Residential Heating Case Study
100 m² Home Replaces Gas Boiler with Invisible Infrared Ceiling Heating
This 100 m² UK home was converted from a traditional gas boiler and radiator system to a fully electric iHelios invisible ceiling heating system.
The homeowner wanted to remove the boiler, radiators and water-filled pipework completely, recover usable wall space and control each room independently.
iHelios designed a multizone ceiling heating system using 500 mm iH405 infrared heating film, eight smart thermostats and a 20 kWh home battery charged on a lower-cost overnight electricity tariff.
The result is a radiator-free, room-by-room heating system designed around smart control, battery storage and future solar PV.
The project
The homeowner wanted to move away from gas and create a fully electric home without replacing the existing boiler with another central heating appliance.
The priorities were to remove the gas boiler permanently, eliminate wall-mounted radiators and wet heating pipework, recover usable wall space and gain independent temperature control in every room.
The heating system also needed to work with lower-cost overnight electricity, a home battery and future rooftop solar PV.
Rather than heating several rooms together from one central boiler, the property was redesigned around a distributed room-by-room heating strategy.
Why ceiling infrared heating was selected
The homeowner wanted a heating system that would not interfere with furniture placement or interior design.
iHelios infrared heating film was concealed within the ceiling construction, leaving no visible heating emitters in the finished rooms.
This removed the need for wall-mounted radiators, heating pipes, a circulation pump and a gas boiler.
Using the ceiling also allowed the heating output to be distributed throughout the property without reducing usable floor or wall space.
Heating system design
The 100 m² property was fitted with a total connected heating output of 7.4 kW, equivalent to an average installed capacity of approximately 74 W/m² across the home.
The system uses 500 mm iH405 infrared heating film installed within the ceiling construction.
The 7.4 kW figure represents the maximum available output if every zone calls for heat simultaneously. It does not mean the home continuously consumes 7.4 kW whenever the heating is scheduled.
Actual electricity use varies according to outdoor temperature, insulation, glazing, thermostat setpoints, occupancy, internal heat gains and the number of zones requiring heat at the same time.
Eight-zone smart control
The property was divided into eight independently controlled heating zones, each with its own smart thermostat.
Different rooms can therefore operate at different temperatures and on different schedules.
Living areas can be heated around morning and evening occupancy, while bedrooms can follow shorter schedules.
Once a room reaches its selected temperature, its thermostat switches that zone off independently.
This avoids unnecessary whole-house heating and provides more precise comfort control than a single centrally controlled heating system.
Verified winter electricity use
Customer electricity bills show that maximum total household electricity consumption reached approximately 35 kWh per day during the highest winter-use period.
This figure includes the complete home: infrared space heating, domestic hot water, cooking, lighting, appliances, battery and inverter losses and general household electricity demand.
Space heating is estimated to account for approximately 60% of that winter consumption, equivalent to around 21 kWh per day.
The 35 kWh figure is verified from electricity bills, while the heating share is an estimate because the heating system was not separately sub-metered.
Heating schedule and duty cycle
The heating system is scheduled for up to approximately eight hours per day during winter.
However, the heating zones do not remain continuously energised throughout that entire period.
If the full 7.4 kW system operated continuously for eight hours, theoretical heating consumption would be 59.2 kWh.
Estimated actual heating use is approximately 21 kWh per day.
This implies an average equivalent duty cycle of around 35% across the scheduled heating period, with individual zones cycling independently according to room temperature, heat loss and occupancy
Estimated infrared heating running cost
Space heating is estimated to use approximately 21 kWh per day during the highest winter-use period.
At a standard daytime electricity rate of 26p/kWh, that would represent an estimated heating cost of approximately £5.46 per day.
When battery storage and lower-cost overnight charging are considered, the article illustrates an estimated heating cost range of approximately £2.04 to £3.41 per day.
These are property-specific illustrations rather than separately metered heating costs.
Actual infrared heating running costs depend on heat loss, insulation, installed output, thermostat temperatures, heating schedules, local weather and electricity tariff.
Before and after
Before:
• Gas boiler
• Wall-mounted radiators
• Water-filled heating pipework
• Centralised heating control
• Annual boiler servicing
• Ongoing dependence on gas
After:
• Fully electric infrared heating
• Invisible ceiling heating
• No wet heating circuit
• Eight independent heating zones
• Eight smart thermostats
• No annual boiler servicing
• 20 kWh battery storage
• Future solar PV planned
Installation cost
Materials: £3,295.63
Installation: £1,395.00
Total installed cost: £4,690.63
The result
The completed project replaced the gas boiler, radiators and wet heating pipework with a concealed electric ceiling heating system.
The home now has eight independently controlled heating zones, eight smart thermostats and a total connected heating output of 7.4 kW.
Customer electricity bills show maximum total winter household consumption of approximately 35 kWh per day, including heating and every other electrical load.
Estimated space-heating use is approximately 21 kWh per day, while the 20 kWh battery allows a significant proportion of daily electricity demand to be shifted to a lower-cost overnight tariff.
The project demonstrates how invisible infrared heating can form part of a wider all-electric home strategy combining smart room control, battery storage and future solar PV
100 m² Infrared Heating Running Cost FAQs
How much infrared heating was installed in the 100 m² home?
The property has 7.4 kW of total connected iHelios ceiling heating output divided across eight independently controlled zones.
How much electricity did the home use in winter?
The highest verified total household winter electricity consumption was approximately 35 kWh per day. This includes heating, hot water, cooking, lighting, appliances and other electrical loads.
How much did infrared heating cost per day?
At 26p/kWh, the estimated 21 kWh daily heating use would cost approximately £5.46. With the property's battery and lower-cost overnight tariff, the article illustrates an estimated heating cost of approximately £2.04–£3.41 per day depending on how stored electricity is allocated
Does a 7.4 kW heating system continuously use 7.4 kW?
No. The 7.4 kW figure is the maximum connected output if all eight zones are operating simultaneously. Individual thermostats switch zones off once rooms reach temperature, so actual electricity consumption is substantially lower.
What is the estimated heating duty cycle?
Based on approximately 21 kWh of estimated daily heating use against a theoretical 59.2 kWh maximum during an eight-hour schedule, the average equivalent duty cycle is approximately 35%.
What did the infrared heating system cost to install?
The project cost was £3,295.63 for materials and £1,395.00 for installation, giving a total installed cost of £4,690.63.
Can infrared heating replace a gas boiler?
In this property it did. The gas boiler, radiators and wet heating pipework were removed and replaced by a fully electric ceiling heating system. Other homes should be designed from room-by-room heat-loss calculations rather than floor area alone.
