Replies

1. 
   csnow | Oct 30, 2003 07:15pm | #1

   The ultimate would be a radiant loop under the floor using water from the steam boiler.  It would take forever for a heat lamp to heat up that much thermal mass.  A fan is not going to help, because the [radiant] lamp does not [directly] heat the air.  In fact, it could make matters worse because of the wind chill. 

   Cold toes=cold wet naked folks.

   For more info on getting hot water from a steam boiler, see:

   http://www.oldhousejournal.com/magazine/2003/february/hybrid_hydronics.shtml

1. 
   NormKerr | Oct 30, 2003 07:35pm | #2

   Marble lined bathroom is an IDEAL case for using underfloor radiant heat! The floor would be kept warm, and that would ratiate up to warm the towels and bodies.

   A heat lamp in the ceiling is the WORST way to heat a room, because human factors studies show that people, generally, like to have warm feet and cool heads. A hot lamp heating the top of your head, while you stand on cold stone is more like torture than pleasure.

   Underfloor radiant 'staple-up' tubing with hot water from the boiler would work a treat! Probably the boiler is providing much hotter water for the radiant base board heat elsewhere in the condo (since its less efficient than in-floor heat the temp needs to be higher), so a tempering valve of some kind will likely be needed for the bathroom heat supply, but that's just part of correctly designing the installation.

   Find a local radiant in-floor heating specialist in your area and contract them to do the design (and you do the labor) and you'll be all set.

   Norm

   Edited 10/30/2003 12:40:31 PM ET by Norm

   Edited 10/30/2003 12:41:01 PM ET by Norm