Tips To Winter-Proof Your Bathroom - WA Assett

When winter comes around, venturing out to shower and dress in a freezing cold bathroom can fill you with dread.

If you want to avoid that winter chill, there’s a number of clever bathroom renovations to heat things up.

To help you prepare for next winter, here’s four expert renovation ideas to make your bathroom feel warmer.

1. Underfloor heating

two bathroom vanities from bathroom renovation — Say goodbye to cold feet with underfloor heating that warms from the ground up.

Nothing feels more luxurious than stepping out of your shower onto a heated bathroom floor. An underfloor heating system works silently and out of sight to consistently warm a surrounding space – no more cold spots!

You may be surprised to know that installing underfloor heating in your bathroom is actually cheaper in the long run and more energy efficient than other heating methods, such as reverse cycle or central heating. It also requires very little maintenance.

You can also get a full digital panel that allows you to control the temperature and areas of your home you want to be heated, while carefully managing your energy consumption.

Typically, the cost of installing an underfloor heating can range from $1,200 – $1,600.

There are various types of underfloor heating systems that can be installed, and choosing one that’s best for your bathroom really comes down to your budget, space, and flooring, amongst other things.

To ensure you choose and install a system that integrates seamlessly with your bathroom’s design, talking to a home renovations expert is your best bet.

2. Heat lamps

bathroom with heat lamp — Heat lamps are a quick and convenient way to add extra warmth to cold spots in your bathroom.

Heat lamps are a quick and convenient way to add extra warmth to cold spots in your bathroom.

Another relatively affordable and energy-efficient heating option are heat lamps, which are ideal for usage in bathrooms that are on a smaller scale. With the flick of a switch, your bathroom will be instantly bathed in a glow of warmth – perfect for when you’re drying off after a shower.

There are a couple of safety considerations to be mindful of when installing heat lamps.

For instance, avoid placing heat lamps in areas where it can burn or cause fire to other objects, such as your towel rack. Make sure the bulbs are waterproofed and installed in a suitable light fixture (they are hot enough to melt a plastic light socket!)

To avoid any renovation mishaps, ensure that you speak to the team at WA Assett so that we can handle the whole process for you.

3. Heated towel rails

Heated towel rails are a simple but luxurious addition to any bathroom.

Do you dream of wrapping yourself up in a toasty warm towel after every shower? Vertical heated towel rails are a simple but luxurious addition to any bathroom, and they only require 300mm of wall space to install!

There are different types of heated towel rails, each of which have pros and cons depending on your home’s design and budget:

Electric towel rails are the fastest to heat up and the cheapest and easiest to maintain. Simply flip the power switch and the rails will warm up to the perfect temperature within half an hour.
Liquid-filled towel rails, as the name suggests, are filled with liquid and heated by an electric element. In addition to heating your towels, these rails are designed to warm your bathroom.

Given how complex these rails are to construct, however, they are more expensive than electric towel rails and can take twice as long to heat up.

Other great benefits of installing some heated towel rails are that they help prevent the build-up of bacteria on used towels and, over time, can save water and power costs spent frequently washing and drying towels.

4. Wall heaters

If you have limited bathroom space or are on a tight budget, installing a small wall heater can be another great option.

Besides warming the room, the addition of a heater helps dry out wet surfaces quicker and prevents steam from accumulating on your mirrors (a real pain when you’re rushing to get ready for work in the morning!)

There are many different types of bathroom heaters, from radiant electric heaters to infrared or forced air heaters. For your safety, make sure to only purchase and install a heater that has been specially designed for the bathroom.