The struggle between keeping the house warm and not overdoing it on the utility bill is never ending. One place you really feel it is in the bathroom where it’s always a shock to step out of the warm water and into the cold.
Traditionally covered with hard surfaces that tend to be cold anyway, the bathroom falls prey to the winter unlike any other room in the house. Either your bill is astronomical or you suffer the cold in silence. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
What if there was some middle ground where you could achieve some warmth in the bathroom without destroying your utilities budget? Good news, there is a way to do just that. Ready to learn how to keep a bathroom warm in the winter? Here are 12 ideas to get you started.
Rugs
Cover those bare floors with some rugs. Not only does it cover the cold floor, but it adds a layer of insulation between the floor and the rest of the room. Cold is kept under the rug so ambient room temperature stays higher.
Rugs also visually make the space warmer. Enhance that effect by selecting warm colors to trick your brain into thinking it’s warmer.
Heated Towel Rack
Combat the shock of getting out of the shower on a winter morning with a warm towel. The best way to achieve this is a heated towel rack. Simply flip it on before you climb into the shower and by the time you’re done, your towel will be toasty.
Easy Access
If you have to go across the room to get a towel or bathrobe, you’ve defeated the purpose. Install hooks and racks where they’re only an arm’s reach away. The key to how to keep the bathroom warm in winter without spending a dime is to maintain what heat you already have. You waste hard-earned warmth when you have to traipse across a cold room.
Heated Floor
Radiant heat installed under the bathroom tile is an excellent way to keep the bathroom warm. It’s the perfect combination to create and keep warmth.
Installing a heated floor is a big (and costly) renovation job. However, it’s an addition that pays for itself over the years because it’s based on sound scientific principles. Heat rises so warmth originating from the floor will move up and heat the whole room. Additionally, tile, a popular bathroom floor material, is excellent at holding heat. The floor will continue to be warm and warm the room long after the heat cycle turns off.
Bigger Showerhead
A larger, or wider showerhead has a larger spray that covers more of your body at once. This keeps you warmer while showering and decreasing your need to make the bathroom warmer. Add a few other perks like heated towels and a bathrobe and you won’t even notice that it’s winter.
Heat Bulbs
Install a heat lamp in your bathroom for some added warmth. These can be turned on when needed and off when you’re away, saving you money.
If you’re not outfitted with the capability for a heat lamp, you can install heat bulbs into regular light fixtures (check manufacturer instructions for proper specs and safety). Voila! You have some heat right at the point it’s needed most.
Decrease Circulation
Usually circulation is a good thing but if you’re trying to get the bathroom warm and keep it that way, it might serve you better to isolate it. Close doors to keep the warmth you’ve generated inside the bathroom instead of mixing it with air in other rooms.
While you’re using the bathroom, turn fans off to decrease drafts. Worried about a foggy mirror without the fans running? Try an anti-fog mirror, which generates its own heat to stay mist free.
Weatherstrip Windows
Older windows can become a highway for warm air to go out and cold air to go in. Seal them up with some new caulk and weatherstripping. Windows and doors are a big culprit for adding dollars to the monthly energy bill so regular attention to them is important all over the house.
Luxury Shower Features
As you race from your bed to the warm shower on a cold winter morning, imagine how much better it would be if you had some fancy shower features to look forward to.
Steam showers and shower jets give you more warmth in all the right places. No more rotating in the shower to keep all your parts toasty.
Heated Bathtub
The worst thing about a bath is when the water starts to go cold. What if you never had to worry about that again? Install a bathtub with temperature control and heaters so your water stays at the temperature you started with until you turn all prune-y.
Fireplace
A fireplace in the bathroom? Yes! There are so many options for fireplaces now that it’s easy to install an electric one that gives you a little heat right where it counts. Plus there’s the ambiance factor. There’s nothing better than a fireplace to make you feel all cozy.
Natural Light
The cheapest way to warm your bathroom is to let the sunlight in. You may want to cover up windows to keep cold air out, but resist the urge. Weatherstip those windows instead and let the sunlight do its thing.
Skylights are an excellent way to let a little more light in. If there’s a bathroom remodel in your future, consider adding a skylight to your bathroom.
How to keep your bathroom warm this winter without blowing the budget is really a matter of a few, simple adjustments you can make quickly. Use your resources to find ways to make and keep heat in your bathroom and you’ll stay toasty all winter long.
Ready to remodel your bathroom without breaking the bank? Here are some ideas to get you started.
