Radiation is bad isn’t it? Well actually no, we couldn’t live without it – like anything else in life excessive amounts can be harmful but fundamentally all life relies on the suns radiation to sustain it.

Solar radiation is energy emitted by the sun, about half of this is in the form we all can see i.e. light, and the other half in the invisible ultraviolet (“beyond violet”) and infrared (“below red”) spectrum. Most of the ultraviolet energy is absorbed in the Earth’s atmosphere before it can reach the surface – what’s left will give you a suntan if you’re outside for prolonged periods. Energy in the infrared part of the spectrum passes through the atmosphere unaffected until it reaches the surface where it is absorbed and converted directly to heat – absorbtion by your body is what makes you instantly warm on a sunny day.

Radiant Heat describes infrared radiation used for heating purposes and can be from the sun, from a gas or electric heater, or from a large surface area such as your kitchen floor.