How to Actually Size an Infrared Heater for Your Bathroom
When you’re picking out a heater for the bathroom, it’s tempting to just go for the biggest wattage you can find. But here’s the thing: more power isn’t always better. You really just want to match the heat to the size of the room so you aren’t paying for electricity you don’t need—or shivering in a cold corner. Finding the right fit If you’ve got a tiny powder room (under 4m²), a 400W to 600W shortwave lamp does the trick. It hits you instantly. For those mid-sized bathrooms between 4m² and 8m², you’re looking at 800W to 1200W. Now, if you’re dealing with a massive master bath over 10m², one big heater won’t cut it. You’ll end up with one hot spot and a lot of cold air. Your best bet is to spread a few 1200W units across the ceiling. Just be careful not to overdo it in a small space. If you put too much power in a tiny room, it feels like an oven. You’ll find yourself constantly flicking the switch on and off, which wears out the relay and kills the lamp way faster than it should. Dealing with the steam Bathrooms are wet. That’s why we use IP55-rated enclosures. In plain English? It means the unit is sealed up tight enough that dust and water sprays won’t fry the electronics. It just works, even when the room is full of steam. We stick with shortwave infrared because it doesn’t bother trying to heat the air. It heats you and the surfaces around you. This is huge because you aren’t fighting against a ventilation fan or an open door that’s letting all the warmth escape. A quick word on the wiring Higher wattage means faster heat, but it also pulls more current. Before you install anything, double-check your wiring. If you put a 1500W lamp on thin, old wires, you’ll get a voltage drop. The result? The lamp never actually reaches the temperature it’s supposed to. It’s worth taking a second to balance your circuit load before you start wiring everything up.