Getting Your Bathroom Heat Lamps Just Right
When it comes to infrared heat lamps, more power isn’t always better. It’s tempting to just grab the highest wattage on the shelf, but that’s usually a mistake. You really just want the heat to match the size of your room and how much steam you’re dealing with. I’ve seen way too many people overdo it. They blast a small room with too much power, which just wastes electricity and burns out the bulbs way faster than they should. Finding the right fit Think about the footprint of your space. If you’re dealing with a tiny powder room—something under 4m²—a 400W to 600W lamp is plenty to keep things cozy. For those medium-sized bathrooms (4m² to 8m²), you’ll probably want to bump that up to 800W or 1000W. Now, if you’ve got a huge luxury bath or one of those open-concept wet rooms over 10m², don’t try to do it with one giant lamp. You’re better off spreading a few 1200W units across the ceiling. That way, you don’t end up with one scorching hot spot and a few freezing corners. Here’s the thing: if you cram a 1200W lamp into a tiny stall, it’s just too much. The room hits the target temperature almost instantly, which forces the thermostat to click on and off like crazy. That constant flickering is what kills the filament. Where to put them Infrared is different from a standard space heater. It doesn’t really warm up the air; it warms up you and whatever you’re standing on. It travels in a straight line. Because of that, you want to mount the lamps exactly where you’ll be standing—usually right over the shower or the vanity. We stick with short-wave infrared for this. Why? Because it cuts right through the fog and steam. Even when the room is thick with mist, you can still feel that warmth hitting your skin. One thing to watch out for Higher wattage gets you warm faster, sure. But it also puts a lot more pressure on your electrical system. If you’re installing a bunch of lamps in a big bathroom, double-check your wiring. If you put too many high-wattage units on one circuit, you’re probably going to trip the breaker the second you flip the switch. Not exactly the relaxing start to a morning you were hoping for.