Can You Put a Regular Light Bulb in a Bathroom Heat Lamp?

Can You Put a Regular Light Bulb in a Bathroom Heat Lamp

Everybody loves a warm shower in the cold weather. Be it autumn or winter, a hot bath not only freshens your body but also lifts up your mood. 

At the same time, you don’t want to set foot in your bathroom. Why? Because it’s cold! 

As many modern bathrooms come with warm shower settings, normal households don’t. And it’s also not very cost-efficient. 

What is budget-friendly and also fun at the same time is having a heat lamp in your bathroom. It not only provides you with warm light but also a warm environment. 

But as far as lamps go, all of them need light bulbs. And if your one is dead, you might be thinking ‘can I switch it up with a regular bulb?’ 

Well, we are going to talk about whether can you put a regular light bulb in a bathroom heat lamp in this article. 

Can You Put a Regular Light Bulb in a Bathroom Heat Lamp and Get the Right Heat

To put it this way, you can in some way. If you have a 250W bulb, you can put it in your heat lamp

Regular light bulbs in our home range from 50W-150W. Which produces a very good amount of light. 

But for a heat lamp, it is not enough. The main function of a heat lamp is to produce heat rather than light. 

So the bulbs used in a heat lamp are a bit different than regular household bulbs. 

They will produce about 225W-250W of heat and 25W of light. As they are closer to your body and face, the lights might blind you for a few seconds. 

This is why they are different. And as they are used in a moist environment, they will be exposed to low temperatures. We know how glass handles sudden temperature changes. 

There are a few reasons you shouldn’t put a regular bulb in a bathroom heat lamp. Here are the reasons why. 

Structure of the Bulb

Regular house bulbs have a thin exterior. This helps then produce more light and less heat. 

And new power-saving lights are a no go in this case. So you will need to get the right bulbs.

Heat lamp bulbs are made with a thick exterior to withstand the moist environment. They produce heat more than light. That is their main function. 

Switching them with a regular bulb will not only end you up with less heat but also a hazard of shattering in the bathroom. 

The last thing you want to do is get cuts and slip in your shower. 

Lots of Light but Less Amount of Heat 

As we have said earlier, regular bulbs produce less heat and more light. So if you get 150W of the bulb, you will get 25W of heat and 125W of light. 

But for a heat lamp bulb, the number is on the other side. 

Typically heat lamp bulbs start from 200W and up. They will produce more heat and very less light. 

So going with the right bulb is necessary for a heat lamp in your bathroom. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of bulb goes in a heat lamp?

Heat lamp bulbs are mostly incandescent bulbs that produce more heat than light. There are also home incandescent bulbs that don’t produce heat like a heat lamp bulb. So make sure you ask for a heat lamp bulb when you are at the home depot. 

Can I use a regular light bulb as a heat lamp for a snake?

Yes. Any house bulb will be good for your snake’s heat lamp. As they require minimal heat rather than burning heat, a regular light bulb is the ideal one to go for. Otherwise, a powerful heat bulb might blind or burn their skin. 

What type of bulb is a bathroom heater?

Bathroom heaters use incandescent bulbs to produce more heat than light. They work by providing infrared heat waves. Hence they are sometimes called infrared lamps or infrared heaters

Can I use any light bulb in the bathroom?

Yes. You can use any light bulb in your bathroom. The only thing you should pay attention to is the wattage of the bulb. It should range from 50W-75W if you have a small to medium size bathroom. A larger bathroom will require a larger wattage bulb. 

Conclusion 

Heat lamp bulbs have one purpose, to provide heat. Without the heat, there is no meaning in having the heat lamp itself. So using proper heat bulbs instead of going for regular ones won’t do you any good. Instead, they will turn into a breaking hazard. As heat lamps have reflectors to grow more heat by reflecting, it will cause the bulb to heat up more than it is capable of. Sticking to the incandescent heating bulbs would be the right way to go.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *