Infrared heats people, floors, walls, and other surfaces directly without heating the air first.

The result is an instant warming effect, similar to the effect felt when the sun emerges from the clouds on a chilly day. When infrared heating is used in an enclosed building, objects in the space absorb the emitted infrared energy. Once absorbed, the energy is converted into heat which in turn warms the surrounding air. With convection space heating, the air must first be heated and then circulated in order to warm objects and people in the space.