How to choose heating for your bathroom

Which type of heating should you choose for your bathroom, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of the individual options? You can find out in our article.

A bathroom should be a pleasant place where you can relax, shed excess stress and tune in to a cosy home atmosphere. But if your bathroom has no heating at all, all those positive feelings evaporate the moment the drops of hot water stop hitting your body. Contact with a cold floor and a towel forgotten in the next room don't help either. Fortunately, today there are a number of heating options that will help fulfil your idea of time pleasantly spent in the bathroom, and can also become a design and functional element.

Connection to the heating system

Classic radiators are one way to bring heat into the bathroom. In some cases, however, this solution is not technically possible and an alternative must be sought. A further complication is the size and impractical construction of radiators and often a not exactly attractive appearance, which can unpleasantly disrupt a modern bathroom design. For that reason, people prefer the option of heated towel rails, even when connection to a central heating system is possible.

Why get a classic radiator?

• Energy savings
• Pleasant heat output of finned radiators
• Panel radiators offer an acceptable space-saving design

Negatives:

• Lower heat output of panel radiators
• An outdated approach
• More complicated maintenance of finned radiators
• Impractical construction for use in a bathroom

Electric towel rails and heating panels

Electric towel rails and heating panels are among the most common bathroom solutions. As such, they provide plenty of heat and can also be used for hanging wet towels. Today there are a number of design solutions and sizes that will find their place in smaller as well as larger flats or family houses.

The price of an electric towel rail varies according to the material used (stainless steel, chrome or a combination), which also affects how demanding their maintenance is. Electric towel rails and heating panels can be connected to the heating system of the house, or you simply plug them into a socket.

Some may be put off by the longer time it takes for the heater to warm up and a way of heating the space that won't protect you from the feeling of cold feet. In such a case, together with the heating you also need to address a complementary floor covering that will prevent the unpleasant chill or at least dampen it.

Why get electric towel rails and heating panels?

• Very simple operation
• Can also be used for hanging wet towels
• Pleasant design
• Lower purchase price

Negatives:

• A relatively longer warm-up time
• An unpleasant chill from the feet

Underfloor heating

Underfloor heating is a very modern and popular form. Its main advantages include space savings, since the heating element is built into the floor system. It is also very comfortable, as the heat primarily warms the feet, which are most sensitive to cold.

A pleasant bonus of underfloor heating is the option of setting the times when the heating is active along with the required temperature. This saves you from having to switch the heating on and off manually all the time.

When installing underfloor heating you must reckon with more demanding work, which corresponds to a higher purchase price too. If you become interested in underfloor heating, you will have to decide whether to connect it to a hot-water circuit or to the electrical grid.

Why get underfloor heating?

• Space savings
• Pleasant heat output
• The option of setting the heating time and the required temperature

Negatives:

• More complicated installation
• High purchase costs

Infrared heaters

Infrared heaters work on the principle of electromagnetic waves. Their main task is to heat objects and people, not the air. Thanks to this they remotely resemble the effect of the sun's rays, with the difference that they do not produce harmful UV radiation. Their use is harmless to both children and pets.

Infrared heaters work immediately after being switched on and in the bathroom they can also act as a nice design element. A lower purchase price and energy savings during use may also seem an advantage.

The above-mentioned type of heating is most suitable for short-term use, and outside the bathroom you can use it to heat terraces, gardens or balconies.

Why get an infrared heater?

• Modern design
• An agreeable purchase price
• Energy savings
• Fast heat

Negatives:

• The need to place it in a safe location
• Dark spots disrupt the efficiency of the heating