It's nice to enter the bathroom when the room is dry and comfortable. To create such conditions will allow a functional device - a heated towel rail. This appliance is able not only to dry hygiene items, but also to maintain the optimum temperature in the bathroom, preventing the formation of mold and dampness.
Modern manufacturers offer a wide range of devices for drying small things, which not only effectively perform the main function, but also can harmoniously fit into the interior of any room. Before buying such a device, you need to decide on the type of connection and the source of heat (water, electricity).
Water heated towel rail device
Towel warmers in the form of a coil are installed in apartment buildings of the old Soviet construction. This design is the simplest, and is a curveda pipe that is embedded in the general hot water supply system of the house.
In modern apartment buildings it is possible to connect a heated towel rail through a special outlet from the hot water pipe. Such a constructive solution made it possible to create devices for drying various configurations (from the U-shape to the popular "ladder").
To connect a "ladder" heated towel rail with a bottom connection, you must add the following elements to the system:
- air bleed valve;
- special plugs;
- brackets for fixing the device to the wall;
- shut-off valves.
Types of heated towel rails
Modern manufacturers offer the consumer equipment for drying small items of three modifications, which are divided among themselves depending on the source of heating:
- Water drying devices are the most common equipment, since the heat source is public hot water pipes. Installing or replacing such systems is not difficult on your own. The "ladder" heated towel rail with a lower connection or any other does not heat up only during periods of centralized repair and maintenance work.
- Electrical devices are able to warm up the bathroom at any time, regardless of the availability of hot water. Such equipment contains its own internal environment, which is brought to a certain temperature by electricheating element. The convenience of this model is that it can be installed anywhere with an electrical outlet.
- Recently, combined drying devices have become popular, which contain all the advantages of water and electric devices.
Basic connection types
In foreign countries, heated towel rails are most often connected to the heating system of a dwelling. Domestic manufacturers of sanitary equipment recommend installing drying equipment in a hot water supply system. It is for this connection that many device models are developed.
The following types of equipment connection are distinguished:
- diagonal;
- side (left or right);
- top and bottom.
Diagonal towel rail connection
This type of equipment connection is characterized by the supply of coolant to the upper part of the device, and the output of the cooled water is carried out from below. Diagonal connection ensures efficient circulation of the liquid, so during operation it is not necessary to bleed air from the system. Achieves good water circulation with a non-displaced and non-constricted bypass.
The use of a diagonal connection of a heated towel rail is considered the most effective for large-capacity appliances, especially ladder models, since everyone is involved in the workflowheat conductors.
Side connection
The principle of water supply and drainage when using the side connection is similar to the diagonal method. Most often, connecting a heated towel rail in a side way is carried out in order to save useful space in the bathroom. But at the same time, it is necessary to ensure reliable fastening of the entire structure.
The main advantage of using side connection is:
- the ability to install the drying system in any direction of water;
- lack of special taps for bleeding air;
- system efficiency is not affected by the speed of water movement in the riser;
- versatility of installation work.
Lower connection
The most effective is to install a "ladder" heated towel rail with a lower connection to hot water systems with good pressure. The process of mounting equipment with a bottom connection is considered more complicated than with a side or diagonal connection. This is due to the need for mandatory preparation of the junction, and most often requires the transfer of pipes in the room.
The main advantages of connecting a "ladder" heated towel rail with a bottom connection:
- the ability to hide the supply pipes under the bathroom, without punching a channel in the wall;
- The efficiency of the device does not depend on the direction of water movement in the riser.
To the disadvantages of this methodconnections can be attributed to lower efficiency compared to other types of water supply, as well as the need to install a special valve to bleed air from the system.
Accessories for connecting the device
The question of which fittings for connecting a "ladder" heated towel rail with a lower connection is preferable is decided depending on the location of the taps.
If they are parallel to the wall on which the device is planned to be mounted, then straight fittings are used. In the case when the outlets are perpendicular, the installation of the "ladder" heated towel rail with a lower connection is made using corner fittings.
You also need to pay attention to the type of thread at the junction of the device with a tap. If the heated towel rail and outlet have an external thread, then a special fitting with two nuts is used. In the case where the device has an internal thread and the riser has an external thread, a fitting with one nut and an external thread is used.
Experts believe that the best quality is the connection of the heated towel rail "ladder" with the bottom connection pipe "Rehau".
Conditions for bottom connection
For efficient and high-quality operation of any device, certain rules for its installation must be observed. Therefore, before deciding how to connect a "ladder" heated towel rail with a bottom connection, the following basic conditions must be met:
- the lowest point of the device must be located above the riser outlet;
- top outlet level must be above towel warmer connection;
- all pipes must be laid with a slope;
- pipe diameter is selected to ensure good fluid circulation;
- in apartment buildings, it is necessary to provide for the installation of a bypass so as not to harm neighboring apartments in case of an emergency;
- to improve circulation, it is advisable to insulate the supply pipes with insulation.
Compliance with these conditions will significantly improve the quality of the functioning of the equipment used. If there is no circulation in the "ladder" towel warmer with a bottom connection, it is necessary to check the horizontal sections of the pipes for dips or humps in which air locks can occur.
Mounting the device
The entire technological process of connecting a "ladder" heated towel rail with a lower connection can be conditionally divided into several stages:
- pre-preparation of the wall surface;
- laying and distributing pipes;
- device installation.
All work on the installation of the drying system must be carried out after the hot water riser is completely closed. Moreover, in many cases, permission from the relevant public utilities is required.
Preliminary stage
The basis of the preliminary surface preparation stage is the marking and arrangement of channels for supply pipes. Atthe presence of an old heated towel rail, it is necessary first of all to dismantle the device. If the fixture was welded into the riser, then it is easier to cut it off with an electric cutting tool (grinder).
Next you need to markup. In this case, it should be borne in mind that it is better to mount the dryer at a height that allows a person of average height to easily reach the upper rung of the "ladder". Also, to reduce heat loss, the device must be placed no further than two meters from the riser.
The next step is to gouge out the recess for the pipes. The process of wall chasing is best done with a special tool, and safety measures must be strictly observed. Water heated towel rails "ladder" with a bottom connection can also be mounted without punching channels, for example, in the case when pipes are laid under the bathtub.
Piping
Having prepared the necessary tools and fixtures, you can start laying the connecting pipes. Wiring is carried out using special fittings.
The use of modern polypropylene pipes has greatly increased the efficiency and quality of the wiring stage. Pipes are laid in prepared channels with the required slope, and then connected to the place of supply and drainage of water.
Next, you need to temporarily connect the heated towel rail without carrying out work on sealing the joints, in order to fully verify the correctness of the preliminary operations. In this case, it must be taken into account that the couplings must protrude from the wall by the thickness of the facing material.
After the control installation, the channels are putty and the surface is tiled.
Installing a heated towel rail
Assembled according to the technical instructions, the device is installed in the following order:
- Connecting fittings are attached to pipe bends.
- The heated towel rail is being mounted on the couplings.
- If the manufacturer provides for additional mounting of the device, then it is fixed on special brackets.
- After a control check of the quality of sealing joints, the device is ready for operation.
Remember that the correct bottom connection of the heated towel rail "ladder" is the key to efficient and high-quality operation of the device for many years. Therefore, if there is not enough experience in performing plumbing work, it is better to seek help from experienced professionals.
