Tips and advice on keeping your bathroom warm during colder months
The Nu-Trend renovating team in Sydney gets asked all the time how to make a bathroom feel warm during winter or just on those colder days or nights. We know, it makes getting up in the morning that little bit harder as the bathroom floor is cold, the air is crisp and you just want some comfortable warmth. We know the feeling. For lots of people they can experience that cold feeling at night time as well, especially in the southern suburbs of Sydney or for properties near the coast or the mountains.
There are some clever renovating techniques you can use to keep your bathroom warm so that you don’t suffer on colder days and have that toasty warm feeling. Here are some products and bathroom ideas to keep you warm.
#1 Use touch-free bathroom accessories
We all hate those cold winter mornings and then you touch a cold door handle or tap. So what about going touch-free? If you are inspired by the recent COVID-19 health issues then going touch-free makes even more sense to improve home hygiene.
The VOLA brand creates new possibilities with a touch-free modular like their RS10 hands-free soap dispenser, the RS2 tissue holder and a range of waste bins. Designed by Danish architectural firm aarhus arkitekterne A/S, the Round Series continues Verner Overgaard’s preference for concealing all the messy technical parts. Finishes of the outer ring are available in high-polished chrome or brushed stainless steel with inserts and fronts in white or black.
The other big trend we are seeing is that touch free taps and fixtures can also help reduce the spread of any viral bacteria. The one big thing society has learnt over the last few years is that germs can be spread very easily simply through particles that come from our breath or things that we carry on our hands when we touch things. So apart from not having to touch cold metal you reduce the spread of germs around your house as well.
#2 Upgrade to thermostatic shower fixtures
Thermostatic mixers fully regulate your shower temperature, which means no more scalding or freezing temperature fluctuations. Thermostatic shower technology lets you regulate the water temperature and pressure for future showers, creating a personalised shower experience that’s set to your ideal preference. Simply set your perfect shower on first use, set, and forget.
They are especially handy in busy homes where water conditions change frequently, for example when others are doing laundry or washing dishes. Never worry about adjusting the shower to find your ideal water temperature, pressure and spray pattern again. You only have to find your ideal temperature and pressure setting once, then simply push the button and step into your perfect shower every time.
A few products to consider to keep your bathroom warm.;
GROHE SmartControl Concealed Thermostatic Mixers
let you control up to three different water outlets at the same time, toggling them on and off instantly for an effortless transition for different users.
Pair GROHE Thermostatic Mixers with GROHE Rainshower SmartActive Overhead Showers for a choice between either a refreshing rain shower or energising massage spray. Or for a thermostatic mixer and shower built in one, check out the GROHE Rainshower SmartControl Shower System.
Roca Concealed Thermostatic Shower Mixers
are available in both round or square designs so you can choose the shape that fits your bathroom aesthetic.
American Standard Thermostatic Mixer
is designed to be paired with an EasySET shower controller, where you can set your ideal temperature, as well as flow and pressure. Pair your thermostatic mixer with an American Standard Body Jet for a true day spa experience.
#3 Install a bathroom ceiling heater
Forget the old days with those ugly wall hung bar heater that were eyesores and completely inefficient. An IXL Tastic light/ heater/ fan unit serves 3 purposes saving space, electrical requirements while maximising efficiency to keep your bathroom warm. IXL have a large range to suit everyone’s taste and budge and have become common place in bathrooms for some time.
A recent addition is their Tastic Neo range which is modern and unobtrusive, a modern take on their more traditional products and perfect for small bathroom renovations. What these units provide is a large heat lamp, a bit like being in a solarium that can warm you up instantly. Although importantly for winter it can also take all the moist air out of the room to reduce mould build-up.
IXL recently released their Luminate Range which is a 3 in 1 bathroom heater, exhaust fan and light. It comes in a range of colours with either single or dual units. The 31411 sku has 1 x 800w infra-red heat lamp, 25w dimmable led’s with a warm or cool setting and up to 480m3/h airflow extraction.
It’s design is sleek, minimalist and modern while also being the perfect answer to the problem of ‘How to keep your bathroom warm’ we can supply and install one of these units in Sydney within a few hours with a free quotation.
#4 Install new heated towel rails
Just like a day spa you can have your towels warm, toasty and ready to dry your body quickly with a heated towel rail. It is difficult enough to dry clothes in the direct sunlight let alone a wet towel hanging inside a very cold bathroom. Enter the heated towel rail.
A heated towel rail will ensure your bath towel is dry and toasty warm every time you reach for it. There are many styles to choose, black, white and chrome to enable your towel rail to be an attractive feature rather than an eyesore. They can be installed into a master bathroom, ensuite or small bathroom quite easily, ask us for a quotation.
#5 Replace your old toilet seat with a heated one
A cold toilet seat is one of those shock moments you can have during winter. A heated toilet seat can make your middle of the night and early morning visits much more pleasant. Temperature can be adjusted to your preferences and most have a soft close lid. If the budget allows you can go all out and install a complete bidet. Bidets are becoming more popular here in Australia and are the ultimate for hygiene and comfort.
One of the top selling heated toilet seats on Amazon at the moment is the Brondell L60-EW LumaWarm Heated Nightlight Elongated Toilet Seat with over 850 positive ratings. Colin had this to say about it “Five stars all around for this seat. Wife asked me to replace an old and gross toilet seat so I figured I’d splurge a bit and buy this heated model. Well big thumbs up from my wife. Easy to install and operate and warm on the buns. Light is a nice feature when using the washroom in the middle of the night. And absolutely love the soft close feature. No more loud BANGS from that old heavy seat. Would have liked a longer cord but no big deal.”
We can help with all types of toilet installations or renovations.
#6 Install floor heating when you renovate a bathroom
For the ultimate indulgence one cannot go past floor heating to keep your bathroom warm.. Electric floor heating provides a pleasant warmth for your feet and body by warming the floor surface. This is the perfect finishing touch for your bathroom. One of the great advantages of floor heating in bathrooms is that heat is not lost in the exhaust air. Complete with thermostat and timer, floor heating will keep you warm and toasty from top to toe.
Contact us for a quote on getting floor heating installed
#6 Change to warmer, natural lighting in your bathroom
It is pretty common to use a ‘white’ light in a bathroom to give it that fresh, bright, white look. Although that also creates a ‘cold’ feeling to the room. By changing your globes you can can create a warmer glow and if combined with the other ideas here, can lift the mood considerably.
Removing a wall, adding a skylight or making an existing window opening even larger can increase the volume of natural light coming into the bathroom to make it feel more natural & inviting. It can cut electricity bills by not using the lights as well.
#8 Use timber, copper or brass materials in your bathroom to retain heat
Ok so this is a little more extreme and may require a bathroom renovation but materials like copper, brass, volcanic limestone and soapstone retain heat. So depending on how they are used you can keep the room feeling warmer for longer. Probably involves a bit of renovating, but it will help keep your bathroom warm.
#9 Add wall and ceiling insulation to your bathroom
It’s important to think about your bathroom as a box, so how does it contain things like heat. Your wall thickness, material and whether there is insulation will change this greatly. Safe for the roof. You can strike a balance between retention of heat and ventilation to get the right heating, drying and mould reduction factors happening. A bit more involved but it will keep your bathroom warm.
#10 Use floor mats, storage or plants
Let’s be honest we can all use a little indulgence every once in a while. Now if you don’t have the budget for a bathroom renovation then the next best thing is to try accessorise and make do with what you have.
– Mats; A bath mat does not have to be a little rectangle. You can add a plush floor mat or small rug to enjoy underfoot during winter. Choose a rich colour to give the room a warm look. Make sure you add pads or tape to pervent slippage.
– Plants; It’s important to consider the psychological effects that different items can have when you walk into a room and look around. So combined with some of the items above, adding things like plants can give your bathroom a more inviting feel & mentally it draws your attention away from the cold.
– Storage; how about making that clutter at least look at little organised? It will change the visual space making it feel more friendly and inviting.
Don't forget basics like changing all your window & door seals
You do need ventilation in a bathroom, but if lots of outside cold air keeps entering the room it will also make it feel cold very quickly. So checking your door and window seals will make sure you have efficient room ventilation to retain warmth when you need to. A lot of people will do a renovation and retain the existing steel window frame but in lots of cases it is quite old and the felt or rubbers have deteriorated so you just have metal on metal which allows heat to escape quickly.
Common questions about heating your bathroom
Why is your bathroom so cold?
How can you make your bathroom warmer?
One way to make your bathroom warmer is to set up a portable heater and turn it on about 10-15 minutes before you have your shower so that the room is warmed up before you use it. This can make your bathroom will feel warmer in winter.
How can you keep your tiles warm in winter?
Well the simplest way would be to throw an electric blanket over them or pour some hot water onto them, yes, yes, not very practical we know. In winter you could use larger floor mats that can help make the floor feel warmer or even timber floor tiles. Although the most effective way is to have underfloor heating installed, this warms the floor up from under the tiles and the heat radiates up into the room too. So your bathroom will feel warmer in winter.
How can you heat your bathroom without central heating?
You can do little things like a heated towel rail, a ceiling mounted heating unit and another effective way is to have underfloor heating installed, this warms the floor up from under the tiles and the heat radiates up into the room too. So your bathroom will feel warmer in winter.
Can a heated towel rail warm my bathroom in winter?
Most heated towel rails will provide enough heat to warm the bathroom and also keep your towels fluffy and warm – ready for when you step out of the bath or shower. Although just how much they will change the temperature will depend on their size, how cold the air is and how large the room is and whether the room is heavily ventilated. So while it can help, there are other factors that will change the effectiveness of heating your bathroom.
Can a bathroom heater warm up my room in winter?
The primary purpose of any heater in the home is to help keep you warm when temperatures are low. Most bathroom heater units will also have a fan or exhaust function but they also use an infrared heat lamp that heats quickly and is ideal for heating bathroom.
Here are some of our recent bathroom renovations in Sydney that Nu-Trend has completed. The majority of the projects we are contracted for are complete bathroom renovations where the room is completely stripped so that the flooring, walls, tiling and waterproofing is installed brand new.
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Nu-Trend is a company in Sydney that has provided plumber and bathroom renovation services since 2009. The Directors Rob and Rick are hands-on, providing a personal service.
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A renovation business that builds new bathrooms to meet Australian Standards.
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Rick and Rob are the hands-on directors for Nu-Trend. Rather than hire sub-contractors and manage their business from a distant office, they are on the tools, at your site & working towards delivering your bathroom renovation or plumbing service. It means you are talking directly to the owners of the business, the guys who are accountable and responsible rather than via email or through customer service teams.
It is why they are able to provide a written guarantee that demonstrates their confidence in standing by the quality of their workmanship and the service they deliver to every single client.
They have a very single minded commitment to deliver a high level of professionalism and quality, they’ve been doing renovation contracting in Sydney since 2009.
