Towel dryer installation

A towel rail is a piece of sanitary equipment that fulfils several functions at once. On the one hand, it circulates hot water. In this way, it acts as a heating device for the bathroom. And if the element is hot, you can safely dry towels or small items of clothing on it. It is also a decorative feature that complements the bathroom.

The following models are distinguished according to their operating principle:

Water. The main heating element is water. Such devices are available in almost every flat, so there are no particular difficulties with their installation.
Electric. These are universal devices, as they can be installed in any place or room. The only prerequisite is the presence of a socket in the immediate vicinity, from where the device will be powered. But the energy costs will increase slightly if you use them all the time.
Combination models. Models combine the strengths of the previous types of devices. This is convenient because the towel radiator will always be hot, regardless of whether there is hot water in the house or not.

In terms of design the models can be of two types:

Vertical. Their appearance somewhat resembles that of a ladder. They take up less space and use it rationally.
Horizontal. Familiar to us coils, which are located above the bath or at the side of the shower cabin.

How to install a towel rail correctly?

Properly installing a towel rail in Los Angeles, CA on your own is difficult, so we recommend getting help from a handyman. There are several rules that must be taken into account during the installation work:

Diameter of pipes of a towel dryer should correspond to diameters of pipes of a crosspiece (bypass). Pipes running from the jumper to the towel radiator must be no larger than 32" or 1" diameter of polypropylene.
A cofferdam - a bypass - must be provided between the dryer outlets, which has two functions at once: it maintains the water circulation rate throughout the unit and also separates the flows.
No shut-off valves may be installed at the cofferdam or upstream of the bypass. Shut-off valves must be installed after the cofferdam so that the wall section can be used for finishing work as well as for further maintenance work.  
The regulations require a towel dryer to be installed at a height of 120 centimetres above the floor surface. But if the towel dryer is tall, it can be lowered.
The maximum distance between the walls of the device and the wall cladding can vary from 3.5 to 7 centimetres, depending on the diameter of the coil pipes.

How to install an electric towel radiator?

There are special requirements for the installation of electric models of towel rails:

The device must be installed at a safe distance from the source of moisture. For example, the distance to the bath must be at least 60 centimetres.
It is important to maintain the correct distance to the rest of the room as well: 20 centimetres to the floor, 30 to the walls, 75 to the nearest furniture surface.
Installation directly below a socket outlet is not permissible.

Special requirements are also placed on the electric installation, as it is located in a room with a high level of humidity:

The cable must be three-core and earthed.
Wiring can only be of the concealed type.
The socket outlet must have a rubber seal and the cover must hermetically seal the contact holes.