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You might want to put a thermal cover on the window.
That could be a thick shade or curtain, plastic sheeting over the window, or even a piece of rigid foam insulation.
I'm usually satisfied with a heater that I only turn on when I'm in the bathroom, but if I'm taking a shower I turn it on a little before I take the shower.
First of all, I assume you do have adequate heat elsewhere in the house, and only the bathroom feels cold, correct?
In that case, something is either leaking warm air in that bathroom, or your space heater is not big enough.
You might try a free energy assessment, if one is offered in your area by a utility company. Among other things, the inspectors would check for air leaks around that bathroom window and perhaps around the exhaust fan if there is one. You can also have your own test done: have a lit candle carefully moved around the window (watch out for curtains or anything combustible). A noticeable draft would distort the flame.
Also, it might be possible that there is no attic/roof insulation above the bathroom, but there is elsewhere in the house -- another thing to check.
BTW, you might consider a programmable thermostat that could lower the overall house temperature when you are not at home. Then you could leave the bathroom door open and have that room warmed somewhat by the air from other rooms. And yes, get a bigger space heater (but perhaps not that silly towel warmer). As the immortal line in the movie Jaws went, "You gonna need a bigger boat."
I'm usually satisfied with a heater that I only turn on when I'm in the bathroom, but if I'm taking a shower I turn it on a little before I take the shower.
You say there is already a heater vent in the bathroom. Have you looked at the vent to see if there is any obstructions? Some people will manually close a bathroom vent because they don’t like the cool air blowing in and on them when they get out the shower/bath and then forget to open the vent in the winter. Another issue is air balance. Are some vents fully wide open causing other vents to have a reduced air capacity? Is the bathroom located close by the return air register? This could cause any warm air entering the bathroom to immediately get sucked back to the return air register. Do you have a ceiling mounted exhaust vent fan? If so, where does it exhaust to and do you feel a cold air draft coming down from the vent when it isn’t running? Exhaust vent fans should have a flapper to prevent cold air from coming down through the vent when off but they don’t block all cold air. Wind can cause the flapper to swing open and close and even when fully closed it isn’t air tight. Is the window privacy glass? If so then a cheap solution is to cut and fit styrofoam insulation board to fit into the window frame and cover with blinds or curtains. Look under the sinks for any drafty wall penetrations from the pipes. If there are drafty penetrations allowing cold air to enter you can easily DIY seal them up yourself for a quick fix. Plenty of sealant products on the market for such a job. Oh, is that air register the type with individual vanes that can be moved independently of each other? If so then you may need to move them for a more even air distribution throughout the room. Have you turned on the central air fan and checked for air flow from the bathroom vent? I’d there an electrical outlet in the bathroom? If so then perhaps you could, as a temporary fix, install an oil filled radiator heater with a digital thermostat. If you do then make sure it’s plugged into a GFIC electrical outlet. It’s a slow acting heater so don’t expect instant heat when you turn it on. Check everything else I mentioned before trying the oil filled heater.
First of all, I assume you do have adequate heat elsewhere in the house, and only the bathroom feels cold, correct?
In that case, something is either leaking warm air in that bathroom, or your space heater is not big enough.
You might try a free energy assessment, if one is offered in your area by a utility company. Among other things, the inspectors would check for air leaks around that bathroom window and perhaps around the exhaust fan if there is one. You can also have your own test done: have a lit candle carefully moved around the window (watch out for curtains or anything combustible). A noticeable draft would distort the flame.
Also, it might be possible that there is no attic/roof insulation above the bathroom, but there is elsewhere in the house -- another thing to check.
BTW, you might consider a programmable thermostat that could lower the overall house temperature when you are not at home. Then you could leave the bathroom door open and have that room warmed somewhat by the air from other rooms. And yes, get a bigger space heater (but perhaps not that silly towel warmer). As the immortal line in the movie Jaws went, "You gonna need a bigger boat."
Not correct. It's not that the bathroom is colder than the rest of the house. It's that I want the bathroom warmer than the rest of the house.
If I keep the house at 68, I want the bathroom at 70 or even 71.
So my question is, is it more efficient, energy-wise, to keep it at 71 all the time, even when I'm not home, or is it better to only turn the baseboard heater on when I am home, which means having to bring the room back up to the desired temperature.
The house is kept at 65 when I am not home, and back up to 68 when I am home. I used to keep it lower when I'm not here but I have an elderly arthritic cat. Like me, she does better with a warm house.
Last edited by catsmom21; 11-18-2021 at 02:51 PM..
Not correct. It's not that the bathroom is colder than the rest of the house. It's that I want the bathroom warmer than the rest of the house.
If I keep the house at 68, I want the bathroom at 70 or even 71.
So my question is, is it more efficient, energy-wise, to keep it at 71 all the time, even when I'm not home, or is it better to only turn the baseboard heater on when I am home, which means having to bring the room back up to the desired temperature.
The house is kept at 65 when I am not home, and back up to 68 when I am home. I used to keep it lower when I'm not here but I have an elderly arthritic cat. Like me, she does better with a warm house.
Think I understand a little better. Could you post a photo of the location of the bathroom heater and air vent?
Not correct. It's not that the bathroom is colder than the rest of the house. It's that I want the bathroom warmer than the rest of the house.
If I keep the house at 68, I want the bathroom at 70 or even 71.
So my question is, is it more efficient, energy-wise, to keep it at 71 all the time, even when I'm not home, or is it better to only turn the baseboard heater on when I am home, which means having to bring the room back up to the desired temperature.
The house is kept at 65 when I am not home, and back up to 68 when I am home. I used to keep it lower when I'm not here but I have an elderly arthritic cat. Like me, she does better with a warm house.
OK, your question has shifted a little. I have a house guest older cat. She has a heating pad under a towel and is happy as a clam. MUCH less expensive than heating an entire house, and the heating pad can be warm enough to make a real difference. Back when people raised chicks, they used a brooder with a light bulb for warmth. Same principle. Put heat where it is most needed.
Everyone likes to poop in a warm bathroom I'm sure.
Which is why we a have a Toto toilet.
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It's not that the bathroom is colder than the rest of the house. It's that I want the bathroom warmer than the rest of the house.
