Storing wet bathroom towels has always been a problem and there is never enough hanging space, especially in a main bathroom.
Heated towel rails, or ladders, provide an excellent solution to the wet towel problem. They are compact, stylish and there are many size options available, you will be sure to find on that will suit your needs perfectly.
As well as drying towels, heated towel rails also help to dry the air, thus reducing the humidity in the bathroom.
TYPES OF HEATED TOWELS RAILS
LADDER HEATED TOWEL RAILS. This is the most common type of Heated Towel Rail. These have 2 vertical rails with several horizontal rails creating the ladder. They are available in a multitude of widths and can have as few as 3 horizontal rails, and as many as 10 or more. The longer ladders are also available that stretch from the floor to the ceiling creating an amazing effect.
INDIVIDUAL, or SOLO HEATED TOWEL RAILS. Instead of having vertical rails, solo heated towel rails have a connector strip that is concealled in the wall and all that is seen are the horizontal rails as you would with a standard towel rail. The number of solo rails you can attach to the connector strip can range between 4 and 6 rails. This option offers a very minimalist look to the heated towel rail system.
RADIATOR, or FREESTANDING HEATED TOWEL RAILS. These are a more traditionally styled heated towel rail. These are mounted directly to the floor like an old fashioned style radiator. Although not as commonly used as the other 2 types, Radiator Heated Rails are a great solution for a traditionally or classically designed home.
MATERIALS
The most common materials heated towel rails are made of are either Chrome Plated Brass or Stainless Steel. The finish on these can either be polished or brushed (satin). There are more designer models starting to appear which are constructed in materials like Glass, Ceramic or Powder-Coated Brass.
WIRING OPTIONS
There are several options when choosing the right installation for your heated towel rail. Heated towel rails are wired with a 3 pin plug for connecting to a standard powerpoint, there is an option to have the heated towel rail hard wired by an electrician. The wiring can either be located on the left or right hand side of the rail (generally at the bottom) and this is specified at time of ordering.
POSITIONING YOUR HEATED TOWEL RAIL
Where you position the heated towel rail in your bathroom is dependant on 2 things; the available wall space, and the IP Rating of your chosen heated towel rail (see below). Before choosing a heated towel rail pay particular attention to where you will be postioning the heated towel rail especially to the proximity of water outlets. The bathroom is divided into certain zones depending on how close it is to the water source eg. bath or shower. Only heated towel rails with a certain IP Rating are permitted in certain zones.
For information on bathroom zones visit
http://www.homemods.info/files/ElecSafBathSummBullMay05.pdf
IP RATINGS
As with any electrical fitting being installed in a wet area (bathroom) all Heated Towel Rails must carry an IP Rating. This rating determines how close to a water source (or zone) the heated towel rail can be installed.
IP ratings International Protection ratings are covered in Australian Standard AS1939. This system uses a two digit code to specify the degree of particle and water resistance of an appliance. The first digit indicates the degree of protection of the interior from the ingress of solid foreign objects. The second digit indicates the degree of protection of the interior from the ingress of water .
For example, if a heated towel rail has an IP rating = IP45 then;
the first digit (ingress of solid object)
= 4/ Protection against entry of objects larger than 1.0 square mm.
and the second digit (ingress of water)
= 5/ Protection from a low pressure jet of water in any direction.
This IP45 rating is permitted to be used in Zones 1, 2 and 3.
For more information in IP Ratings visit
http://www.ndlight.com.au/ip_ratings.htm
POPULAR HEATED TOWEL RAIL BRANDS
Follow the links to Australia's most popular heated towel rail brands.
Avenir
Brodware/ REN
Heirloom