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6 Things to consider before buying a Heating rail

Heated towel rails have become very popular and affordable. They add convenience and style to any bathroom, and they are very easy to install. Below are things you need to think about before replacing your old radiator with a new heated towel rail.

How will your towel rail be heated?  

Towel rails are either connected to the central heating system or they use a heated element  and if connected to the central heating system, it will only work when the central heating is on – So if  you to use it you have to turn on the whole system, which may not be ideal if you want to use the radiator in the summer.

How big should you towel rail be?

Towel rails come in a range of different sizes, so you need to think about which size you need . One of the things that may dictate this is the size of your bathroom, for example if it’s a small en-suite or a large family bathroom, what size of space you want to put in, and how it will affect the furniture around it. You may also want to consider how many towels you would like on it at one time and how many people will be using the bathroom.

How much heat output do you need?

The British Thermal Unit output of you heated rail is something to consider – the higher this number, the more powerful the towel rail will be. The power you need will depend on the size of your bathroom and whether you want to heat up one or two small towels at a time, or lots of thick towels – as you probably want the radiator to heat up the room, as well as the towels you put on it.

Where will your towel rail be placed?

Ideally, you should put your towel rail on the coldest wall of your bathroom – this is likely to be the outside wall where the window is, if you have one. This is the most heat efficient place to put it so that you get the most benefit from the towel rail.

What colour and style should your towel rail be?

Towel rails tend to be white painted or Chrome plated, so the style you go for depends on the look of the rest of your room and your own personal preference. However, there is practicality to think about too – Chrome is a very good insulator, so painted towel rails are a little more efficient. When you think of what towel radiators look like, the common chrome plated style with numerous rings may spring to mind, but that isn’t the only style on the market, and you can get towel rails that fit in with both contemporary and traditional style bathrooms. For example, you can buy heated towel rails that look similar to the old style, which may fit in with in with the rest of your suite if they are a more classic style.

Will it be floor standing or wall mounted?

While many heated towel radiators are wall mounted, it may be that your wall can’t take the load – in which case you might opt for a floor standing towel radiator. However, this takes up more floor space so if you don’t have it to spare you may need to think again. If your wall mounting, make sure the fixings you use are appropriate for the wall and your radiator – Check with a professional if you are not sure.

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