Moving a heated towel rail to another wall in the bathroom: installation instructions

When renovating a bathroom, you may need to move the heated towel rail to another wall and change the location of the water pipes.The complexity of the work performed depends on the type of coil.

If you don’t need any special skills to move an electric unit, then when connecting a water heated towel rail, you may need the help of a plumber.

Let's figure out what the sequence of actions is in a given situation, and also outline the rules for the placement and installation of different types of coils.

Installation features of the electric model

If the owners of private houses independently choose where to place this element, then residents of apartment buildings are often deprived of choice, since in their apartments the devices are placed in the bathrooms according to the original plan.

Often the places chosen for heated towel rails are very inconvenient, for example, above the sink. In this case, during the first repair or redevelopment, the apartment owner will decide to move the device to a more comfortable place. But how to do this according to all the rules, with the least damage to the bathroom and without unpleasant consequences?

Moving an electric heated towel rail does not cause any difficulties - it is much easier than in the case of water-type analogues. Documentary approval for the transfer of the electrical model is also not required, since no types of communications will be affected.

There are only two conditions that must be met for proper transfer or initial installation: a distance from water sources of at least 60 cm and correct power supply

An electric heated towel rail is considered more practical than a water one, not only because of its ease of installation, but also because of its ease of use.

Advantages of electric dryers:

1. Year-round operation. The closed circuit of electric dryers allows them to be used all year round, even when the heating system is turned off or hot water is not supplied due to maintenance.
2. Wear resistance. Electrical appliances are not afraid of pressure changes, hard water and corrosion.
3. Possibility of adjusting the heating temperature. To do this, you only need to additionally install a rheostat; in some models it is present initially.

This is why many owners prefer electric heated towel rails to water heated heated dryers when decorating their bathrooms.

There are different types of electric heated towel rails — there are dry and oil models. In liquid ones, tubular electric heaters are usually used.

In dry-type devices, instead of a liquid filler, a special heating silicone cable is used, similar to those from which a heated floor system is installed

In order to ensure normal safe operation of electric dryers, you must adhere to several rules:

• the wiring must be properly hidden in the wall;
• it is advisable to install a residual current device on the wiring to the bathroom, ideally on the heated towel rail itself;
• the device should be grounded, as it is located in a room with high humidity;

The outlet for the device, like any outlets in the bathroom, must also be grounded and have degree of protection IP4 or IP65 (against dust or direct jets of water and dust).

Instructions for moving an electrical appliance

After we have considered all the nuances, we can proceed directly to moving the heated towel rail in the bathroom or toilet.

To work we will need the following tools:

• impact drill or hammer drill;
• drills for working on concrete;
• Screwdriver Set;
• set of wrenches;
• electrical tester;
• tape measure, marker;
• wall mounting brackets.

First of all, decide on the place where the dryer will be located.

The device must be located at a distance of at least 60 cm from water sources, at least 95 cm from the floor, 30 cm from the edge of the wall and 75 cm from furniture. For correct measurements, arm yourself with a tape measure. Once the location has been chosen, make marks with a marker for the fasteners.

If there is a power source near the chosen location, the whole process will be as simple as possible. If there is none, the task will become more complicated, since you will need to lay a separate wire. This can be done in two ways: under the cladding or along it.

If you are renovating a bathroom and changing the covering, feel free to use the first option - although it is more labor-intensive, it provides reliable cover for the wiring.

If the cladding has already been installed, it is not logical to remove it. In this case, the cable is laid over the cladding, covered with a plastic cable channel, and a socket with maximum protection from moisture is used. When installing electrical wiring, do not forget to ground the outlet.

Then we dismantle the device from its old place. This work is usually not difficult.First, remove the device, then use screwdrivers to remove the fasteners.

The next step is installation and connection for electric dryer. You need to prepare holes for fasteners on the wall and install holders. Next, we fix the brackets and mount the device on them. At the end we carry out finishing work.

If the cable was laid on the cladding, no additional finishing is required.

How to re-hang a water-type heated towel rail?

Moving a water-type heated towel rail is a much more labor-intensive process than with an electric option. But, having the skills and necessary tools, you can move the water device to another wall yourself.

Design and connection methods

Water-type heated towel rails have the following design features:

• air release valve - the Mayevsky valve is located on top;
• special plug - plug;
• water supply system;
• valves for shutting off water - in some models they are built into the device itself, more often they are installed separately;
• brackets for strengthening and hanging on the wall.

A water heated towel rail can be powered by a heating system or a hot water supply system.

Option for connecting a water heated towel rail to hot water supply pipes using special fittings - couplings and elbows (with and without bypass) (+)

It is preferable to install the radiator by inserting it into the hot water supply system, there are several reasons for this:

1. The heating system operates for a little more than six months; for the remaining 5-6 months, the batteries are not provided with heat and, accordingly, do not perform their main functions.
2. In the event of a coil leak or other breakdowns, it is very easy to shut off the hot water supply system, which cannot be said about the heating system, which is very problematic to shut off.
3. The water supplied to taps is much cleaner than the water in heating systems; in addition, it manages to stagnate over several months of the heating season, which significantly increases the risk of corrosion.

Before starting work, it is necessary to obtain documented approval from the housing maintenance authorities. Independently moving any heating appliances, including heated towel rails, leads to changes in the technical parameters and condition of the heating system.

If problems arise, the responsibility will fall on the owner of the property, so it is very important to pre-agreed any changes at the documentary level.

There is one more nuance - to work, you will need to completely turn off the water in the entire riser and drain it, and for this you need to call a specialist from the housing department.

Terms of use of the new model

At choosing a water coil You must adhere to a number of rules:

• The technical parameters of the selected model must correspond to the level water system pressure Houses. Working pressure can range from 2.5 to 7.5 atmospheres. The indicator depends on the floor, the state of communications, even the time of day - at night the pressure rises.
• The size of the device should fit the dimensions of the bathroom - the smaller the bathroom, the smaller the heated towel rail, with fewer bends, you need.
• The diameter of the outlet pipes of the device must correspond to the size of the inlet holes in the riser pipes. If the parameters do not match, you can use special jumpers.

If possible, choose a seamless heated towel rail with protection against water hammer.

For technical work on moving the heated towel rail, you will need the following materials and tools:

• mounting brackets;
• polypropylene pipes;
• Bulgarian;
• welding machine;
• pipe cutter or nippers;
• wrench and adjustable wrench;
• level;
• Ball Valves;
• thread cutting tools;
• linen winding or fum tape;
• connecting fittings.

After completing the preparatory stage, we begin installation work.

Rules for dismantling a heated towel rail

To dismantle, first of all we close the main riser and drain the water from it. As mentioned earlier, this will require the presence of a specialist from the housing authority.

Also, don’t forget to warn your neighbors about turning off the water, so as not to spoil your relationship again. The process itself will take a couple of hours.

After draining the water, we begin dismantling the equipment. First we cut the lower pipe, then the upper one. We make sure that the remaining sections are long enough to connect the new pipeline

To do this you will need a grinder and an assistant. One person will have to cut the dryer and another person will have to support it, otherwise you could fall over the device and get seriously injured. After cutting the inlet and outlet pipes, the device can be freed from its fastenings and taken out of the room.

Arrangement of riser and piping

After dismantling the old heated towel rail, we begin work on the riser.

It is advisable to replace the apartment riser and pipes of all wiring in the apartment with polypropylene ones. This point is especially relevant if you are renovating your bathroom.

The ideal option would be to team up with your neighbors and replace riser pipesA.If this is problematic, you can limit yourself only to your apartment.

This way, you will not only make it easier to connect a heated towel rail and other plumbing fixtures to new pipes, but will also insure yourself against leaks, breakdowns and other troubles with outdated pipes in the future.

Professionals advise using polypropylene pipes with a diameter of 25 mm.

Progress:

1. Laying the riser pipe to a new installation location may require the assistance of a specialist, especially if the distance is large. A competent engineer will not only advise you on the correct installation of pipes, but will also carry out the necessary hydraulic calculations. Do not neglect the help of professionals, as an incorrectly installed device will not heat up and can lead to an emergency.
2. We clean the cut areas at the ends of the pipes so that there are no burrs or traces of old paint left.
3. We cut the thread. To do this we use a lehr. We pre-lubricate it with oil, put it on the treated edge of the pipe and begin to cut the thread, carefully turning the tool. Alternatively, you can use welding instead of a threaded connection, but this will require a welding machine and skills to work with it.
4. On the finished thread you can install an “American” - a special fitting that is needed to connect the system with propylene pipes.
5. To prevent water leakage, we seal all joints on threaded connections using fum tape or the old fashioned way - with linen winding and sealant. Choose the method at your own discretion.

To facilitate the maintenance of the heated towel rail, it is better to mount it on a special jumper - “bypass”, and also use Ball Valves to redirect the flow of water to the jumper.

Thanks to a simple system, in the future you will be able to easily remove the device, carry out repair work, and change gaskets. The bypass is made from a small piece of pipe, the diameter of which is one size smaller than that of the main line (+)

We check the system for operability and the presence of defects by starting the hot water supply. If everything is satisfactory, we secure the heated towel rail with brackets and do the finishing work.

It is advisable to deepen the pipes into the wall or hide under decorative trim. This is a rather labor-intensive process, but the end result looks much more advantageous. For free access to the riser, it is recommended to make a special plastic window.

Practical tips and advice

To carry out the transfer of a heated towel rail in the bathroom according to all the rules and get a good, long-lasting result, you should follow some rules.

For an apartment building (especially high-rise buildings), it is better to purchase a steel heated towel rail made from seamless pipe. This is due to increased water pressure in the system and water hammer - pressure surges in the system caused by changes in the fluid flow rate

For private houses with autonomous water supply, brass models are suitable, which are designed for more careful operation. It is not advisable to install a heated towel rail on a wall bordering the living room.

It is not recommended to use a threaded connection in combination with a welded riser. It is also undesirable to use a threaded connection in places that are difficult to access for maintenance, for example, behind decorative trim.

For correct operation of the heated towel rail, during installation, ensure that the supply pipe has a slight slope towards the flow of hot water. This will help avoid the formation of air pockets.

The distance from the wall to the middle of the supply pipe should be 3.5-5.5 cm

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Some advice from an experienced builder:

Moving a heated towel rail in the bathroom is a rather complicated process. You need to approach it with full responsibility. If you are not confident in your abilities or do not have enough experience, it is better to contact professionals, otherwise amateur efforts may result in the device not working or lead to an emergency.

If you are not a beginner in engineering work, then you can fully rely on your own strength, experience and good instructions. Alternatively, you can buy an electric model and make your life easier, but lose in terms of paying your electricity bills - it all depends on personal preference.

Share with readers your experience of moving and connecting a heated towel rail. Please leave comments on the article and ask questions that interest you. The feedback form is located below.