Why you should ditch the old bathroom light-heaters for IR
We’ve all been there. You step out of a hot shower, the room is freezing, and you’re frantically clicking on those old-school light-warmers. You know the ones—those bright incandescent bulbs that try their best to heat the room but mostly just give you a headache. The problem is, those things are basically just lightbulbs that get hot. They waste a ton of energy and usually burn out the second a bit of steam hits them. That’s why more people are switching to high-waterproof infrared (IR) heaters. Here is the real difference. Old heaters try to warm up the air. But since heat rises, all that warmth just floats up to the ceiling. You’re left with a hot ceiling and freezing toes. IR is different. It doesn’t bother with the air. Instead, it sends out waves that only turn into heat when they hit something solid—like your skin or the bathroom mirror.**It’s instant.**You feel the warmth the second you turn it on. No waiting around. Now, let’s talk about the “bathroom” part of the equation. Steam is a nightmare for electronics. Cheap heaters basically invite moisture in, which fries the internals. High-end IR units use heavy-duty waterproof seals to keep the electricity dry. We also use quartz glass tubes because they can handle the jump from cold to hot without cracking. Plus, the filaments are packed with halogen, so they don’t oxidize and die as quickly as those cheap bulbs do. But, a quick heads-up if you’re planning to install one. You can’t just swap the unit and call it a day. IR elements pull more power to get that intense heat, so you’ll probably need to check your wiring and make sure your circuit breakers can handle the extra wattage. And because these things are actually powerful, placement matters. If you mount one too low, it’ll feel like you’re standing too close to a campfire. We usually suggest keeping them at least 1.5 meters above the floor. Get the wiring right and put it in the right spot, and you’ll never have that “post-shower shiver” again.