What is a heated towel rail and why is it so important to have one?
Just how good does a quality heated towel rail make life feel?
A bathroom experience can really be dampened when you reach for the towel after a lovely bath or shower, and it's still wet. Especially on cold days. It's probably something you've already experienced so you'll know the feeling.
To solve the problem, a smart inventor came up with a heated towel rail. I'm sure when he first told someone about his brilliant invention, they responded "What is a heated towel rail?"
Thanks to this wonderful invention, your bath towel is always warm and fluffy when you need to use it. There are many benefits for this, which you may not have thought of. Let’s dig a little deeper, into the different types of heated towel rails, the way they work, and why heated towel rails can be better for our health.
What are the different types of heated towel rails and how do they work?
You already know that a heated towel rail is a towel rail that heats up and dries the towels draped over it, but how do they work? To answer that question, let's first look at the types of heated towel rails. There are several different types on the market today.
The three most common ones are:
- electric
- liquid filled
- hydronic
Electric heated towel rails are, as the name suggests, plugged into a power socket or hard wired to electricity in order to operate. The metal rails heat up as a result of turning the towel rail on, and with some models you have the luxury of using a boost switch or timer to control when it goes on and off, saving electricity costs.
What is a heated towel rail that is liquid filled? These towel rails are constructed with a liquid cleverly contained inside each of the rails. You plug the towel rail into the power point, and the electricity heats up the liquid in the rails, which in turn dries the towels.
Hydronic rails use a liquid as well. The rails are hollow, and the unit is connected to the hydronic heating system in a house. This pumps hot water through the rails, heating them up. This method also heats up the room as well as drying the towels.
Should you get a Stainless Steel heated towel rail or a Chrome heated towel rail?
This is a good question. Both products look fabulous and they both have their benefits. Let's start with looking at the materials.
Stainless steel is formed by combining chromium with iron, nickel, silicon and other metals. The superb finish of stainless steel gives products a look of sophistication, which is one of their key selling points. It makes them a very popular choice for bathrooms across Australia.
Other benefits include:
- durable and long lasting
- resistant to corrosion and tarnishing
- resistant to scratches
- fairly easy to clean
- perfect for moist areas
- regarded by some as a hygienic material with no known health risks
Chrome plated towel rails are also a combination of the same metals as stainless steel, but the way the chromium is used is slightly different. Chrome plated towel rails use chromium for the outer layer. A thin layer of the material is electroplated onto the outside of the product.
This method also produces a great looking heated towel rail.
Other benefits include:
- smooth, shiny surface
- resistance to corrosion
- very easy to clean
- a less expensive product
The choice you make will most probably depend on both your budget and your taste.
Do you really need a heated towel rail?
The answer might surprise you. You may think in hot climates there's no need for a heated towel rail. The research indicates that the quicker a towel dries, the less bacteria is formed. Whether you're in a hot or cold climate, a heated towel rail speeds up the drying process. This can be a pretty important factor in maintaining healthy habits in the bathroom.
Summarising the two key reasons you need a heated towel rail:
- There is less build up of harmful bacteria
- The towel is warm, dry and fluffy when you need to use it
These are two pretty convincing reasons why a dry bath towel should be your aim when you step out of the bath or shower. There is a third reason. They look absolutely fabulous attached to the wall!
What sort of bacteria builds up on a damp bath towel?
It's actually something most people rarely think about. As we mentioned, when you have a damp towel it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria.
In a study done at the University of Arizona, microbiologist Charles Gerba found that nearly 90% of bathroom towels were contaminated with coliform bacteria and about 14% carried E coli.
The Director of clinical microbiology at New York Presbyterian and Columbia University Medical Centre, Susan Whittier, said “I worry about towels that remain damp or moist. That’s a breeding ground for MRSA”. MRSA is an infection caused by antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Let's just say, avoiding the use of damp towels continuously is pretty important for health reasons.
The Bathware Direct difference
You'll never have to worry about damp towels with a heated towel rail from Bathware Direct, like the square designed Pluto Heated 8 bar towel ladder.
Bathware Direct offer the best range of bathroom products at the best prices. Along with that, you have a most enjoyable customer service experience.
Plus - there's prompt delivery Australia-wide.
For quality bathroom products, the name to remember is Bathware Direct.
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