that fits the space, respect the clearances, and you will stay comfortable without heating rooms you are not using. To see how radiant options compare with convection heat, read how to decorate around baseboard heaters, browse living room fireplace ideas for another radiant-style heat source, and steal some cosy winter living room ideas to complete the picture.
Sources
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Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
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