Replacing a heated towel rail in the bathroom

A heated towel rail is a heating element that consists of two or more curved metal pipes and is found in the bathroom of almost every apartment. In addition to the fact that it serves as an additional source of heat and prevents the formation of mold and dampness, it is also an excellent decorative option.

Preparing to replace a heated towel rail in the bathroom

If you decide to change the coil in the bathroom, you should find out some details that will help facilitate and control the process. There are three types of heated towel rail:

• water, through which hot water circulates;
• electric, works from a socket;
• combined, combines both types: when the hot water supply is turned off, a tubular electric heater heats up; in the absence of electricity, heating is carried out using boiling water.

Before replacing a heated towel rail, you must first examine the area in which the work will be carried out and pay attention to:

• on the state of communications in your apartment, the method of coolant circulation;
• on the environment around, namely walls, ceilings, floors (for example, a suspended ceiling will complicate the process, since it will not allow bending the pipes for threading).

If, in addition to replacing the radiator, the plans include moving it to another wall, then you need to coordinate this work with the management company, order an individual project and make a hydraulic calculation. You should talk to your neighbors living on the floors below and above about the condition of their pipes to prevent flooding. You can also warn them about turning off the hot water riser for a certain time.

Replacing a heated towel rail with your own hands

If you decide to entrust this matter to professionals, then make sure that the company is reliable and has the basic documentation, which includes the SRO certificate of approval. The work of dismantling and installing a new heated towel rail is not easy, it requires special knowledge and takes 2-3 hours, but after studying the sequence, you can replace the coil on your own.

To do this you will need:

• heated towel rail;
• mounting brackets;
• plastic pipes;
• special nippers for cutting;
• level;
• adjustable and tubular wrench;
• sealant for connections;
• Bulgarian.

Removing the old heated towel rail

It is better to carry out these procedures during the daytime, when most neighbors will be outside the house, since the hot water supply must be turned off. Before dismantling, contact the management company with a request to de-energize the riser; you must first agree on the day, time and period for which the shutdown will take place. It is better to clarify the procedure for carrying out this procedure in advance, since it may be paid and require the collection of additional documents.

ATTENTION! The housing department does not have the right to refuse to disconnect if there is an application and all conditions are met.

After turning off the water, drain all contents from the riser.Next, using a grinder, the old coil is dismantled, first the lower part, then the upper. At this point, you may need some extra help to hold the old appliance in place. The cut ends are cleaned, old paint is removed, and burrs are removed for further connection with new pipes.

Installing a new device

It is recommended to choose a device in a specialized store; you should approach the issue carefully, selecting high-quality materials that are suitable for the design, so that in the future a situation does not arise in which a repeated replacement will be required due to a poorly selected device.

IMPORTANT! A stainless steel dryer is perfect for apartment buildings, since it can withstand up to 10 bar and is not subject to destruction and corrosion, and brass devices can be used in private buildings, since they cannot withstand pressure above 8 lines.

First you need to mark where the new heated towel rail will be placed and attach the brackets. It must be placed at a distance of 2–6 centimeters from the wall, depending on the diameter of the pipe (the larger it is, the farther from the wall).

There are three installation options:

• if the diameter of the pipes and the center distance match, then no alteration is required;
• if the diameter is very different or the communications are in very poor condition, then welding work is necessary;
• use of threaded connections.

Connecting a heated towel rail

Steps to connect a heated towel rail:

1. To begin with, threads are applied to metal pipes if the old one has not been preserved.
2. Pipes are connected to the hot water supply riser; for this purpose, the welding machine is preheated and special nozzles are heated, onto which the coupling and pipe are simultaneously placed; thanks to the heating, they melt and are securely connected to each other. For free circulation of water, the supply element must have a slight slope towards the device, and the outlet in the opposite direction (approximately 2–3 mm).
3. Further, to prevent water leakage, it is recommended to seal all joints well and apply a special paste that prevents leaks.
4. The device is finally secured with special fasteners.
5. For the uninterrupted operation of the system, you can use bypasses (spare channels) and shut-off valves (located on the supply and discharge channels), thanks to which, in the event of an emergency, the system will continue to operate and allow repairs to be carried out without shutting down the entire riser and stopping the water.

Connection Quality Test

Upon installation, you should invite a representative of the management company to check the compliance of the actions performed. After turning on the water, make sure that all connections are tight and that the heated towel rail is functioning correctly.

IMPORTANT! Taps for filling with water must be turned on smoothly, as there is a possibility of water hammer.

Installation of an electric heated towel rail

This type of coil is much easier to install and allows you to turn it on only when necessary. The first step is to dismantle the old device in the same way as indicated in the article above. Next, the pipes are connected, through which water circulates through the general system.

Then you need to decide on connecting the unit to electricity, which can be done either through an outlet or from a switchboard. The socket should be installed at a far distance from an open source of water, and the type of housing should be waterproof. The second option requires pre-installed wires in the bathroom or you will have to disassemble the decorative trim to install them. Next, mark the holes in the wall using a level, drill holes and install the heated towel rail on the fasteners.

Now you can replace the heating device yourself, thereby saving money, or invite professional craftsmen and fully control the process.