How to replace a heated towel rail in a bathroom according to the rules

The counters of markets and construction stores fascinate with the brilliance of new heated towel rails. Any house owner cannot resist the opportunity to make functional and aesthetic changes to his home.After purchasing the selected device, you should find out how to install and connect it.

All about how the replacement is made heated towel rail in the bathroom in accordance with regulatory requirements, you will find out by reading the article we presented. We have described the technological steps in detail and listed the subtleties of the process. To help independent craftsmen, connection diagrams for heated towel rails are attached.

Stages of replacing a heated towel rail

Work to replace the heated towel rail is carried out in stages. Each stage requires diligence, accuracy and attention from the performer, because it has a direct impact on the final result.

To carry them out, you can call plumbers or do everything yourself. The first option is simpler, but requires money and confidence in the literacy and responsibility of the hired builders.

The reasons for installing a new heated towel rail in the bathroom include not only the wear and tear of the old device, but also the desire to change the interior

To implement the second, a significant amount of knowledge and serious comprehensive training will be required.

Heated towel rails are divided into water and electric. The former are connected to a heating or hot water circuit, the latter are used as independent heating devices

Water devices are connected to the hot water pipeline if the apartment is supplied with hot water from a centralized system.The same is done if the house is equipped with a double-circuit boiler that produces hot water for autonomous water supply.

Connection to the heating network is made in apartments with a centralized water supply supplying only cold water, and in houses with single-circuit boilers.

Proper preparation is the key to success

Any independent activity requires an objective assessment of one’s own strengths and capabilities.

The home handyman needs:

1. Assess your capabilities, knowledge in the field of plumbing and the scope of real skills.
2. Stock up on the necessary set of tools.
3. Assess work conditions.

The choice of method for implementing the planned project and the list of funds for its implementation will depend on a real assessment of one’s own capabilities.

If the owner heated towel rail does not have welding skills, then any such work must be excluded and a replacement must be found. The same applies to working with different building materials.

Before starting work, you should really evaluate your capabilities and choose the most appropriate installation method with connection. If you don’t have repair skills, you shouldn’t get carried away with complex methods of masking pipes

Mastery in installation drywall or gluing tiles may be necessary to complete the final decoration of laid communications and hide defects formed during the work. Ignorance of the specifics of working with electrical wiring will not allow you to properly connect the electrical part of the equipment.

What is important here is the availability of not only basic installation tools. When welding, in addition to the equipment itself, you may need liquefied substances to operate a gas welding unit or high-load electrical wiring to connect an electrical device.

You should always consider:

• in which house (private or municipal) the actions will be performed;
• the state of the heating system and the method of circulation of coolant in it;
• the material composition of the walls, floors and ceilings surrounding the work site.

With a centralized water supply, you need to wait until the heating season ends.

The presence of wooden load-bearing decorative structures can limit the use of open fire sources. Stretch ceilings will not allow metal pipes to be bent to the angle required for threading them. Welded connections will also be impossible due to the risk of damage to heat-sensitive materials.

In most cases, replacing a heated towel rail requires cutting and welding, which should not be undertaken without the appropriate skills.

After analyzing the listed parameters, you should draw up a diagram, determine the list of necessary connecting nodes and create the necessary set of tools, which must necessarily consist of:

• level;
• pipe cutter;
• welding and soldering equipment (if necessary);
• angle grinder (grinder);
• thread cutter or large diameter dies;
• hammer drill;
• adjustable and pipe wrenches.

All assembled equipment must be laid out for ease of use. The next step is to study the instructions for the purchased device. Although most of these devices have a similar structure, the manufacturer may state in the accompanying documentation any recommendations or conditions for proper installation. You should know about this in advance.

Before installation, you should study the equipment of the device, check the compatibility of components, connections and fasteners. The generally accepted rule among professionals is that you need to hold the item in your hands before work to get to know it. Tactile analysis gives a person a lot of information: about the weight, flexibility, dimensions of the product.

The factory configuration of the device must include all fasteners, connecting elements and plugs specified by the manufacturer.

After arranging the future workplace with everything necessary, you can proceed to the next stage - dismantling the old equipment. It is worth mentioning that heated towel rails There are water and electric.

If it is planned only moving a heated towel rail to an adjacent wall due to redevelopment of the premises or re-equipment, the work mainly consists of reworking the pipeline and mounting the device on another surface.

Next we will talk about the first type of installation. The installation and connection of the electric version differs only in the absence of the need to connect such a device to the water heating system. The power source is a regular household outlet.

Specifics of dismantling

The nature of dismantling depends on what the new structure will be. To choose the future arrangement of new equipment, you need to evaluate your professional skills in different areas of construction. It is worth calculating your financial capabilities in advance. Most of the old communications are laid on top of the walls and have an unsightly appearance.

To make your pipe layout more aesthetically pleasing, you can:

• Hide them in the walls.
• Leave it in its place.

For hidden wiring you will need gating brick or concrete surfaces. This process will require studying the contents of their insides for the presence of fittings, wiring and other factors that impede the completion of the task. Such a procedure will require large expenses, coordination with authorities and neighbors.

Hidden pipe connections look much more attractive than external pipe branches, but they will be the most problematic and expensive.

Hidden piping to the device is much more difficult to implement.In addition, installing channels in the wall will significantly reduce the heat transfer of the system, part of which will heat building structures rather than the bathroom

You can disguise the laying of pipes by constructing:

• plastic or plasterboard boxes;
• brick channel;
• concrete casing.

Frame structures with decorative coating are the most practical and relatively inexpensive way to decorate old communications. This option will allow you to have access to the connections in case of leaks. Damage to load-bearing structures and the formation of large amounts of debris and dust will be completely eliminated.

With the proper design approach, the constructed communication channels can be effectively integrated into the interior of the bathroom. This will add unusualness to the final appearance of the room, saving a lot of money and effort.

The easiest way to connect the device involves openly connecting the heated towel rail to pipes or to a riser

There are many ways to mask dots connecting a heated towel rail to pipelines without destroying the sections and gating the walls. For example, it is convenient to cover the coil connection area with a plasterboard box.

An interesting solution with a riser box allows you to replace the device without labor-intensive work (+)

If there is a technological possibility, you can hide the connection points by installing a frame wall with plasterboard. Naturally, both described options require finishing.

You can hide the connection point by installing a false wall on an aluminum profile frame

Having decided how the final finishing will occur, you can begin to remove the old heated towel rail. In most cases, it has a threaded connection, which you need to try to unscrew with an adjustable or pipe wrench (depending on the quality of the remaining edges of the fitting).

After partially unscrewing the connection, you need to ensure that the remaining water in the pipes is collected by first placing a container of sufficient volume under the lower connection. This is not required if disassembly is carried out in a building with centralized heating. You just need to make sure that there is no water in the system.

If it is impossible to disconnect the structure with keys, an angle grinder is used. It is also used when dismantling metal pipes, if the path of future concealment of pipes in the walls is chosen.

Installation of new equipment

After deleting the old one heated towel rail The location of the new heating device is determined. It is placed against the wall and not only the places of future attachment to the surface are marked, but also the places where the connecting fittings will be located.

After this, you can install the new device on the wall, but do not secure it firmly, since its position may need to be adjusted.

The next step is cutting threads on metal pipes.This is done if the old thread has not been preserved. Cutting is done with a die of the required diameter or thread cutter. During the procedure, it is necessary that the pipe is firmly fixed using a pipe wrench or other equipment.

This will prevent possible damage to it. Two workers need to make cutting using a die, since the efforts of one person will not be enough to perform the main action and effectively fix the pipe.

The connection diagram for the heated towel rail to the hot water supply uses tees and shut-off valves. To stimulate the movement of hot water along the riser, the section after the first connection point is made of a pipe with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the coil

It is worth noting that some thread cutters have systems for fixing pipes. This is very convenient, but not every device has this equipment option. An assistant may be needed even when working with thread cutter.

Adapters for a plastic pipeline are installed on ready-made seats or flexible hoses are screwed on, which is also acceptable if further construction is planned plasterboard designs. Tow or FUM tape is pre-wound onto the connections.

Connection to the heating circuit is carried out according to the diagram used for piping in the apartment or house

Connecting with flexible hoses is the simplest and most convenient in all respects. These components eliminate the need for complex equipment and time-consuming operations.

In schemes with natural movement of coolant through pipelines, the supply pipe (supply) should have a slight slope to the side heated towel rail, and the outlet (return) should be directed in the opposite direction.

A slope of about 2 -3 mm per linear meter is needed to allow cooled water, the movement of which is not stimulated by the pump, to flow freely from the heating equipment, and heated water to enter the device.

The connections are sealed in accordance with the operating parameters of the system and the type of coolant circulating along the circuit

Using a bypass in a connection diagram

To ensure efficient and convenient operation of the system, a bypass is required. This is a spare channel to which any equipment involved in heating is connected. Its task is to ensure the operation of the system in the event of emergency situations in the components connected to it.

The correct diagram for connecting the device to the heating system requires shut-off valves, which consist of two taps located on the coolant supply and discharge channels to the installed device (+)

Most home-grown craftsmen do not think about possible leaks and fix heated towel rails directly to the main pipes without attachment to wall surfaces and installation of shut-off valves. Such installation during operation may lead to a violation of the tightness of the connection and subsequent flooding of the room.

This will especially have negative consequences if the room is located in a multi-story building with centralized heating. In an emergency situation, it may take a long time until the coolant supply is completely stopped. Subsequent restoration or blocking work will leave part of the house without heat for several days.

Simplest and most effective bypass design and shut-off valves, which are shown in the picture below, will give you confidence in any situation and will allow you not to worry about the serviceability of the installed equipment.

Sweat dryers can be connected to both steel and plastic pipelines using tees

To create it, tees are installed at the ends of metal pipes. Their two outlets directed towards each other are connected by a straight pipe. The side outlets are used for installing shut-off elements to which the pipes leading to the heated towel rail.

If the structure is assembled from ready-made flexible connecting components, then during its installation you should not forget about the use of sealing materials. When creating a plastic pipeline, a special soldering iron for plastic pipes is used. In this case, the master may need the help of a second person.

The image below shows soldering being done by two workers. The soldering iron has elements for installing it in the working position, but only those elements that are not attached to the general system can be connected in this way. Otherwise, it will be impossible to do without an assistant.

Plastic parts are connected to the steel coil using adapter fittings. Plastic elements are connected to each other by cold or hot welding

If rigid connections are used to connect the heating device, then it is necessary to ensure that they comply with the vertical and horizontal levels. Otherwise, set heated towel rail It will be impossible to fix it straight. A crooked position will ruin the entire impression of the repair.

For achievement level compliance is very convenient to use laser devices. They give additional freedom to the specialist, allowing him to work with both hands.

After all connections have been made, final tightening of all fasteners and connections can be made.

Connection Quality Test

An important element of any construction is testing the finished system. This procedure may have some differences, depending on which heating system was altered - centralized or autonomous.

In houses with central heating

It is necessary to take a number of measures before the start of the heating season. If the installed equipment was installed with a bypass and shut-off valves, then you need to turn off the latter before the water supply begins. You can open the taps when the system is fully warmed up. Such actions will protect the owner of the new heated towel rail from flooding your neighbors and your own home.

While supplying water to the pipes, you need to monitor the condition of the entire network, waiting until the connections are completely warmed up. Extension fittings when the temperature changes, it can cause a coolant leak, which can be eliminated by using the shut-off valve blocking.

If a bypass is not installed, then during the test water supply, about which the administration warns residents of multi-storey housing, they need to be at home. You should inform your neighbors about the work performed to prepare them for possible flooding.

Autonomous heating system

It can be turned on immediately after work. Just like in the first case in autonomous heating system you need to wait until the pipes and connecting parts are completely warmed up. After turning off the boiler, wait until the system has completely cooled down and additionally tighten the threaded connections.

Decorating the installed device

After completing all the installation work on installing a new towel dryer, you can begin to seal the defects formed during dismantling wall surfaces.All finishing works are not related to the topic of this article. There are several points that are worth paying attention to.

If you plan to build plasterboard or a plastic frame structure, you should follow some rules:

• leave small, inconspicuous channels at the junction of the box and the floor, which will perform the function of drainage and indication in case of possible future leaks of the system;
• provide in the future design the presence of an opening small door located opposite the locking elements.

A convenient and aesthetic door will provide instant access to taps that allow you to shut off the coolant supply to emergency heating devices.

Before the final filling of the groove with a solution for hidden pipe connections, testing the operation of the system and the tightness of the connections is mandatory.

Additional information for self-installers

The article describes a method installation heated towel rail to the main heating pipes, which are not planned to be hidden in the groove. When choosing a method for fastening equipment with subsequent immersion of the main pipelines into channels cut out in the walls, you should take into account some of the nuances of such work related directly to the installation of pipes.

Features of hidden pipe connections

When completely cutting off old metal pipes within the room being renovated, at least 70 mm of their length on each side should be left. This condition will help you work with the equipment to create threads on the remaining pieces of pipe. If this condition is not met, the possibility of a threaded connection may be difficult or eliminated. This will require welding.

Making connections by welding

When using electric welding equipment, two important conditions must be met:

• Reliable engagement and contact with metal of alligator clips. The absence of such contact or its unreliability can lead to the transmission of current through the heating pipes and injury to people.
• Any electrical appliance, and especially a welding machine, must be connected only to properly grounded voltage sources.

Simultaneous contact of a technician with metal pipes and damaged sections of wire often causes fatal electric shock.

Electrical installation heated towel rails

Their installation also requires dismantling of old equipment. The absence of the need to connect new devices to the water circulation system does not relieve the builder from operations associated with the installation of pipes, unless the old heating devices were connected through a bypass.

In the absence of such arrangement, the pipes of the old system should be connected to each other to allow water to circulate through the common system.

Installing an electric heated towel rail is the easiest if it does not require moving the socket closer to the device (+)

Here it is worth taking into account the fact that electrical equipment has its own expiration date and can fail at any minute. The next drying element selected may be a water one.

To avoid labor-intensive operations in the future, it would be rational to install tees with shut-off valves installed on them in the places where the connecting pipe is installed. This will allow you to seamlessly install the next element of the heating system without cost and dirt.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Video about the final stages of replacing a heated towel rail:

Video about installing the device and connecting to a copper pipeline:

Connection process using bypass:

As you can see, with replacement heated towel rail Even a novice master can handle it. The main thing is that he treats the upcoming work responsibly and does not forget about safety rules.

Tell us about how you changed the heated towel rail in your house/apartment. Please write comments in the block below. Ask questions, share useful information, post photographs related to the topic of the article.