Why not put in a subfloor system like the radiant heat flooring with plastic tubs running around the room, only rather than buring natural gas to heat the water, just use the water from the shower drain?

I only NEED the floor warm when I'm actually IN the bathroom anyway. On the way IN to the shower, I'm too sleepy to care about the cold floor. But this way, you always step out to a nice toasty bathroom floor.

Soap scum, and how to prevent clogging of the tubing would appear to be the functional problems.
-- feet1st, Feb 04 2004

<Shameless Plug>Could you encorporate something for this too?</SP> http://www.halfbake.../idea/Soap_20Warmer
[silverstormer, Oct 04 2004]

Not a bad idea, but would carpet not be a lot easier and cheaper?
-- silverstormer, Feb 04 2004


A forced air heater that blows a lot of warm air isn't going to feel when you're still wet from the shower. 80 degree F moving air feels fairly cool to dry skin.

Sort of along the lines of those anti-fog shower mirrors, run the hot water through a rug/mat on it's way to the shower head. Temporary radiant heating. 'twouldn't be pretty with the hoses going every which way though.
-- half, Feb 05 2004


I'm for the rug. And I think the cold floor is disturbing when i first walk in as well... maybe, if the tile is a good insulator you could just heat a set of tiles arayed in a foot step pattern. A lá Arthur Murray dancing feet... this would reduce the amount of heat loss to the foot comfort and keep the shower hot. Now add a remote start for the shower so it is all cozy before I get in there and you have a sale.

for now, have a loofah, which you can exchange for a croissant after the spec is boosted a tad.
-- DadManWalking, Feb 05 2004


I've noticed that water cools considerably between the shower head and the the ground, due to heat lost to the air as it falls. Unless you like very hot showers, this isn't going to warm the floor by much.
-- kropotkin, Feb 05 2004


I was thinking it woudn't warm the floor much also, but then I remembered how my cat climbs into the shower when anyone finishes one. It is warmer than it used to be. I like the use of otherwise wasted heat, but I don't agree with the part about not caring about a cold floor before the shower. I think I'll send my kid in to run the shower for 5 minutes before I get in.
-- oxen crossing, Feb 05 2004


The lag time it takes for the floor to heat up would probably be a lot longer than the time it takes to take a shower. That is unless you take long showers.
-- brattleboro, Apr 08 2006


You could put an electric heating pad (the kind for sore backs and muscles) on the floor next to the tub.

Go on, I triple-dog dare you.
-- NotTheSharpestSpoon, Apr 09 2006


They do make shower drain line heat exchangers that heat the cold water entering the HW tank so the idea is not completely without merit.

I say bun even though the temperature differential is probably a bit on the low side for this to work as well as desired. You might do a little better if the Hot water feed line went through the floor rather than the drain that way no clogging issues.
-- jhomrighaus, Apr 10 2006


//plastic tubs running around the room//

Just picturing that now. After a while, you'd send them to run around outside, so you could get some peace and quiet.
-- pertinax, Oct 15 2022



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