So I'm looking for a fan forced space heater for a large bathroom. Below zero temps, wind chill, northwest wall, tend to keep this bathroom cooler than the rest of the house. Water pipes feed from exterior wall, unfortunately, behind two vanities.....So I have been using an older ceramic heater, focused towards open cabinet where the pipes are,, but like to upgrade and the reviews are all over the place for them,, Suggestions appreciated..
Electric Space Heater Recommendation
- Thread starter gfreek
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
The electric heater I was using heater in an upstairs bathroom is an inexpensive plastic one with the small electric coils and high low fan settings. The brand is Pelonis but I think most are pretty much the same. No matter how they are cased they all max out at 1500 watts. Any difference is likley in the blowers. I did have a ceramic heater years back and it did not seem to allow much air to be blown through. We block off most heat going to the upstairs this time of year so I have liked to have something in the bathroom. Our bathroom has a radiator and thermostat piped to a boiler that we rarely use. I tried using that to avoid any freezing worries but the boiler short cylces. The electric works fine but i don’t like paying for it. I’m trying without added heat and keeping an eye on things.
Do the pipes freeze without a heater? Usually keeping the cabinet doors open is enough. If a heater is a must, I like the oil filled radiator type for radiant type heat. The fan type heaters in a small area seem to kick on and off constantly. In my shop I have a 120v 2' baseboard. It's plugged into a plug type thermostat that runs from 35-45 degrees. No other heat in the shop and it survives all winter with no frozen pipes. Those hardwired wall mount ones are nice in cold bathrooms as well.
Do the lines come in from the floor or wall? If floor, can you place foam behind them?
If wall, you may want to drill the wall and add foam. It'll expand in the walls.
Keeping the water dripping or lightly running b helps too.
If wall, you may want to drill the wall and add foam. It'll expand in the walls.
Keeping the water dripping or lightly running b helps too.
The lines come from the wall, thought about some how getting foam in there and there is already 6 in fiberglass insulation there..Cabinet doors were left open, still an issue. I did try a oil filled heater, set it just in front of the open cabinet door, nope. A fan forced heater directed at the open cabinet, I found works best so that's what I'm looking at..The vanity has a closed back, which i feel eventually needs to be cut open..
Long term solution would be to re do the lines so they come up from the floor, or why it was done this way no idea
Long term solution would be to re do the lines so they come up from the floor, or why it was done this way no idea
Last edited:
Another thing to check, which may require wall access is drafts in the wall. If you can access the hole where the pipes come through, take an incense and check for drafts. Drafts coming through the outer wall from gaps in siding or the sill is a huge culprit in freezing pipes. I've always preferred the milk house style heaters. They just seem more rugged and have a metal case. No actual evidence to prove they are any better. Obviously you used space heaters in there before so you know it works but for others reading, be aware of what your electric system can handle. Space heaters sometimes don't play well with other appliances used in bathrooms such as curling irons and blow dryers and can overload the system. My wife and daughter are famous for using our master bath to get ready together. There will be 2 irons plugged in and hot as well as 2 blow dryers running.
Yes thanks for that. Agree on the metal casing. And using a space heater in a bathroom is a no no unless its rated for such, but there are a few out there.. just looking at keeping pipes from freezing for now as we are slowly moving in. I drained and blew the lines out for now..
If you have a forced air furnace adjust your floor vents.. Closing them off a 1/4 inch makes a big difference in directing more air flow where you need it. I did this im my place and i notice no difference in heat levels in the front of the house but the back is much warmer now. Depending some furnaces have adjustments for the main lines close to the furnace and you may want to check those to make sure that area is not shut down
Yes, I adjusted the floor vents in rooms not being used right now. Checked the dampers in the basement ducts all seem open. I'm going to recheck that.. I did put a deflector above the floor register in that bathroom to direct heat. I think it needs another register.....I'm going to have an HVAC person come and check things out anyways after this winter. It's a newer home 5 years old...should not be having this issue.. Any thoughts about insulating the duct work where I have access ??
I'd suggest you heat the water lines up where they enter the vanity with radiant or conductive heat. Heat applied to the lines would transfer back along the pipes to prevent freezing.
A simple 150-watt floodlight placed in the cabinet and aimed at the water lines might work for radiant.
Heat tape placed around the water lines may work for conductive transfer.
Both would use far less energy than a space heater which generally uses between 600 and 1500 watts.
A simple 150-watt floodlight placed in the cabinet and aimed at the water lines might work for radiant.
Heat tape placed around the water lines may work for conductive transfer.
Both would use far less energy than a space heater which generally uses between 600 and 1500 watts.
I have Pex lines going directly into the exterior wall, short stubs from the wall to faucet shutoffs, why they weren't feed from the floor beats me, that's where the main lines are.. Not sure if they tee off in the floor to both vanities or to the first vanity then tee to the second..they were both frozen, they thawed at the same times..,. Heat tape , yea thought of that, how to apply it without tearing into wall...Yes considered a lamp in the vanities.... I have scope camera, I may be able to look into the floor from floor register and see..
I assumed you have copper pipes. Sorry if I missed that. My suggestions probably won't help.
Similar threads
