Stop using those old bathroom heat lamps
You know those old-school heat lamps? The ones that basically just look like glorified light bulbs? They’re a pain. Most of them aren’t actually built for a steamy bathroom, so they tend to burn out or glitch the moment things get too humid. That’s why we’re moving everyone over to IPX5 infrared heaters. They just make more sense for the space. The deal with IPX5 and steam Here is the thing about bathrooms: they are wet. Not just “a few splashes” wet, but “thick clouds of steam and accidental shower spray” wet. An IPX5 rating basically means the unit can take a direct hit of water from any angle and keep on ticking. We use high-temp silicone gaskets and reinforced housing to keep that moisture away from the electrical guts. Without that protection, you’re looking at short circuits or filaments that corrode way too fast. It’s a nightmare you don’t want. Why infrared actually works Most heaters try to warm up the air around you. But air is terrible at holding heat. You’ve probably noticed that the second you turn off a standard heater, the chill comes rushing back. Infrared is different. It doesn’t mess with the air; it sends out waves that heat your skin and the surfaces around you directly. It’s an instant feeling of warmth. We use short-wave emitters because they’re compact and hit their top temperature in seconds. No waiting around shivering. A few things to watch out for during install If you’re putting these in, you’ve got to do it right. First, make sure you’re on a dedicated GFCI circuit. Safety first. Also, because these things get seriously hot, you can’t just mount them to some cheap, flammable plastic. You’ll need a heat-resistant surface to keep things safe. One last tip: these pull more power than a simple light bulb. If you’re installing a few of these high-wattage heads, double-check your wire gauge. I’ve seen too many retrofit jobs where the wiring starts to overheat before the heater even gets going because the wires were too thin. Just stick to the load calculations and you’ll be golden.