this post was submitted on 30 Apr 2026
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Science Memes

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[–] Munkisquisher@lemmy.nz 16 points 2 days ago (2 children)

And that satisfying glow is losses as light, which will do some heating, but not as efficiently

[–] xthexder@l.sw0.com 13 points 2 days ago (1 children)

There's a whole class of electric heater that do this intentionally. Radiant heaters are awesome for outdoor patios and other spaces like uninsulated garages where you care more about heating surfaces than the air itself.

[–] Waraugh@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 2 days ago

I don’t know why but as much as I’ve read about radiant heaters to try understanding them your random comment I read here is what it took for things to finally click into place for me. I really love those ah ha moments. Just wanted to say thank you.

[–] SmoothLiquidation@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Unless it is visible to the window at which point the light escapes and doesn’t heat your house 100% efficiently

[–] xthexder@l.sw0.com 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Most of the heating energy would actually be IR, which many types of window glass will be designed to reflect. It probably depends on what kind of coatings are used. Basically all car windows block IR to help keep the inside of the car cool in the sun.

[–] SmoothLiquidation@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

It’s a silly thing, but if it glows orange, and if any of that orange light escapes or is visible from the window, it is not 100% efficient. But this is just pedantic in reality, even cheap heaters will do a good job of converting electricity into heat.