Art-warming way to cut heating bills

WHEN is a heater not just for heating? When it's a piece of artwork.

Cottingham couple Joanne and Paul Jenkinson are in the business of supplying renewable energy and heating solutions.

Among the original products in their Humber Energy range are amazing infra-red units that can masquerade as classical paintings, family portraits or contemporary sculptures.

The advanced, energy-efficient installations are finding favour with homeowners and businesses alike across the Humber region.

"Using leading-edge Redwell infra-red systems, we can help reduce customers' heating bills by up to 60 per cent, and provide a future-proof investment for decades to come," said Joanne Jenkinson, director of Humber Energy.

Being easy to install and maintenance-free, infra-red heating is becoming increasingly popular with commercial and domestic customers Europe-wide, as energy costs rise.

Now, infra-red is set to change the way people in the East Riding heat their buildings, too.

Joanne said: "At Humber Energy, we're dedicated to helping people across the Humber region save money on their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint – and infra-red heating is helping us to do just that.

"Simply put, infra-red provides the most efficient, flexible and cost-effective heating available today."

Efficiency, energy and cost-saving aside, the Redwell pieces supplied by Humber Energy can be turned into design features in their own right.

From standalone heating units, to wall panels that incorporate motifs, mirrors or even blackboards, to those that can even be integrated into pieces of furniture, such as bookcases or stools, there is a Redwell system to suit every building, room and taste.

Joanne said: "Our systems are versatile, and can be easily installed on any surface via either hardwiring or being plugged in to an ordinary wall socket.

"Unlike other heating systems, this also means they can be easily removed if a homeowner or business owner decides to move."

The innovative design features and flexibility helped Redwell reach the final of the 2010 Grand Designs Awards.

The functional, attractive units are an interior designer's dream, because they can be created to fit a look of a room and do not have to be installed where conventional heating systems go – they can easily be fitted to ceilings or high up on a wall.

They are also of benefit in environments where there are vulnerable people, such as the elderly and children. Joanne said: "We have an infra-red panel to heat our office – to me it's a really nice heat, like the warmth of the sun, and it doesn't make you feel drowsy like some other heat sources can."

Redwell heating units are available in three surface colours (white, red and blue), as a blackboard, with a glass or mirror surface, with different motifs, or you can have your own picture or design printed on the heating element.

The frame can be ordered in aluminium, wood or white finishes.

The state-of-the-art units are ordered and then hand-made in Hartberg, Austria.

Infra-red waves create a warmth energy that heats the walls, ceilings and furnishings in your home, as opposed to heating the air.

The heat stays within your house for much longer, as well as helping walls stay dry internally, meaning less mould and mildew.

Furthermore, as the heat is not pushed around your home via circulation, air dust disturbance is far less.

"They might suit people with dust mite allergies, for example," said Joanne.

She and her husband Paul launched their renewable energy business trading in solar panels.

When they visited a "green" exhibition in Manchester and were introduced to the Redwell products, they didn ot look back.

"We were bowled over by their energy efficiency – as well as the fact that they looked great, "said Joanne.

In addition to infra-red heating, Humber Energy also offers a range of Solar PV, Solar Thermal and Thermodynamic energy solutions.