News - September 4th 2007

TOWEL RAILS - A HOT TOPIC

Over the past few years there has been a growing trend within kitchen and bathroom design for heated towel rails. Jerry Woollet, Technical Field Sales Manager at Pulsar direct looks at what to do when you need to replace a traditional radiator with a new towel rail.

Heated towel rails are an ideal option for modern kitchens and bathrooms looking to enhance a contemporary interior design. Heated towel rails are a flexible and versatile solution available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, as well as horizontal or vertical versions.

Many plumbers are now being asked to replace existing traditional radiators with new towel rails. A note should be made of what type of system (open or closed) you are dealing with and what type of circuit you are connecting to (heating or hot water).

The open circuit generally refers to the domestic hot water supply. Brass and stainless steel towel rails can be fitted to the open circuit, which will provide heat to the towel rail throughout the year. Dependent on the area's water conditions you may require a special unit manufactured from DZR brass as aggressive water conditions can cause premature failure of the towel rail. Closed circuit often refers to the heating circuits. Towel rails manufactured from steel, copper, nickel and chrome plate are suitable for this type of application.

The first step in the process is to drain the central heating system. Once the water in the system has cooled, the water supply can be turned off and the old radiator removed. Any open pipes can be cleaned and taped off to ensure any debris doesn't get into the system.

Replacing a radiator with a towel rail that is the same size, with valves the same distance apart is obviously the easiest process. Mark the position on the wall where the towel rail needs to be fitted and also, importantly, the position of the valves.

Towel rails vary in types and increasingly the most popular are the vertical versions, which tend to have four standard brackets and valves. In this instance, carefully remove the towel rail from the packaging, and where possible, leave any protective wrapping in place until after installation.

Mark out the first bracket hole on the wall leaving around 20cm between the bottom of the radiator and the floor. Taking the first marked point on the wall as a reference point, measure the other points with a spirit level. Drill the holes and insert the wall plugs.

Screw the brackets to the wall, checking for vertical and horizontal accuracy. Insert the sliding part of the bracket into the wall-mounted bracket. Both these brackets should be adjustable to alter wall clearances and make any necessary minor adjustments.

The towel rail can now be mounted to the fixings using the screw fixing brackets and caps. The towel rail should be levelled at equal distances on both sides of the bracket before final tightening. Finally, install the air vent and connect to the existing system using a pair of valves.

Once the towel rail is fixed into position the water supply can be turned back on. The new towel rail can then be filled by opening the valves and any existing air in the towel rail should be vented to ensure that the new heated towel rail can heat effectively.

After the towel rail is installed, consideration should be given to treating the system. Cleansing, flushing and using an inhibitor in accordance with current building regulations will help the system to work efficiently.

This increasing demand for heated towel rails has been reflected in Pulsar direct's growing bathroom and kitchen range. Marmaris and Bodrum are just two of the current towel rails to be stocked from the Heatline range, they will be introducing the New delta range in the up and coming months.

Classically designed in chrome, both the curved and flat styles provide a high-quality heat output complete with a five-year guarantee. Both rails come with the necessary brackets, plugs, vents, bolts, wallplugs and vent keys, all at an affordable price.

These new additions, along with all plumbing products, tools and supplies can be delivered directly to site within 24 hours.

For more information visit www.pulsardirect.co.uk

 

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