There is nothing worse than stepping out of a warm shower into a cold bathroom. Maintaining a level of heat within your bathroom is not only ideal for you but it also keeps your bathroom fresh. In today’s modern landscape there are numerous options for heating your bathroom, in this guide we will break down the ways in which you can keep your bathroom warm as well as any technical terms that may arise.
Why Should You Keep Your Bathroom Warm?
The bathroom is unlike the majority of other rooms in the house due to the fact it contains a substantial amount of water outlets. The moisture from using these water outlets combined with the heat of the water creates a humid environment within the bathroom. Due to bathrooms often being smaller than other rooms this can create a damp environment especially after someone has had a bath or shower. If moisture is left to gather in the bathroom or the bathroom is constantly cold, dampness can occur which can eventually lead to mould and bacteria building up, especially around areas where water collects. To prevent this, it is imperative that your bathroom is both heated and vented adequately.
What Will Affect Your Bathroom Heating?
When thinking about heating your bathroom their a few key things you will need to consider. The most important aspect is the size of the bathroom. The method of heating you choose needs to be ample enough to provide warmth for the whole room. BTU is the heating industry’s method of ascertaining whether a certain device will meet your bathroom’s requirements. It works by using the construction and measurements of the bathroom to work out how much energy is lost and much is required to comfortably heat the room. You then use this figure to select a device with a slightly higher BTU figure than this to be able to sufficiently heat your bathroom. If you are unsure checkout Vogue's BTU calculator.
Other elements you may want to consider is the existing layout or the intended layout of the bathroom. You want to place your heat source in a position which allows it to spread heat evenly across the whole of the bathroom. You also don’t want to place it too close to other elements in the bathroom it needs to be in a generous amount of space. If opting for an electric heating option, you will need to check the zoning within the bathroom to make sure it is positioned within the correct zone.
Another consideration is the finish of the radiator. Chrome radiators make a stunning feature in the bathroom, however, the heat output from these is generally not as high as the same model but in a different colour finish. So, it is worth considering if the loss of heat is worth the difference in colour.
Types of Bathroom Heating
Radiators
In quite a lot of homes, radiators are pre-installed in a set place that makes sense with the house’s central heating system layout. Where this is true it may not be practical to completely change the whole set-up and instead choose a different style or design of radiator that will fit in the same position. Modern radiators come in many stylish options as well as more traditional-looking designs. Vertical and horizontal panel designs have become increasingly popular due to their overall minimalistic look.
A popular choice, radiators are able to provide a high heat output ensuring they can warm up bathrooms on the larger size. Available in both electric and central heating versions, the functionality of radiators can be increased with the use of clip-on towel bars and hooks that allow for you to keep your towels and robes toasty warm.
Heated Towel Rails
As self-explanatory as their name might suggest, heated towel rails are towel rails that are warm. Providing dual functionality, they keep towels nice and toasty as well as giving an effective storage solution. Whether you are looking for a traditional towel horse design or an open-ended modern design, coming in both floor and wall-mounting options heated towel rails are a truly versatile option.
Available in both electric, central heating and dual fuel versions, variations on heated towel rails included singular robe posts, ideal for hanging a singular towel or robe, and towel racks, ideal for giving height in smaller bathrooms. A vital consideration if you are choosing a towel rail is that when it is laden with towels its effectiveness in heating the room as a whole is reduced. While the BTU output may place it within the category of being ample enough for your bathroom, the denseness of the towels will considerably reduce this heating output as it will be absorbed by the towels. So, it may be an option to store your towels elsewhere when they are dry and just pop them on the towel rail before and after your shower/bath.
Underfloor Heating
Cool tiles in summer are often a godsend, in winter they can be a slight inconvenience when stepping out of your warm shower or bath. Imagine stepping out of your shower onto lusciously warm tiles in the winter. Underfloor heating makes this possible, removing any need for large amounts of wall or floor space it is installed underneath flooring and is set up to allow you to control the heating output at a preferred temperature. Advancements in design have made it easier for underfloor heating to be introduced into the bathroom, however, it still requires renewing the flooring and may only be a consideration if you are doing a full bathroom remodel.
We hope this guide has warmed your feelings about switching up the heating within your bathroom. At James Hargreaves Bathrooms we have a wide range of radiators and heated towel rails on display and our underfloor heating team will be happy to answer queries regarding to installing underfloor heating within your bathroom.