Don’t Overdo It: Getting Your Bathroom Heat Right
Here is a common mistake I see all the time: installers slapping a massive 1500W infrared heater into a tiny powder room. It seems like a good idea—more power, right? Wrong. It actually backfires. The room hits the target temperature in seconds, the sensor trips, and the unit shuts off. Then it kicks back on. Over and over. You end up wasting a ton of electricity and getting these weird “hot spots” where you’re roasting in one corner while the other side of the room stays chilly. It’s all about the space. If your bathroom is small (we’re talking under 4m²), you really don’t need a powerhouse. A lower wattage will keep things steady and comfortable. But if you’re dealing with a huge master bath, that’s when you want more power—or better yet, a few different heat points so the warmth actually reaches every corner of the floor. Plus, you have to remember how this stuff actually works. Infrared isn’t like a space heater that warms up the air. It goes straight for the objects—and you. Because of that, where you mount the lamp matters a lot. Put a high-power unit too low, and you’re going to feel it too much. Put it too high, and the heat just disappears before it ever reaches you. You want that sweet spot where the wattage and the distance to the floor just… click. Now, I get the temptation of high wattage. It warms up fast. Really fast. But there’s a catch. High-power lamps pull a lot of juice. If you’re working with an older house, your wiring might not be up for it. You don’t want to be tripping breakers every time you take a shower. In those cases, the smartest move is to use a few smaller lamps spread across the ceiling. It’s easier on your electrical panel, and honestly, it feels more natural. You get a gentle, even glow of heat instead of one intense beam hitting you in the head.