Picking the Right Infrared Lamp for Your Bathroom
Here is the thing about infrared lamps: more power isn’t always better. You don’t just buy the biggest one on the shelf and call it a day. If you go overboard, you’re just throwing money away on your electric bill—and you might actually make the room feel stifling. But if you go too small? You’ll be standing there shivering, wondering why you even bothered. It’s all about the size of the room. If you’re just dealing with a tiny powder room—something under 4m²—a 250W to 400W lamp is plenty. It’s a small space, so the heat builds up quickly and keeps you cozy without draining your wallet. Now, if you’ve got a primary bathroom (somewhere between 6m² and 10m²), you’ll want to step it up to 600W or 800W. But what if you have one of those massive luxury baths? If it’s over 12m², a single lamp just won’t do the trick. You’ll end up with “cold spots” where you’re freezing in one corner and roasting in another. The trick here is to use a few 600W units spread across the ceiling. That way, the heat hits you exactly where you need it. One thing to keep in mind: infrared is different from a space heater. It doesn’t warm up the air; it warms you. Because of that, you should install the lamps right where you’ll actually be standing. Also, watch out for your ceiling materials. Those high-wattage lamps get pretty hot on the back side. If you’re putting an 800W unit into a tight drywall ceiling, please use a heat shield. Trust me, you don’t want to scorch your housing. And a quick word of warning about your electrics. Sure, higher wattage means the room feels warm faster. But it also puts a lot of pressure on your circuit breakers. If you hook up three 800W lamps to one low-amp circuit, you’re probably going to trip the breaker the second you flip the switch. Just double-check what your electrical panel can handle before you go all in.