How are infrared heaters different from other heaters? Most heaters will heat the ambient air of the room usually by convection; which heats the air and circulates the warm air out into the room. An infrared heater transfers most of the heat through direct infrared radiation to heat up objects being hit by the radiation to heat the occupants and nearby objects in the room. You save money by immediately heating not the whole room but just you. The infrared heat will penetrate the skin and warm you from beneath your skin and then radiates outward. Not only will the heater warm you, but then the infrared heater will warm anyone near you because a portion of the heat will reflect off your skin.