Getting Your Bathroom Heat Right: A Quick Guide to Wattage
When you’re picking out heat for a bathroom, you’re fighting more than just a chill. You’ve got steam, humidity, and the occasional splash of water. That’s why we build our heaters to IP55 standards. Basically, it means the guts of the machine are sealed tight against dust and water sprays. It’s peace of mind.
How much power do you actually need?
Here’s the thing: overdoing it is just as bad as underdoing it. If you put a massive 1200W unit in a tiny powder room (anything under 4m²), you’re going to turn that room into a sauna in about two minutes. Plus, if your wiring isn’t heavy-duty, you might just trip your breakers. For those small spaces, a 400W to 600W lamp is usually plenty. If you’re dealing with a larger bathroom—say, 6m² to 10m²—you’ll want to jump up to 800W or 1200W. But a pro tip? Instead of one giant heater, try two smaller ones. It spreads the warmth around the room so you don’t have one “hot spot” and one freezing corner.
Why infrared is different
Most heaters try to warm up the air. Infrared doesn’t bother with that. It goes straight for the objects—and the people—in the room. That’s a huge win in a damp bathroom because the humid air doesn’t just “soak up” the heat. You feel it instantly. One thing to watch out for: your ceiling height. If your ceilings are higher than 2.5 meters, the heat has further to travel, and it loses some of its punch before it reaches you. If you’ve got high ceilings, go for a higher wattage to make up for that gap.
A few warnings on installation
More wattage means you get warm faster. Simple. But it also puts more pressure on your electrics. If you’re installing a few 1200W units, please check your cable gauge. Thin wires can actually get hot, which leads to voltage drops and can burn out your heating element way sooner than it should. And for the love of everything, make sure these are on a dedicated circuit with a GFCI. Water and electricity aren’t friends—stay safe.