Important components of the bathroom are, in addition to the bath itself, a sink, a shower and a mirror, and many other things, including a heated towel rail. This is extremely convenient device, not only allows you to make wet towels and linen dry, but also prevents dampness. In a word, it serves as a kind of heating system for a given room. And if it is better to entrust the installation of a bathtub or sink to professionals, then you can do the installation and connection of a heated towel rail yourself. The main thing is to know how it's done.
Types of heated towel rails
First, let's briefly look at what heated towel rails, also known as “towel rails,” are, and what materials they are made from.
Table. Types of heated towel rails based on operating principle.
| Title and photo | Description |
|---|---|
| The most common type of heated towel rail, “classic”. It is a U-shaped or any other shaped coil through which hot water is passed. It heats the pipes, which, in turn, help towels and linen dry quickly. It is connected either to the water riser or to the heating system. The latter is more common in private houses and cottages, since in a city apartment a heated towel rail connected in this way will not work most of the time. |
| These heated towel rails do not require a connection to hot water or heating - they are heated by electricity. Very convenient in terms of location - there is no need to move the riser or connect pipes, just extend the socket. You can turn it on only for the time of use, thereby saving energy. Many models of such heated towel rails are equipped with the ability to adjust. |
| They represent the two previous options combined together. One of the coils is heated using hot water or steam heating, the other from electricity. For the increased cost the buyer receives high efficiency. Some models of combination heated towel rails are equipped with rotating coils, like the one shown in the image. |
Heated towel rails are made from the following materials:
- steel;
- brass;
- copper;
- stainless steel.
The first option is simple and cheap. Typically, these heated towel rails are the heaviest and most massive. They rarely boast of beauty appearance, but with proper processing they are extremely reliable and durable.
Products made of brass or non-ferrous metals often differ complex shape, attractiveness and resistance to corrosion. But, unlike steel models, they are less resistant to sudden pressure changes in the system. Copper heated towel rails are attractive for their efficiency - due to their properties, the metal warms up very quickly and dries wet towels at the same speed. The downside of this is the high cost of the product.
Optimal from the point of view of price-quality ratio are heated towel rails made of stainless steel– they are beautiful, reliable, durable, not afraid of corrosion, and at the same time resistant to sudden changes in temperature and pressure.
Important! When choosing a heated towel rail, pay attention not only to the principle of operation and material, but also to the maximum permissible pressure in the system - water hammers sometimes occur in water supply and heating pipes, therefore it is desirable that the “towel” is able to withstand them.
Selecting a water heated towel rail connection diagram
Before the actual plumbing work begins the most important stage installing a heated towel rail is choosing the circuit according to which it will be connected. Without this, the likelihood of making an error increases, due to which the system will be ineffective or not work at all. Let's study the basic connection diagrams for heated towel rails, implementation rules and typical shortcomings that occur during illiterate installation.
The simplest and most reliable scheme is considered to be the one in which the “towel” is an integral part of the riser, and, in fact, its U-shaped or some other shaped branch. Thus, heated towel rails are connected in most houses with old system water supply (if the apartment owners did not replace them with more advanced models).
To be able to turn off the heated towel rail or regulate its temperature without interfering with the riser, you must connect a bypass. It will be discussed in more detail in the next section of the article.
Now let's look at the first connection diagram for a heated towel rail along with taps and bypasses - with a lateral or diagonal supply. The difference between them is insignificant and the choice depends on your personal preferences. Efficient work Such a connection scheme is ensured by following the following rules.
- If the heated towel rail is located 2 or more meters from the riser, the insertion of the upper outlet should be higher than the connection point to the heated towel rail, and the lower one, correspondingly, lower. If the distance is smaller, direct approaches are acceptable, without a slope.
- The pipes connecting the heated towel rail to the outlets should not have “humps” - air will begin to accumulate in them.
For some H-shaped heated towel rails and large sizes The connection diagram with the bottom supply is used, shown in the image below. As with lateral or diagonal, there are several rules for it, the implementation of which will ensure the efficiency of the entire plumbing system.
- If the diameter of the riser is larger than the diameter of the bypass or the latter is displaced, then the upper insertion of the outlet must necessarily be located below the heated towel rail itself.
- The lower connection to the riser should be located below the heated towel rail, regardless of the conditions.
- It is advisable to cover the supply pipes with thermal insulation.
- The presence of humps in the supply pipes is undesirable - air jams will quickly arise in these places.
- It is necessary to install a Mayevsky tap on the heated towel rail.
Prices for water heated towel rails
water heated towel rail
Removal of old heated towel rail, installation of bypass and taps
Direct plumbing work installation of the “towel” begins with dismantling old design, in most cases, a U- or M-shaped pipe that belongs to the main riser and has a common diameter with it. Despite its simplicity and cheapness, such a heated towel rail does not have an attractive appearance.
The process of dismantling it is as follows.
Step 1. First, turn off the hot water supply to the riser. To do this, contact the housing office or the association servicing your home, submit the appropriate application and, if necessary, pay a fee for the provision of services. The plumber who comes upon your call will temporarily shut off the riser.
Step 2. Check if the hot water supply is turned off. To do this, you need to open the appropriate tap on the sink or bathtub.
Step 3. If the old heated towel rail is connected to the riser with a threaded connection, unscrew it with a plumber's wrench.
Important! Be prepared for the fact that some water may remain inside the heated towel rail. It is advisable to place a rag under it in advance or place a container under the junction with the riser.
Step 4. Dismantling an old heated towel rail using a plumbing wrench is a matter of great luck - most often the “towel rail” is welded to the riser or threaded connections over the course of many years they have become “stuck”. In this case, use a grinder. When working with it, do not cut off excess - the remaining part of the pipe should be enough to cut threads for future fittings.
Step 5. After cutting or unscrewing the “towel” from the riser, remove it from its fasteners to the wall and put it somewhere away. The next stage of work is the creation of a bypass, installation of taps and connections to the future heated towel rail.
Bypass (or translated as “bypass”) is a section of pipe between the outlets on a heated towel rail, which gives the water in the riser the opportunity to go “past” the heated towel rail in cases where it is closed. Its presence solves several problems at once.
- The bypass allows you to install valves at the inlet and outlet of the heated towel rail to regulate the temperature. In addition, it can be used to completely shut off the water supply to the “towel” without turning off the riser, which is especially convenient in case of repair or replacement of such equipment.
- The bypass separates the flow of hot water in the riser - one goes to the heated towel rail, and the second further, to the neighbors, while maintaining its temperature unchanged.
- The bypass on the heated towel rail ensures normal circulation of hot water in the riser along its entire height.
Examples various schemes Bypass installations between taps are shown in the images below.
Important! A controversial issue among plumbers is the diameter and location of the bypass pipe for a heated towel rail. Some are confident that it will only work effectively with a narrowed and offset bypass. But this is not so - a direct bypass with a diameter equal to that of the riser works well with both upper and lower supply. The image below is proof of this.
You can often find diagrams and photographs on the Internet where the bypass is equipped with a valve. The presence of this faucet is another point of contention among plumbers. From the point of view building codes, unauthorized installation in the riser (and in this case the bypass is formally considered to be one) of such devices not provided for by the project is a gross violation. In addition, installing a bypass tap reduces the pressure and temperature of hot water in next apartments. Therefore, its presence may be the subject of claims against you from the management company or neighbors.
Video - DIY installation of a heated towel rail
Installation and connection of a water heated towel rail - step-by-step instructions
So, the old coil has been removed, the bypass, taps and supply pipes have been installed. Now let's look at step-by-step instructions for installing and connecting a water heated towel rail with your own hands.
Step 1. Select the fittings necessary to connect the heated towel rail to the outlets for it. IN in this case are used corner models. In addition to the fittings themselves, select decorative cups (also called reflectors) that cover the connection.
Step 2. Apply FUM tape to the threaded surface of the fittings - it is necessary to seal the connection. If desired, use tow instead.
Stick FUM tape onto the threaded surface of the fitting so that when it is screwed into the pipe, its end does not ride up
Step 3. Complete the application of the FUM tape as follows: roll it into a kind of “thread” and apply it at the thread rung. Thus, when installing the fitting, this part of the tape will be pressed against the wall and will act as a sealing ring.
Step 4. Screw the fitting together with the attached decorative reflector into internal thread pipe connected to the outlets for the heated towel rail. Due to the use of FUM tape, this will require some effort. When doing this, be careful not to break the thread.
Step 5. In the same way, apply FUM tape or tow to the second fitting and tighten it, connecting it to the outlet from the riser.
Step 6. Install rubber or polyurethane O-rings inside the fittings.
Step 7 Attach the heated towel rail itself to the fittings and the wall, “attach” it to check whether the distance between the fittings corresponds to the required one. Then mark the points on the wall where you need to make holes for brackets or holders.
Step 8 Now you need to make holes in the ceramics and concrete behind it to install fasteners for the heated towel rail. To begin, mark the tile using a self-tapping screw - place it on the surface and lightly tap it several times with a hammer. This action is necessary to ensure that the drill does not jump to the side during the process of creating a hole.
Important! This action requires special care - if you are careless, you can leave cracks or chips on the tiles. In some cases, builders advise, instead of taping, to simply stick a patch or paper tape crosswise over the drilling site.
Step 9 At low speeds, with extreme care, make holes in the ceramic tiles for fastening the heated towel rail. To do this, it is advisable to use either a special spear-shaped drill or a well-sharpened one for concrete.
Step 10 After this, at high speed, make a hole for fasteners in the concrete located behind the tile.
Step 11 Insert plastic dowels into the resulting holes.
Step 12 If the ends of the dowels stick out from the holes, cut them off with a knife, otherwise it will be impossible to achieve a tight fit of the holder or bracket.
Step 13 Reattach the heated towel rail to the fittings, checking to see if the position of the O-rings in it has changed while you were creating the holes for the holders.
Step 14 Secure the towel rail to the fittings by tightening the appropriate nuts by hand.
Step 15 Now tighten these nuts so that the “towel” is securely fixed. To do this, use a plumber's wrench and a rag - the latter will protect the nickel-plated surface from scratches. It is enough to make two revolutions.
Step 16 Move the decorative cups away from the wall and turn the valves on the outlets so that water flows into the heated towel rail. Check the tightness of the connections to see if there is any dripping from there.
Step 17 If everything is in order, it remains finishing touch– screw screws into the holes for fasteners where dowels were previously inserted. Check how firmly the heated towel rail is held. At this point, its installation and connection with your own hands can be considered completely and successfully completed.
Installation of an electric heated towel rail occurs in a similar way - according to the instructions, the product is assembled, holes are created in the wall for holders or brackets, and the “towel rail” is installed on them. The difference is that such models require an outlet, which should preferably be located away from the bathroom. If desired and possible, you can produce hidden installation when the power cable goes into the wall and connects to the electrical wiring there.
Regardless of the type of heated towel rail and the material from which it is made, the reliability, durability and efficiency of the device directly depend on the choice the right way connection and proper installation. With the right approach, anyone can do this!
Its correct operation, comfortable microclimate and bathroom design depend on how correctly the heated towel rail is installed.
Depending on the condition of the supply pipe and the availability of skills, all this can last several hours or drag on for at least a day.
Lovers of the classics and something simpler should not bother purchasing a chrome-plated coil or a U-shaped heated towel rail, but you should not expect uniqueness with such a solution. The most fashionable trend, which simultaneously combines functionality and sophistication, is the ladder model.
There are also a lot of design options here, from simple single-section ones to those with several sections, with the ability to rotate, mounted not only on the wall, but also on the floor and many others.
Most simple models may not require changes to the piping, but most ladders, and especially designer products, require non-standard connections and spacing between the inlet and outlet flanges.
The pipes connected from the riser to the connection point of the heated towel rail must be placed exactly opposite the inlet and outlet flanges, and only a slight error in the height of the thread crest is allowed.
Increasing this tolerance is possible if the pipeline is made of modern plastic pipes that have significant flexibility without sacrificing strength. The connection is made through ball valves at the inlet and outlet of the heated towel rail.
The heated towel rail is connected only after the water supply is turned off. Next, tees are inserted into the pipe. If the riser is made of ferrous metal, then change it at the same time, preferably to plastic pipe, due to ease of use.
You won’t have to change stainless steel risers, but cutting into metal is much more difficult because of its rigidity.
It is best to install metal bends using conventional welding, and then lead a plastic pipeline to the connection point of the heated towel rail, which avoids the need to accurately measure the correspondence between the flanges of the device and the water supply.
It is very important that the heated towel rail operates parallel to the riser, that is, if necessary, it is possible to shut off the water supply to it without stopping the riser.
Ignoring this condition, and sometimes during repairs, owners specially cut out a section on the riser between the tees, can lead to a breakthrough due to significantly increased pressure and water hammer.
This connection option can only be carried out if it is provided for by the water or heat supply scheme of the building.
If before this the heated towel rail was powered from the DHW pipe, then a new connection must be made to it, and a transition from power supply from the heating system to DHW is allowed, but not vice versa, due to the difference in standard operating conditions.
When a house or apartment is equipped with an autonomous heating system, the question arises: “How to connect a heated towel rail?”
Currently, an increasing number of not only owners of private houses, but also apartments choose this type of heating because of its flexibility and convenience.
Typically used double-circuit boilers, performing separate heating for the hot water supply and heating systems, and here, connecting the heated towel rail can be done according to three schemes:
- to the hot water supply system;
- to the heating system;
- mixed connection.
The fact is that the water heating circuit works exclusively when it is taken from the system, that is, according to the principle of a gas water heater. The boiler automatically stops heating water in the heating circuit and switches to hot water supply mode.
A device connected only to a hot water supply will quickly cool down after the end of the tap, and when powered by the heating circuit, it will constantly emit heat.
At the same time, we should not forget that the heating is turned off in the summer, so it is the latter scheme that is most widespread.
Using a valve system, supply is organized simultaneously from two circuits. In summer, when the heating is turned off, the heated towel rail is powered by DHW systems, V winter time, the supply from the water heating circuit is shut off, and the device not only works for drying, but also heats the room.
The bathroom will become much more convenient if you equip it with such a functional device as a heated towel rail.
Its installation allows you to solve several significant problems at once:
- drying towels and small items;
- maintaining optimal temperature conditions;
- preventing the formation of dampness.
Installation of a water heated towel rail
First you need to assemble it - install shut-off valves with detachable connection, which in the future will ensure easy replacement of the heated towel rail or elimination of some defects without draining the riser. The assembled dryer can be attached to the wall anywhere by connecting pipes from the riser to it.
Important. When installing a heated towel rail, you must act strictly in accordance with the instructions supplied with it.
Connection order:
Features of installing a combined heated towel rail
Since water dryers usually work only during the heating period, many residents of high-rise buildings solve this problem by installing a universal heated towel rail, which can operate from a heating system or hot water supply, and from electricity. To do this you will need a drying ladder, to the left bottom eyeliner in which an electric heater with a thermostat is mounted. The installation of the heated towel rail itself is carried out in the manner described above.
Thus, the following scheme of work is obtained. When closing the shut-off valves and filling the device with water through the left upper inlet (where the Mayevsky tap is installed), the heated towel rail can be heated by electricity. When you disconnect it from the outlet and open the shut-off valves, heating will be provided hot water from the central system.
Important. Connecting an electric heated towel rail requires fulfilling some requirements regarding electrical wiring.
The energy consumption of such devices is quite high (1 kW or more), which requires a separate outlet, which is connected with a cable with a cross-section of at least 2.5 square meters and powered directly from the electrical panel. This wiring line must be protected with a separate “automatic device”.
It is necessary to provide space for a grounded socket for the heated towel rail
A very important point is grounding. About connecting to protective grounding Manufacturers took care of ready-made heated towel rails and those made independently (with the equipment of a “ladder” heating element with a thermostat). Therefore, it is enough just to install a special socket with grounding, laying a three-core wire. If there is no grounding in the apartment, then you can perform “grounding”, when the ground wire and the neutral in the wiring are bridged with each other. This re-grounding must be done as close to the electrical panel as possible.
This is how to install and connect a heated towel rail. Before starting work, you need to decide whether you can handle this work on your own or not. Even if you decide not to do it yourself, you will at least understand the installation sequence, which will help you control the quality of the work of hired specialists.
The device for drying hygiene items and removing excess moisture in the bathroom is simple both in design and in installation. In order to install it, you do not need fundamental knowledge in the field of engineering communications construction.
However, you should clearly know how to connect a heated towel rail. After all, the result of your own efforts or the work of hired plumbers should please you for many years, do you agree?
In the article we presented, all options for installing PS and possible complications while it is connected. Verified and systematized information will be a reliable help for home craftsmen who want to do the work themselves, or who want to control the actions of workers.
We have outlined in detail the specifics of connecting an important household appliance in old and new bathroom layouts. The problems of private home owners have not been left unattended. The information we offer has been tested in practice, supported by visual materials and video instructions.
Connection heated towel rail in a country house
The conditions of a private home are more favorable for installing a dryer. With an autonomous feeding system, there is more clean water. You can buy imported PS that is afraid of sediment accumulation.
Usually in such a house a fairly large room is allocated for a bath, which expands the boundaries of the choice of unit in terms of size and shape. And connection work does not require permission from neighbors.
Regardless of where you are going to connect the heated towel rail - to the heating system or to the domestic hot water supply, you cannot do without inserting the device into the pipes
The connection diagram itself is similar to that used in apartment building. It must be remembered that the device should be connected exclusively along the flow of water. For line lengths up to 50 cm, place the pipes horizontally; for larger lines, make a slope along the entire length.
Maintain the distance between the wall and the water pipe. If the pipeline diameter is 4-5 cm, choose a distance from 5 to 5.5 cm. When the diameter is less than 2.3 cm, this gap is reduced to 3.5 cm.
Considering the temperature deformations to which hot pipes are subject, it is impossible to fasten the PS to the supports by welding; the fastening must be free.
Typical mistakes of independent craftsmen
When with lateral or bottom connection the lower outlet is located above the extreme point of the PS; a stagnation zone is formed between the bottom of the device and the connection point of the lower outlet.
This is a consequence of the fact that the cooled liquid, having dropped down, cannot get back into the riser due to the pressure on it from a column of hot water with a lower specific gravity. While the permissible height difference between the bottom outlet and the bottom heated towel rail is not exceeded, the device works, and then the circulation in it stops.
Circulation will also stop if there is a bend formed by the upper pipe. Only a tie-in to periodically bleed off the accumulated air can make such a scheme work. Sometimes in top tube They make a loop, laying it behind the ceiling trim, and the lower pipe is walled into the floor.
Air will accumulate at the top, and the cooled water in the unit will be blocked in the lower loop located in the floor. The movement of the coolant will stop completely.
The connection diagram for a heated towel rail to a heating system has undergone several significant changes over the past decades. Using these innovations, it was possible to achieve a noticeable increase in the efficiency of this important element.
Traditional options for installing a heated towel rail
First you need to find out in what cases heated towel rails were previously used.
Connection diagram in an apartment building
The purpose of constructing the far-from-perfect “Khrushchevka” was mainly for ideological reasons - in this way it was possible to achieve the resettlement of barracks and communal apartments. To heat newly built residential areas, exclusively centralized heating was used. As a rule, in the bathroom the radiator was combined with a heated towel rail. This approach had both strengths and weaknesses.
Advantages:
- The heated towel rail provided additional heating for the room.
- It was turned on only in the winter, in parallel with the heating. When it got warm, the device turned off.
Flaws:
- Cumbersome design.
- You had to pay extra to use it.
This scheme for connecting the heated towel rail to the heating system provided for the presence of an additional pipeline in the basement. As a result, we had to sacrifice an elevator and a garbage chute.
Two options were used for connecting the heated towel rail to the heating circuit and placing it in the home:
- In separate bathrooms. In this case, the installation location was adjacent wall between the toilet and the bathroom. From the basement, the supply pipe was led into the apartment on the first floor. Then, having passed the entire entrance, through the apartment on the last 5th floor, she found herself in next apartment. Having passed through all the floors, the pipe descended back to the basement. Shut-off valves it was not used in apartments in any form: only the basement sections of the supply and return pipes were equipped with valves.
- In adjacent bathrooms. Here the heated towel rail was placed on the wall near the washbasin. It is important to understand that this connection method was considered the most difficult due to the inconvenience of the combined room.
The most common series of “Khrushchev” buildings, where heated towel rails were connected not with hot water supply, but with heating system, are:
- 1-434С – years of construction 1958-1964.
- 1-434 – years of construction 1958-1967.
- 1-335 – years of construction 1963-1967.
How to connect a heated towel rail in a private house
In the 60s, private houses were not provided with hot water from central mains. Mainly used autonomous systems based on wood-burning boilers of the “Titan” type, which required preliminary kindling.
The reasons why such a hot water supply scheme could not be equipped with a heated towel rail are as follows:
- Design features. The tap was inserted directly into the body of the device, so there was simply no pipe for drying clothes.
- Temporary restrictions on the operation of the heating device. One portion of firewood could only provide heating of water in the tank.
The installation of a water heated towel rail became possible only after water heating began to be used in the private sector:
- IN old scheme, how to connect a heated towel rail to the heating system, direct switching was used to the heating boiler.
- Currently, a heated towel rail in private households is part of general scheme, which, in addition to it, also includes batteries and a heated floor system.
Reinstallation and maintenance
With the advent modern technologies The question of whether it is possible to connect a heated towel rail to the heating in Khrushchev apartments has disappeared. Most often this is solved by dismantling the old heated towel rail and installing an electric one. To implement this solution, there is one serious condition: the remaining residents of the entrance must carry out a similar reinstallation in their apartments. Otherwise, you will have to straighten the pipe to ensure water supply to neighboring dwellings.
In addition, the relevant authorities must issue a permit to carry out dismantling work: unauthorized reconstruction heating circuits may result in severe fines. Much less problems occurs when a heated towel rail of the side switching type is connected to a hot water supply.
Stainless steel heated towel rail
The easiest way to solve the problem is how to connect a heated towel rail to heating by replacing the old element with a more modern stainless steel product.
This solution has a whole series advantages:
- There is no need to rebuild the heating system.
- The heating level of such a device is much higher.
- The device has high decorative characteristics.
- Very little materials are wasted.
However, the fact that the heated towel rail can only heat during heating season, is a serious drawback.
A clear example of connecting to a heating system
For clarity, you can look at an example of how to properly connect a heated towel rail to heating in an apartment.
The operating procedure is as follows:
- Scope of work. We are talking about replacing an old heated towel rail with a more modern stainless steel product, without changing the heating circuit of the house.
- Dismantling. To remove the old device, you can simply cut it off with a grinder. After this, the thread is cut on the pipe, for which you will need a hand clamp.
- Installation of a stainless steel heated towel rail. On the surface of the wall you need to make preliminary markings for the placement of the device. A hammer drill is used to drill mounting holes.
- Pre-fixation. Using a ruler and pencil, mark the location polypropylene pipe by 0.5 inch.
- Pipe welding. Using a soldering iron, a new connection to the heated towel rail is created. Installation is also carried out ball valve. If ceramic tiles has not yet been laid, it is recommended to install a stainless coil upon completion of the finishing work.
As a result, we managed to achieve:
- Unchangeable heating system. Constructive changes were kept to a minimum. Only the replacement of the heated towel rail and the additional installation of two taps were carried out. The presence of these elements makes it possible to quickly shut off the water supply in case of leaks.
- The bathroom has become much more attractive. The bulky pipe was replaced by a beautiful stainless “snake”. There are a sufficient number of design options on sale, so choosing the most suitable solution for a specific bathroom design usually does not cause problems.
- Availability forced ventilation will allow the towels to dry in a short period of time.
Thanks to this description, how to connect a heated towel rail to two-pipe system heating, if you have the appropriate skills, it is quite possible to independently implement this procedure. It is best to plan your work in summer time: then you won’t have to block the entire riser of the circuit.
