Our bathrooms have 2 separate sets of light fixtures. The 2nd set seems to have been designed to house heat bulbs since the bathrooms aren’t otherwise heated.
Are these recommended? Do they work? Any safety issues I should know about?
Heat bulbs do work, however the technology is quite outdated. There are several alternatives including:
Panasonic WhisperWarm exhaust fans - these offer more diffused heat than a heat lamp and (depending on the electrical wiring) should work within the existing space quite effectively.
Electric radiant floor heating - this option is very effective but requires the existing tile floor to be removed and replaced. It will also require electrical wiring and a thermostat (usually included in kits available in stores or online.
Hot water radiant floor heating - as with the above, it would require new tile but also new plumbing
If none of the above work for the space, the heat bulbs will heat the space fairly quickly although unidirectional.