Most economical (and safe) way to heat a bathroom

Hootie19

Our bathroom is ridiculously tiny. But it's so cold. We have given up on the radiator - no matter what we do with the central heating radiator, it never gets more than lukewarm (despite all the other radiators in the house getting to "fry an egg on it" temperatures).

So - we want to get a supplementary heater that we can use to heat the room before showering/bathing.

This room is teeny. It is no longer or wider than the length of a bath, and the wall opposite the bath has the radiator on it (fairly small radiator).

I was wondering if one of these
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4152679/c_1/1|category_root|Home+and+furniture|14417894/c_2/2|14417894|Heaters+and+radiators|14417957/Trail/searchtext%3EHEATERS.htm#pdpFullProductInformation
would be possible. There is a double electric socket immediately outside the bathroom door, so we wouldn't need extension cables.

We would, of course, remove the heater before getting into the bath/shower, although if there was an alternative heater that we could use while using the bath/shower, that'd be great.

Any ideas (apart from trying to get the central heating radiator working - have had two or three heating engineers in who have been baffled!)

HelenYorkshire

I've used one of these (mine was from homebase I think?) and even been naughty and left it in during my shower (but in a big bathroom so far away from splashes and steam wasn't "concentrated"
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4152291/Trail/searchtext%3EOIL+RADIATOR.htm

emma12345

This...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Winterwarm-Electric-Downflow-Bathroom-Kilowatt/dp/B005HI4W4U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1328736079&sr=8-2

is similar to what we use. It's an electric bathroom wall heater. It's brilliant as it heats the room and the heat warms you all over if you stand under it when you've had your shower.

We have to get a 1kW one as our bathroom is tiny. The picture shows a 2kW one but various places sell the smaller ones. The electric cable was taken through the ceiling when it was put in for safety reasons so no plugs needed.

Maz

HelenYorkshire wrote: »

I've used one of these (mine was from homebase I think?) and even been naughty and left it in during my shower (but in a big bathroom so far away from splashes and steam wasn't "concentrated"
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4152291/Trail/searchtext%3EOIL+RADIATOR.htm

We've also got one of these, plugs in at a socket outside the bathroom. Our bathroom is only 8x8 so quite small and heats up really quickly with this. There is a heated towel rail in there but tbh, it's as good as useless.

After 7 years of an ice-box bathroom I don't care if it costs me a few bob extra on leccy, a warm bathroom is such a luxury it's worth every penny!

mishkanorman

we used an oil filled one for our box room, it heats up lovely and has wheels, handy once you are done its still warm so you can take it with you and still feel the benefit !

thatgirlsam

Heated towel rail might help

Or at least you would have warm towels anyway!

Tiddlywinks

Our en suite is over the garage and so even with lagging under the flooring and the radiator up on full it is still really cold in there.

We use a small blow heater and stick it in there first thing and shut the door. After about 5 minutes (time to feed the cats) it's warmed up enough to have a shower. I never leave it on whilst I'm using water though.

After one of us has had a shower the room will be warm enough for the other to go in without needing to put the heater on again.

Flearoy

I'd get the radiator fixed. If it only gets lukewarm that means that not enough flow if getting through it. It either means it's sludged up, or perhaps the thermostatic valve has stuck on a partially closed setting (even if the wheel turns, the innards can get jammed). It's also possible the valves either side of the radiator (one of which will be a thermostatic valve, if you have one) aren't open enough. It could cost nothing to fix. A new thermostatic valve can be had for pounds if you're handy with the wrenches...

building_with_lego

I started composing a post mentioning these potential problems but the OP mentions three engineers having been stumped. Surely they would have exhausted these possibilities?

KxMx

We have a radiator in the bathroom, but it is a "cold room" anyway so sometimes heats it well, sometimes doesn't.

Generally the winter method is turn on the shower, pull the curtain, get undressed and then hop in!

euronorris

How well insulated are the windows and window frame? If there are windows in there, that is?

It might be worth insultating the windows and/or frame a bit more, so that it retains more of the heat that is generated in there. There's no window in our bathroom, and we have the opposite problem! It's like a sauna! So, I'm thinking, eliminate any draughts and you might see some improvement, in addition to using a heater.