Bathroom electric radiant heaters

[Chris Hogg]

I am in the process of planning a refurbishment of our shower room and am thinking about a heater. The shower room has no windows, so I assume an extractor fan is obligatory (it already has one), hence I don't particularly want a fan heater or hot water radiator (I see no point in heating the air just to suck it out through the extractor fan). And I've never been very happy with wall mounted downflow electric heaters as despite the downflow, only the air near the ceiling gets warm and the thermostat always cuts out long before the whole room gets heated.

Many years ago, my parents had a radiant heater in their bathroom. IIRC it consisted of a spiral heater element contained in a vitreous silica tube. I quite fancy the idea and I've seen something for sale in a local electric shop that I think is similar but the assistant didn't know much about it. Are they still allowed in bathrooms, shower rooms etc, given the changes in regulations over the years?

On the net I've also seen other radiant heaters that have quartz-halogen lamps as the source of heat. See

Their description mentions garages, warehouses and factories, but not bathrooms. Are they permitted, and does anyone have any experience of them in such an application?

[Appin]

The message from Chris Hogg contains these words:

Simple heat and light bulbs are very efficient and cheap. Use two, if necessary to cover the area.

[David Hansen]

On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:53:24 +0000 someone who may be Chris Hogg wrote this:-

Provided they are out of reach of someone using the shower (this is expressed more formally in terms of zones in the regulations). The opposite wall to the shower cubicle is generally ideal. Feed from a spur from the ring main.

[robgraham]

ever cold when your radiant heater is off - and despite the extractor fan, will I suspect be a source of condensation with the corresponding black fungus. You are also not considering the fact that towels need to be dried in the shower area - or do you take a nasty wet towel through to your bedroom when you get dressed and leave it lying on the bed ?

I would suggest you reconsider and fit an electric towel rail as background heat, a wall fan heater to give a boost if needed and a humidity controlled extractor fan. This IMO is by far the best combination.

Rob

[David Hansen]

On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 01:02:05 -0800 (PST) someone who may be robgraham wrote this:-

I suspect that the shower area will be slightly colder when a fan heater is off, as they do not warm up the walls as much.

I suggest you try not to personalise discussions like some tabloid newspaper journalist. What I do is neither here nor there.

The OP asked whether radiant heaters are allowed in such rooms. The answer to this question is, yes they are if installed properly.

A heated towel rail can be a very useful fitting in such rooms. Ideally they are fed from a wet heating system with electric element for use when that is not available (though note that if the heating system is gas fired hot water will generally be available all year round). Electric only versions are also available, though I would advise only using them if a wet one can't be fitted without undue disruption.

A humidity controlled extract fan can also be very useful, in the absence of a whole house heat recovery system.