How To Choose The Right Heated Towel Rail, Water Installation Options, Choose The Right Pipe

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

• Consider the main modifications
• The main criteria for choosing a connection
• Ways of connecting "dryers"
• Step-by-step actions
• When it is not possible to put a water heated towel rail, an electric one comes to replace
• Benefits of electric towel warmers
• Installation guide

A heated towel rail in the bathroom serves to dry clothes, creates a warm climate that eliminates the formation of fungus, the formation of dampness, and also prevents the formation of unpleasant odors on damp things. It is an important heater for maintaining the required microclimate in the bathroom.

Today's market is overflowing with these products, with various designer decorations and colors. Well, the purchase is done. The next task is the correct installation of a heated towel rail. And when you have the skill and desire to do this work with your own hands, you will need a little theoretical knowledge that will help you to correctly and efficiently install this unit without errors.

Consider the main modifications

It is known that the water circulating through the hot water supply system is a rather aggressive medium and poses a real threat of corrosion to the connected heating devices and pipes. A rational way out of this situation is to use "coils" made of non-ferrous metals (aluminum, copper), stainless steel or electrical analogs. There are several types of modern heated towel rails:

• Aquatic. This type has been known to everyone since the times of the Soviet Union, such models are the most popular, they require a heating system or an uninterrupted supply of warm water. They are made of stainless steel, brass, copper, and are characterized by low purchase costs.
• Electrical. There are floor-standing and wall-mounted units that are located anywhere in the room. Connecting them is possible by a closed and open method, when the wires are walled into the wall or lead to the outlet. There are temperature controls.
• Combined. Hybrids of the first two types, but most of all they are related to aquatic products. This design allows them to work even with the heating turned off, and they are much more expensive than the previous types.

The main criteria for choosing a connection

According to GOSTs regulating the technical characteristics of heating and hot water supply systems in apartment buildings, the pressure of the water column in the system should not exceed 4 atmospheres. In fact, it can be from 2.5 to 7.5 and depends on the number of storeys of the building, the terrain and the technical condition of communications.

It is best to give preference to devices made of stainless steel. Especially if it is supposed to mount a heated towel rail to the heating system.

Ways of connecting "dryers"

When choosing a water heated towel rail, it is necessary to consider the method of connecting the structure. There are 3 main types of connection:

• Lateral. It is used for vertically extended devices. This is the most versatile method, suitable for standard snakes, recessed pipe systems and selected ladder models.
• Bottom connection. Requires Mayevsky taps and normal hot water pressure. Suitable for oversized models, often used in ladders.
• Diagonal. This connection method ensures efficient water circulation and requires additional piping. Suitable for large structures, ladders and their modifications. One of the most popular types is a side connection heater. Such models are in demand due to the features of the device and the ease of connecting the unit to the water supply network.

When buying a side heated towel rail, it should be borne in mind that some models do not fit standard domestic systems.

For installation you will need:

• The heated towel rail itself.
• Pipe welding machine.
• Polypropylene pipes.
• Brackets and 3 ball valves.
• Couplings.
• Pipe cutting knife.

Installing a heated towel rail in the bathroom includes several types of work.

1. Elimination of the old unit.
2. Soldering pipes.
3. Fastening taps to the dryer.
4. Jumper installation.
5. The heated towel rail itself.
6. Pipe welding machine.
7. Polypropylene pipes.
8. Brackets and 3 ball valves.
9. Couplings.
10. Grinder for cutting pipes.

If the installation will be carried out with metal-plastic pipes, then the instability of the material to pressure drops must be taken into account. This method is quite economical and efficient, the installation of the unit is carried out by the method of pressing.

Step-by-step actions

Before dismantling the old device, it is necessary to shut off the hot water riser, and only after that remove the old pipes.

We mount the jumper. This, of course, is not necessary, but the advantages during the further operation of the product are significant. You do not need to depend on the decision of others, wait for the water to be turned off in the entire riser, but simply take - and shut off the water supply to the towel dryer with ball valves, the water will flow along the jumper without disturbing the pressure in the system.

When installing this bypass, a polypropylene pipe and ball valves are required. In some cases, it is allowed to mount a tap in the middle of the bulkhead in order to remove air from the dryer and ensure the flow of water in the main pipeline.

Welding pipes. Installation of a heated towel rail continues by soldering polypropylene pipes, although you can take copper (expensive), steel (overall), metal-plastic (unstable).

Do-it-yourself installation of a heated towel rail requires connecting a pipe to a central heating system or to hot water supply units. It is allowed to connect dryers to heating systems with automatic water intake.

Installing a bath towel warmer performed via couplings (size 1 "x _¹ /2" or 1 "x _³ /4"). The slopes of the liner are made in the direction of movement of the coolant, up to 10 mm along the entire length. The eyeliner up to 500 ml can be horizontal.

The hot water riser must be located above the dryer so that the water circulates in all directions, for even heating of the entire drying unit.

The installation height of the heated towel rail is made at a distance of 120 cm from the floor level, and at least 60 cm from all plumbing items and devices. It is not prohibited to place the dryer above the washing machine, as long as it does not interfere with the use of the unit. If the product is mounted in the form of a ladder, then you need to understand that the height will depend on the growth of the residents in this room. There should be no electrical appliances near the dryer.

The next stage of installing a water heated towel rail with your own hands involves fixing the device and testing it. It is necessary to check the tightness of all joints, feel all the seams. No dripping or dripping! Details about the intricacies of connecting to the water supply.

Preparing a place for a heated towel rail

When it is not possible to put a water heated towel rail, an electric one comes to replace

This essential towel dryer can be a great interior decoration. The advantages are obvious: the product can be installed anywhere, independently regulate the heating temperature.

An electric heated towel rail is an electric room heating device made of a steel pipe, inside which a special heating element is placed (a heating cable or heating element with water or oil). Filled with oil or water, the appliance is considered the most common option for a heated towel rail. The scheme of its operation is simple: a warm liquid, heated by TEN, circulates through the pipes of the structure and heats the device itself. In the design with heating cable, the function of the heating element is performed by a cable with silicone insulation. As for the design of the device, in general, it has various shapes and is made as a "ladder", with a heating element located on the right or left inside the pipe.

It is important that the heating element cannot cause a fire, since it does not come into direct contact with interior items (curtains, carpets), and, unlike conventional electrical appliances, does not pose a danger of contact between the energized heating element and metal objects. The power supply can be open (if you want to use the device in several rooms) and closed (to achieve an aesthetic appearance of the bathroom).

The use of such a "coil" for drying clothes is economically profitable, the power consumption of the device can be compared to the operation of one light bulb (35-200 W.). In addition, the device is safe - the maximum surface temperature of the coil pipe is 60 ° C, which minimizes the possibility of getting burned. The heating temperature of the device is regulated manually.

Benefits of electric towel warmers

Electric heaters differ favorably in that they allow solving possible problems with repair work on the supply and laying of hot water pipes. After all, modern heated towel rails that use electricity do not depend on the availability of hot water, do not need laying and supply work, do not require plumbing skills for installation. Electric coils are more economical to install than their water counterparts: it is much easier to stretch an electric wire than to purchase consumables for piping and pay for serious plumbing work to redo hot water pipes. The devices are mounted on a bracket or a telescopic mount, and they just need to be plugged into an outlet.

Electric "coils" are characterized by mobility, versatility and multifunctionality. The device can be safely moved to any place in the living space, whether it be a bedroom, kitchen or hallway, while using a heated towel rail as a heater. Modern heated towel rails are an excellent solution for an apartment with a gas water heater, a country house and a summer cottage. Such a device can serve as heating of an empty country house as protection against freezing, while due to the competent design of the coil, there are no risks of fire.

The only possible drawback of a heated towel rail is that you have to pay for the electricity consumed by the device, although it consumes quite little electricity during operation. And besides, it is not necessary to carry out continuous operation of the coil, you can turn it on periodically to perform the necessary operations to dry the laundry.

Installation guide

How to install an electric heated towel rail correctly? First, you need to decide on the place of installation, calculate the voltage to the electrical network, ground the unit, zero the outlet, which must be protected from water ingress.

With any method of installing the dryer, it is necessary to build a high-quality safety

shut- off device, the heating element should be directed upwards, and the unit itself should be in an upright position. It is also important to adjust the distance between the wall and the equipment.

After complete installation, you need to wait 15 minutes and only then turn on the device.

Heated towel rails can also be installed in the hallway, in the kitchen, in the room, or on the glassed-in balcony. This product is multifunctional, and ensures elimination of humidity in the room, which is so necessary, especially in winter.

The power of this product is an order of magnitude lower than a conventional heater, which means less electricity will be consumed.

Do-it-yourself installation of a heated towel rail is provided in these ways. The work is not difficult, but very responsible. May this piece of furniture serve its owners for many years without fail!

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