How to Pick the Right Infrared Heater for Your Bathroom
When you’re picking out a waterproof infrared lamp, the instinct is usually to go for the most powerful one on the shelf. But here’s the thing: more power doesn’t always mean a better experience. If you overdo it, you’re just burning money and stressing out your equipment. It’s all about finding that sweet spot where the heat actually fits the room. Matching the heat to your space If you’ve just got a tiny powder room (under 4m²), a 400W to 600W short-wave lamp is plenty. It hits you with immediate warmth the second you step in, and because the room is small, it doesn’t take much to make it feel cozy. For those mid-sized bathrooms (between 4m² and 8m²), you’ll want to bump it up to 800W or 1200W. You need a wider beam here so you aren’t just warming one tiny square of the floor while the rest of the room stays freezing. Then you have the big master baths. If you’re over 8m², you’re probably looking at a couple of 1200W units or one big high-output array. Just be careful not to put a massive heater in a tiny room. It’ll trip the thermostat way too fast, causing the unit to click on and off constantly. That’s a great way to kill your relay. The technical stuff (don’t skip this) These lamps use quartz glass to hold the halogen filament, and in a bathroom, steam is everywhere. That’s why you need a housing rated IPX4 or higher. It keeps the moisture from sneaking into the terminals and causing a headache. Also, take a quick look at your circuit. A 1200W lamp pulls about 5.2A at 230V. If you decide to wire three of these together, you’re pushing 15A. Make sure your wiring is thick enough to handle that load. If the wires are too thin, you’ll get a voltage drop, and your lamps will never actually get as hot as they’re supposed to. Speed vs. Your Electric Bill The best part about short-wave lamps? They’re fast. Like, “warmth-in-seconds” fast. No waiting around for the room to slowly heat up. The downside is that they pull a lot of current the moment they kick in. If you want to keep your energy bill down, I’d suggest pairing them with a PIR motion sensor. That way, the heat only runs when someone is actually in the room. It’s a simple fix that can cut your waste by about 40%.