The Difference Between Regular Heat Lamps & Red Heat Lamps

A heat lamp, as the name suggests, uses heat to warm an area by raising the temperature of a fixture similar to a light fixture. Heat lamps are also known as "infrared emitters" due to the infrared rays they use to heat objects that lie underneath them. These infrared emitters differ from the normal illuminating bulbs as the former have relatively low filament temperatures which results in a lower brightness and more infrared emission. There are several types of heat lamps, including red heat lamps — each of which has a simple difference.

Infrared heat lamps are typically available in three types; red, clear or inside frosted. A red heat lamp, in addition to the heat it emits, casts a warm glow on the object on which the light falls. As a result, red heat lamps are used most commonly in food service to make the food appear more warm and appealing. Other than the glow, red heat lamps have the same properties as clear heat lamps.

Some key characteristics of heat lamps are reflectors, twin tubes and water-cooling. Heat lamps with in-built reflectors have a greater light intensity in the required direction. A twin-tube lamp has two tubes with filaments to produce higher intensity emissions and water-cooled heat lamps have a propensity to deliver better overall performance.

Red heat lamps are used by commercial kitchens and restaurants to keep food — especially different kinds of meat — warm. Other types of heat lamps can also be found in some public showers. Heat lamps are also commonly utilized for agricultural purposes. The heat from these lamps facilitates the hatching of eggs.

Some heat lamps are similar to standard incandescent bulbs, which utilize "soft" glass, and are extremely cheap. Other heat lamps — known as PAR halogen halogen flood heat lamps — are based on halogen incandescent bulbs. PAR bulbs are considered "hard" glass and are normally used outdoors. The heat produced by these lamps is determined by the wattage of the lamp rather than the color or finish of the glass.