Getting the Heat Right in Your Bathroom
When you’re picking out an infrared heating lamp, the temptation is to just grab the one with the biggest number on the box. But that’s actually a mistake. If you go too big, you’re just throwing money away on your electric bill—and you might even overheat the fixture. Go too small? You’ll be shivering in the shower and gone before the room even feels cozy. It’s all about a balance.
Finding Your Sweet Spot
Think about the size of your space. If you’ve got a tiny powder room (under 4m²), a single 250W to 400W short-wave lamp does the trick. It’s fast. Really fast. For those mid-sized bathrooms (4m² to 8m²), you’ll probably want to step it up to a 600W unit or maybe two smaller lamps to spread the warmth around. And if you’re dealing with a massive master bath? You’ll need a few 800W+ lamps scattered around. Otherwise, you’ll end up with those annoying cold spots that make you want to run back to your towel. The secret here is that short-wave infrared doesn’t bother heating the air. It heats you. You flip the switch, and you feel that warmth hit your skin instantly.
The Nitty-Gritty Stuff
Most of these lamps use tungsten filaments inside quartz glass. I always recommend looking for R7s or SK15 connectors. Why? Because when a tube eventually burns out—and they will—you can just pop a new one in without needing a degree in electrical engineering. You might see some lamps with gold or tinted coatings. These are great if you hate that harsh glare, though they do dial back the raw heat just a tiny bit. One quick warning: high-wattage lamps are thirsty for power. If you’re putting these into an old house, please check your wiring. Putting a 1000W array on thin, old wires is a great way to trip your breakers or, worse, cause a voltage drop.
A Few Pro Tips
Want to get more bang for your buck? Mount your lamps at a 45-degree angle toward the floor. It pushes the heat further across the room so you aren’t just warming one tiny square of tile. And for heaven’s sake, use a timer or a motion sensor. There’s nothing more wasteful than a high-powered heater warming up an empty room for three hours because someone forgot to hit the switch.