Start the day by going into a bathroom that has a warm temperature in the dead of winter, it is simply a enjoyed. And if in addition, we have the towels or the bathrobe a little hot, we definitely start the day off right.
Although there are multiple heating systems for improve the temperature of the bathrooms , the great unknown are the towel radiators or as many of us call them in a more generic way, towel warmer . But… What are they for and what are the heated towel rails?
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The towel radiator is a device that It works like heating and is placed in the bathrooms. He goal is to heat the bathroom at the same time as we can dry and heat the towels or the bathrobe.
Comfortably heat a bath while enjoying a hot towel is the promise of hair dryers towels . However, there are many technologies available and Not all devices offer the same benefits.
Here is a very useful buying guide to help you find the product you need…
First we must clarify that there are three types of radiators towel racks for the bathroom. Three generalized options that they depend on the energy that we are going to use; one electric, of water or mixed and depending on the installation we have at home:
| Radiator types towel rails | Works with | Installation | Sale price |
| Water heated towel rail | Centralized heating – Boiler | Needs work – Complicated | €€ |
| Electric heated towel rail | Electricity connection | No works – Easy installation | € |
| Mixed heated towel rail | Centralized heating – Boiler + connection electric | Needs works | €€€ |
We can install this type of hair dryer towels if we have a centralized system of radiators with their boiler opportune. Of course it is the best option since we take advantage of the heating system that we already have in the house a, with the small exception that it will work if the central system is activated.
In short, it is like having a typical radiator but its form will be adapted (usually they are elements in format vertical) so that we can hang the towels or the bathrobe.
Its installation is more complex; we need to do works to pass the corresponding pipes and perform the different tests to make everything work correctly (See article gas boilers for heating).
You have to take into account, although it is not common, that you can supply the heated towel rail with water, for example, with the hot water from the shower, so when we finish we have the hot towel (the bathroom is not heated here) or with a floor radiant if it works with water. They are other options although less known.
As a fact, there are also heated towel rails that through of an individual thermostat allows us to adapt the bathroom temperature regardless of the other rooms of the house.
In this case, only one connection is needed electric to operate the towel rail . This appliance will function independently of the other equipment heating that we can have at home.
Although from the perspective of energy consumption it is not so efficient as the one named above, has advantages palpable as; quick and easy installation where practically does not require works (fix the appliance to the wall and plug it into the outlet).
In addition, virtually all heated towel rails They have a thermostat where we will control the ignition and off, even the most expensive ones can be controlled with the mobile via WiFi.
We are going to see the different models of towel rails most common electrical devices provided by the market according to its operation (later we will see according to materials) and what are its characteristics:
| Electric radiator model towel rack | Warm up towels | Bathroom comfort | Increase shape temperature | Price |
| By convection | Low | Low | Medium | € |
| By radiation | medium | Medium | Medium | € |
| By fan | Low | Low | Quick | € |
| By aluminum with inertia | Medium | High | Slow | €€ |
| By tubes | High | High | Slow | €€ |
| Mixed | High | High | Quick | €€€ |
If we had to opt for some hair dryer electric towels , we would go more to the inertia or the tube, which has a coherent relationship between heating the bathroom and that we have the dry towel. The mixed one is the best option, but on sale it will be the most expensive.
The mixed towel radiator is a combination of the two previous technologies. It can work through the boiler that provides heat to centralized radiators or by electricity.
As the devices are more complex, the sale price in the market is more expensive, but we will have the option of using a system or another when we are interested. It is the same possibility that electric water heaters that accumulate hot water thanks to the centralized boiler.
The towel rail for water radiator has fewer models for sale since its technology that provides Heat depends on the boiler, but the towel radiator Electric can give off heat in many ways, and, This is where the issue gets complicated. So let's see some How many important aspects.
The towel drying devices , being in a wet area, the bathroom, it is necessary that you have some characteristics in its materials and finishes, above all a treatment to protect from oxidation if we want it to have a long life.
The best-known brands ( Baix, Rointe Delta, Bisque, Ferrolan, Rodriguez Calderon, Irsap, Koralux , etc) and reputed for quality carry out a long process to obtain suitable anti-corrosion qualities due to humidity, as well as in the painting or finishing of the radiator.
Depending on the material manufactured, we also have different models that will affect their design, their thermal inertia (how give off heat) to its resistance to humidity and consequently, to its durability.
There is an interesting article we did about radiators where we can see the thousand shapes and materials that are present on the market. And now it's time to see how we select the best for our house…
When choosing the most suitable heated towel rail, suitable for your bathroom, there are some keys you must look and take into consideration.
What type of air conditioning do I have? We mean the heating system of the house: if we have a boiler (heating centralized in the home) or we can only opt for a electrical appliance. Remember that at the beginning we explained the three options: electric, water or mixed.
Where will we place the heated towel rail and bathroom dimensions? Ahead is a infographic that we see the safety separation with reference to bathtub and sink (60 Cm). Take the appropriate measurements of the hole and make a small scheme – sketch. With the bathroom dimensions we will be able to recognize if you need a single heated towel rail or several, and if you need a power major or minor .
How much power do we need? Since we have already measured the surface of the bathroom, usually 100 W is calculated for each square meter from the bathroom . That is, a bathroom of about 10 m2, we would need a 1,000 W appliance.
What is the design that need? Aside from our tastes in decoration, if the design suits us. You have to take into account the number of people using the bathroom More people, we will need a towel rail with more slots, large and wide, if We are few, so look for a towel radiator small .
Which heated towel rail is more efficient and spend less? This is the million dollar question, and If someone is responding quickly, it is because they do not know what is talking. Here habit plays an important role in the time of the shower and the needs of the occupants of the housing.
It is not the same to shower every day at the same time where we can carry out ignition programming through the thermostat, that if we vary the time at the time of the shower and we will want a bath that heats up quickly. nor is it same if our showers are 10 minutes, than 30 minutes or if we want our towels to be warm all the time day.
Always remember to look at the energy label of the device to see its energy efficiency before buy. An example of common and general characteristics that you can find is the following scheme:
Compare prices in different stores and department stores; Leroy Merlin , Bricomart , Bauhaus shops, Tien 21 , etc And remember that neighborhood stores often surprise with very competitive prices.
To start getting an idea quickly, you can check the price of radiators towel racks on an online platform like Amazon. Sometimes they launch interesting offers and we can already have a general idea of prices.
Towel rails and radiators must not never be located inside the bathroom, shower or sink . The towel radiators are ready to withstand the humid environment of the bathroom, but not for direct water. Remember that there is a distance of security as shown in the following image:
It must be installed with the resistance located on the bottom of radiator . It should not be handled in no case by us, since the resistance has been tested and assembled at the factory to guarantee its correct operation (Remember our article on how to reform and carry out works in a bathroom without masons).
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To see how to install a heated towel rail electric we better leave the following video that explains great:
The maintenance of the towel rail is simple . Periodically clean the surface with a clean and soft cloth, do not use abrasive products or corrosive. Remember, stop the system before proceeding to the cleaning. When cleaning the box with the controls, use a dry cloth, without solvent.
