Installing a towel rail: electric or hot water, the guide
The towel rail has become common equipment in bathrooms: it heats the room, dries towels and adds a modern touch. Two big families exist: the electric towel rail, which plugs into the mains, and the hot water towel rail, connected to the central heating circuit. The choice depends on your existing installation, and both require different precautions. Allow 150 to 500 euros for an electric model of decent quality, and one to two hours of work for a simple installation.
Electric or hot water?
- The electric towel rail: self-contained, fits anywhere, ideal when no central heating circuit is available
- The hot water towel rail: fed by the boiler or heat pump, more economical to run
- The mixed or electric-on-mains model, which heats with water and can work alone out of season
- The electrical power, generally 500 to 1500 watts, to choose according to the size of the room
- The finishes: steel, aluminium, lacquered, with or without integrated shelves for the towels
As a general rule, plan about 100 watts per square metre of bathroom for an electric towel rail, more if the room is poorly insulated. A model of 800 to 1000 watts suits an average bathroom of 6 to 8 m². The hot water towel rail, meanwhile, is installed on the existing heating circuits: it is more economical to run but its installation requires working on the boiler's water circuit, an operation reserved for a plumber if you have no heating experience. Electric models are the simplest to fit, provided you scrupulously respect the electrical safety rules.
The necessary tools
- The towel rail, its fixings and its wall bracket
- Drill, bits suited to the support, wall anchors and spirit level
- Voltage tester and insulated screwdrivers for the electrical connection
- Wire stripper and connection connectors if the cable has to be modified
- Fittings and joint paste or silicone for a hot water model
- Adjustable spanner and wrenches suited to the hydraulic fittings
Fitting the electric towel rail
- Choose a location away from direct water splashes, respecting the bathroom safety zones.
- Mark the position of the fixings with a spirit level, according to the model's brackets.
- Drill, insert the wall anchors and screw on the wall bracket.
- Before any connection, switch off the power at the circuit breaker or consumer unit.
- Check the absence of voltage with a voltage tester on the relevant wires.
- Connect the towel rail's wires to the circuit respecting the colours (live, neutral, earth).
- Fix the body of the heater onto its bracket and restore the power to test the heating.
Fitting a hot water towel rail
Installing a hot water towel rail consists of connecting it onto the heating pipework, generally with a branch connection on the existing circuit. You must bleed the circuit, switch off the boiler's supply, remove the neighbouring radiators if necessary and connect the new model respecting the water flow direction. Once connected, you must put the circuit back under pressure and bleed it carefully to evacuate the air, otherwise the water will not circulate properly and the radiator will stay cold. This operation is delicate: if you do not master your home's heating circuit, entrust it to a heating engineer.
The mistakes to avoid
- Connecting the electricity without switching off the power or checking the voltage, a serious risk of electrocution
- Installing the towel rail in a forbidden area of the bathroom, too close to the bath or shower
- Forgetting to connect the earth, essential for a device in this category
- Choosing a power too low for the room, which never heats properly
- Neglecting the bleed on a hot water model, which stays cold in operation
Installing a towel rail is an accessible job, but one that demands respect for the electricity and, where applicable, for the heating circuit. The electric model, fitted away from water splashes, with a connection on a dedicated circuit, the earth properly connected and a check with the voltage tester, is mounted in one to two hours. The hot water model requires more skill and often merits the intervention of a heating engineer. In both cases, choose a location above the basin or bath, at towel height, and you will enjoy a warm bathroom and dry towels all winter.