Does anyone know which kind of heater is most energy efficient–a radiant heater or a radiant heater with a fan? This is to help dry out a bathroom after shower use. Is it safe to wrap colored tape around the heater cord?
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An exhaust fan would be the first choice for this task, but second would be a dehumidifier rather than a heater. A heater will not technically “remove” the moisture rather diffuse it into the rest of your homes air.
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I agree with the other post. An exhaust fan is what you need. Get one with the CFM rating a little over the square footage of the room. Vent it outside as well (not in the attic). Pay attention to the zone rating. This is the noise level. Under 1.5 is good. I suggest buying Panasonic brand. Look on EBAY. They are a super quality fan and dead silent operation. About the tape, it is fine to cover an electrical cord with tape as long as the cord insulation is in good condition.
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I’ll disagree with the others as I have toe-kick heaters in both of my bathrooms and when they are on the mirrors do not fog up and the moisture is considerably less. If this is due to it being diffused so be it. It does work. Just keep in mind that moisture is still in your home. Only a fan in the bathroom, a dehumidifier or A/C will actually remove it. An electric heater with a fan will work best. The convection currents of a radiant heater will not move enough air to be effective. Also, the sound rating of a bath fan is in sones, not zones.
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Don’t know if anyone mentioned this but the reason a heater in the bathroom appears to dissipate the humidity is because warmer air holds more water. I learned about that from a friend when I helped him build a greenhouse. When the heater is turned off and the air cools, the water will be released as condensate unless its exhausted first. I’m a spoiled Californian, we don’t have to deal with the cold here so the bathroom heater is rarely turned on.
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True, warming the room (and mirror) reduces the condensation on the mirror. The only thing is where the heck is it desirable to raise the temperature of the room after a bath/shower in the summer. Not in the southwest for sure where it is 100+ 3 months a year. I am trusting no one is getting offended here. Remember we cover all over the world with this group AND we also cover all kinds of people with different opinions and different likes and dislikes, and different age groups. I know that I can go to any nursing home in the area and the residents dont care how hot it is, they are cold. So lets remember we are just expressing opinions in these posts.