Infrared Heating in the Bathroom: Bathe in Warmth!

Infrared heating is a good choice in the bathroom because it gives off heat by radiation: it warms not the air but directly the body, objects and walls, with even heat distribution. Less moisture condenses on a warmer wall surface, which also reduces the chance of mould. For new construction heating film, for an existing bathroom an infrared panel is the obvious solution.

If the bathroom is your favourite room, or you dream of a big bathtub and a welcoming bath, then besides tasteful furnishing and good interior design, the right temperature matters a great deal. Nobody likes to start the day, unwind from daily stress or have a weekend bubble fight with the kids in a cold bathroom with a fluctuating temperature.

No more shivering

Infrared heating works with invisible infrared radiation, which also carries the warmth of the Sun. Unlike heating that warms the air, it warms people, objects and walls directly, and temperature differences within the room are smaller too. In our experience the difference between the temperature measured near the floor and near the ceiling is only 1–2 °C. In a bathroom, where we are undressed or have a wet body, this is not a negligible point.

Heating film for a new or fully renovated bathroom

When building a new house or doing a full modernisation that also affects the heating, it is worth solving infrared heating with heating film. Heating film can be built into the ceiling, the wall and the subfloor, regardless of the covering on top. It is quick to lay, and because it needs little material, no boiler or radiator is required, and the system needs no regular maintenance either. Whether the floor, the wall or the ceiling is the better place in the bathroom is something our other article on bathroom heating can also help you decide.

When this article was published in 2022 we installed 3rd-generation heating film. Today we recommend 4th-generation heating film. We give a 15.5-year warranty on 4th-generation heating film if we do the installation (in Hungary).

Alongside solar panels

Many people install solar panels alongside heating film, which can reduce the electricity cost of heating. The extent now depends on the settlement method: household solar systems established after 1 January 2024 in Hungary work under gross metering, meaning that electricity fed in and electricity drawn appear separately on the bill. The old net metering can remain only for systems applied for by September 2023 and commissioned by 1 January 2026, for 10 years at most. The saving therefore depends mainly on how much solar electricity you use on site.

Infrared panel for an existing bathroom

"If a full renovation is not possible, so-called heating panels can be an excellent way to supplement the existing system, but also work as standalone heating," suggested infrared heating expert Tamás Tóth. An infrared panel can be mounted on a wall or ceiling quickly and easily. Most of the radiation it emits is absorbed by furnishings and the people in the room, and these give the heat on to the air. Panels, available in several versions and with various functions, can also be an aesthetic element of the bathroom. For the bathroom, choose a model that can be used in a wet room, and have the connection made by an electrician.

For drying towels and extra heating of the bathroom, an electric towel warmer may also be an option – we have collected the buying considerations in our buying guide.

Controllable and economical

With radiant heating the perceived warmth can be higher than the air temperature, so the thermostat can often be set to a lower value than with heating that warms the air. This can mean shorter running time and less energy – exactly how much depends on the heat loss of the room and on use. With infrared heating both the air and the heated-surface temperature can be measured and controlled, so with a thermostat you can raise or lower either as needed.

Less chance of mould

A bathroom is a wet, humid room, so preventing mould is important. Infrared rays warm the surfaces of objects and walls, so the walls are warmer and less moisture condenses on them. This reduces the chance of mould forming, but it does not replace regular ventilation. We write about the causes of mouldy walls in a separate article.