Fit the bulb the heater’s label or manual names, at its watts and no higher. Broan’s bulb heaters, such as the 162M and 164, take 250 watt BR40 or R40 infrared bulbs.
What Broan’s bulb heaters take
Broan’s installation guide for its 161 to 164 bulb heaters says to install BR40 or R40-size 250 watt infrared bulbs. The 162M takes one bulb and the 164 takes two, which can run separately or together. On its two-bulb models, Broan allows one infrared bulb for heat and one reflector bulb for light.
Feit’s heat lamp bulbs
| Bulb | Shape | Base | Watts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250R40/1 | R40 or BR40 | E26 | 250 |
| 125R40/1 | R40 or BR40 | E26 | 125 |
Feit titles the same bulb R40 on one listing and BR40 on another. Both are 120 volt incandescent heat lamps.
Feit tags both for bath and vanity use. They differ in watts, so fit the one that matches the watts on your heater’s label.
A heater with a light isn’t a heat lamp
Some bathroom heater fans heat with an element and have an ordinary light. Broan’s 765H80L has a 1,300 watt heater, and its light takes only an A19 LED on the E26 base, rated up to 14 watts. Read the label before you put a heat lamp in any socket. Too many watts in a fixture can overheat it and its wiring.
Using it safely
- Turn the power off at the service panel and let the heater cool before you change a bulb or clean the grille.
- Don’t let bare skin touch the hot surfaces.
- Keep towels, clothes, curtains and anything else that burns at least 3 feet from the front of the heater.
- Broan’s instructions say not to connect the heater to a dimmer switch.
If the heater stops working as it should, Broan says to switch off its power at the service panel and have it inspected by an electrician before you use it again.
Vanity light over the mirror?
Bathroom vanity bulbs