The benefits of heated towel rails

Many homeowners believe that a heated towel rail isn't an essential bathroom installation but they have many practical benefits.

Heated towel rails help keep your bathroom hygienic as dry towels negate any chance of a damp breeding ground for germs and mould.

Craig Taylor from Bathroom Butler says they may cost more than a plain towel rail but whether or not to include one into your bathroom is a no brainer. "They really provide an easy and inexpensive means of adding the finishing touch and that extra bit of luxury to any bathroom space.”

He explains that heated towel rails dry your towels, making them useful in humid or cold climates. They also help keep your bathroom hygienic as dry towels negate any chance of a damp breeding ground for germs and mould. Heated towel rails help save water and electricity – since the towels will be dried directly on the rail, they won’t have to be washed as often, nor will you need to use an energy-guzzling tumble dryer to dry them.

Taylor says a common misconception is that heated towel rails are used to heat your towels. “Although a heated towel rail will make your towel a little warm, their main purpose is to dry towels, not to heat them up.”

Dry Element Technology

There are two types of heated towel rails on the market – those that operate using Wet Element Technology (WET), and those that use Dry Element Technology (DET).

WET heated towel rails, also known as fluid-filled heated towel rails, are how all heated towel rails used to operate in the past. Using WET, the rails are heated by immersing a cartridge element into a heat transfer fluid, such as oil or water. Much like a kettle or geyser, the element then heats up and in turn, heats up the surrounding fluid. The heated fluid causes convection currents to form, which circulates the fluid around inside the heated towel rail and heats up the rails. However, WET heated towel rails can take up to 90 minutes to warm the rails.

Total digital Control allows you to programme the rail to automatically switch on when needed and adjust the temperature for all-season use, which conserves energy and reduces running costs by 75 percent.

In contrast, DET technology ensures that the rail can reach its operating temperature in 10 to 15 minutes. This is termed as Rapid Heating and it means that you can switch the rail on when required and off when it is not in use – saving electricity in the process. Taylor explains that DET comprises of a length of special purpose heating wire that is installed within the tubes of the heated towel rail. Similar to the technology used for underfloor heating, DET heats the wire, which heats the towel rail directly. He says DET has the advantage that the special purpose wire can be limited to the horizontal rails and only one post, saving electricity and reducing the watts required by up to 30 percent.

He says another benefit of DET heated towel rails is that they allow for Direct Intelligent Heating, which provides heat directly where it is needed – in the horizontal bars under the towel. This ensures that only the rails under towels warm up. When there are no towels on the rail, the exposed surface will reduce in temperature to below 50°C, which is safe to the touch. "By not heating up rails that are not in use, DET allows for a comparative energy reduction of up to 30 percent, along with an increase in temperature of the rails under the towels. It also ensures safer operation.”

Things to consider when buying a towel rail

There are various heated towel rails available and not all are created equal. Taylor suggests that homeowners take a look at their options before committing to one.

• Dry Element Technology (DET) offers a wide range of benefits when compared to Wet Element Technology (WET). These include Rapid Heating, Direct Intelligent Heating and since there is no fluid there is no chance of leaking. It is controllable, 100 percent serviceable, you can install it upside down, it is quiet in operation and it is maintenance-free.
   
• Thanks to DET and Rapid Heating, the Personal Temperature Selection (PTSelect Switch) optionallows you to adjust the rail to the temperature you desire, so you can set it higher in winter and cooler in summer. It also allows you to switch the rail on and off so that it doesn’t have to run 24 hours a day, reducing running costs by 60 percent.
   
• Total digital Control (TDC Timer) allows you to programme the rail to automatically switch on when needed. For example, if you bath in the morning, you can programme it to switch on daily at 5am, and switch off again at 9am. It also allows you to adjust the temperature for all-season use, which conserves energy and reduces running costs by 75 percent.
   
• Dual Entry Electrical Connections: Good quality heated towel rails should allow for left and right hand electrical connections for optimum placement of the rail.
   
• Quality and safety ratings: It's difficult to tell a good quality heated towel rail apart from an inferior one by just looking at it, so check its ratings. For example, Bathroom Butler’s rails have been tested to IEC 60335-1 and IEC 60335-2-43, and have an international protection rating of IPX5, which means that they can also be installed above the bath.
   
• Serviceability: Check to see if it is serviceable. A heated towel rail is a long-term investment and you don't want to have to keep buying a new one every time it goes on the fritz.
   
• Choose a trusted brand: There are lots of brands on the market, but it is always better to go with one that has built up a reputation for providing quality products and reliable after-sales service.
   
• Choose stainless steel: If you are looking for durability, good looks and ease of maintenance, then you should opt for one that is made from stainless steel. It is rustproof, and unlike chrome, it won't flake or chip.

Although it may not be a main concern right now, investing in a heated towel rail can change your bathroom experience.