Getting the Heat Right in Your Bathroom
When you’re picking out an infrared heater, your first instinct might be to just grab the most powerful one on the shelf. But here’s the thing: more power isn’t always better. It’s really all about the size of your room and how high your ceilings are. Get it wrong, and you’re either wasting electricity or shivering in a cold corner. Finding the right wattage Think about how much space you’re actually trying to warm. If you’ve got a tiny bathroom—something under 4m²—a single 250W to 400W lamp is usually plenty. It hits you instantly. But if your bathroom is bigger, you’ve got a choice. You can either go for a beefier lamp or just install a few smaller ones. Spreading them out is usually the way to go because it keeps the warmth even. If you put a monster heater in a tiny room, you’ll feel like you’re standing too close to a campfire. On the flip side, if the wattage is too low, the lamp will just hum away all day without ever actually making you feel warm. Where to put it Placement is everything. I always suggest putting the lamps right where you actually spend your time—like right above the shower or by the vanity. Keep in mind that infrared heat doesn’t warm the air; it warms you. Because of that, your ceiling height matters a lot. If you’ve got high ceilings, you’ll need a higher wattage just to make sure the heat actually reaches you down on the floor. A quick word on power Just a heads-up: high-wattage lamps pull a lot of current. If you’re planning to install a few 600W+ units on one circuit, double-check your wiring and breakers first. You don’t want to trip the power every time you take a shower. Also, be careful with mounting height. A high-power lamp mounted too low can create those annoying “hot spots” that feel a bit too intense. Balance the power with the height, and you’ll get that nice, steady soak of warmth that makes a cold morning much easier to handle.