Herschel Inspire IR heater on the bathroom ceiling - good or bad idea ?

RNV

Hello,

We are about to renovate our bathroom and cannot decide on what to use as a top up heating solution. Currently have a normal central heating radiator Will be using this space for a heated towel rail which will not be enough to heat the room.   Anybody has got  a long-ish (a couple of heating seasons) experience of using Herschel Inspire IR ceiling mounted heater as a top up (when bathroom is in use) solution and could share conclusions?

The  bathroom in question is  relatively small  ~2m x 2.6 m x 2.4m high.

Many thanks 

MattMattMattUK

IR heaters are generally a bit of a gimmick, it would not be an option I would choose (although they are 100% efficient, the same as every other electric heater).

Why would the towel rail not be enough to heat the room? It seems about the same size as many bathrooms which are often heated entirely with the heated towel rail.

QrizB

My granny had an IR heater in her bathroom. It was the sort of heat lamp you might use for a vivarium, hung from the ceiling like a pendant light bulb.

If you stood directly underneath it, it was warmer than the rest of the bathroom but it didn't exactly heat the room.

RNV

Gas central heating and DH is constantly reducing the time it is on and the bathroom gets quite cold for my liking.  So need a top up solution for short periods of time of bathroom use.  

Netexporter

I think an IR heater controlled by a movement/IR sensor might be a good solution. No point in having an IR heater on when there's nobody in the room.

MattMattMattUK

Why not go with one of the towel rails that operate on both heating and electric?

RNV

MattMattMattUK said:

Why not go with one of the towel rails that operate on both heating and electric?

Rightly or wrongly have always stayed away from "multiple function" devices -  feels like the chances of  the unit "going bust"  significantly increase.

Also, the towel rail radiator will replace more or less the same size of the normal CH one we currently have  - can only go 10 cm wider due to space limitations. So for the same size the heat output will be lower.

Have spent looooaads of time on internet reading/watching about IR panels last few days.  Feel like may be want to try IR panel on the bathroom ceiling - only because will have a complete renovation, so will have an electrician  rewiring/remodelling  anyway.  The panels look aesthetically pleasing so can leave with them up even if not of much use. And even if all goes completely wrong apart form nearly £500 wasted all will have to do is to plaster/paint some small holes on the ceiling if have to take it off eventually... DH doesn't like this part of my logic...  Need to decide this weekend, builders promised to start next week. 

QrizB

If you do fit one, please let us know how you get on with it. There's not much experience of these things amongst the forum regulars (my granny's vivarium lamp excepted).

tim_p

£500 seems like a staggering price to pay!

RNV

tim_p said:

£500 seems like a staggering price to pay!

probably looking at the most expensive German make option with shouted about 10 year warranty.... most likely with millions spent on advertising "special benefits" of their models. I looked at cheaper alternatives as well - in some cases noticed less output for the same size, or warranty only for 2 years... 

RNV

QrizB said:

If you do fit one, please let us know how you get on with it. There's not much experience of these things amongst the forum regulars (my granny's vivarium lamp excepted).

yes, will get back here with the outcome.