Don’t Overdo It: Picking the Right Infrared Heater for Your Bathroom
When you’re shopping for an infrared heater, it’s tempting to just grab the one with the biggest number on the box. You figure more power equals more warmth, right? Not exactly. If you don’t match the wattage to the actual size of your room, you’re either going to be shivering in a cold spot or feeling like you’re being baked in a pizza oven. The “Oven Effect” Here is the thing about infrared: it doesn’t heat the air. It heats you and the things around you. If you’ve got a tiny powder room, a small lamp (around 250W to 400W) is plenty. If you slap a 1000W monster in there, the room will overheat in seconds. Your thermostat will kick in, shut the lamp off, then kick it back on a minute later. That constant clicking on and off is a great way to burn out your equipment way faster than it should. Dealing with Bigger Spaces Now, if you have a medium or large bathroom, you’ll need a bit more punch—usually something in the 600W to 800W range. But keep an eye on your ceilings. If they’re high, the heat has a longer trip to make before it hits you. By the time that warmth reaches the floor, it’s lost some of its zip. In those cases, you’ve got two choices: go for a higher wattage or just add a second lamp. A Quick Warning on Wiring Higher wattage means you get warm almost instantly. It feels great. But it also puts a lot more stress on your electrical system. Before you go for the most powerful model, just double-check that your circuit breakers can actually handle the load. There’s nothing worse than a cozy shower ending with a loud pop and a dark room. Keeping the Bills Down You don’t need to over-spec. Just get enough power for your specific climate and room size. And a pro tip? Get a motion sensor or a simple timer. There is no point in heating a room when nobody is in it. It saves money and stops your ceiling from soaking up heat it doesn’t need.