Whether you are having your bathroom completely renovated or you’re just making a few changes, if you’ve made the smart choice to install a heated towel rail in your bathroom you’ll need to decide where to place it.
The placement of your heated towel rail in your bathroom has three main considerations – safety, aesthetics and practicality – and we’ll study these in detail in this post.
Heated towel rails and safety
Heated towel rails are electrical items and it’s true that water and electricity don’t mix, which is why safety is the most important priority when deciding where to install your unit.
When considering safety, it’s obviously important not to place your heated towel rail inside your shower area or above your bath. You should keep your unit at least 600 millimetres from your shower, bath and vanity. Plus, you should also install your heated towel rail at least 600mm off the floor.
There are two ways that many heated towel rails can be connected to the electricity. These are either hard wired, with no cord visible, or by connecting directly to a power point.
Generally, it’s recommended to have your heated towel rail hard wired, because it is a safer option. It also looks better, as it helps create the minimalist look that most people now want. However, if you’re renting or you simply don’t want to hard wire, plugging in your unit is perfectly safe as long as you follow the restrictions highlighted above in terms of distance from water sources.
When considering safety, you also need to ensure you purchase a heated towel rail with a high ingress protection or IP number. The IP number is a simple system of rating the level of protection against the ingress of foreign bodies (the first number) and liquids (the second number).
For a heated towel rail, an IP number of IP44 is standard. So, consider this number when purchasing your unit. Also look for a heated towel rail that complies to Australian electrical safety standards.
Aesthetics is important too
Heated towel rails are great for drying towels and provide luxurious warmth when you get out of your shower or bath. However, undeniably, they also look more impressive than standard towel rails.
To ensure your heated towel rail looks even more impressive, where you place it is vital. In general, aesthetically the best place to have your unit is in the middle of the largest wall space in your bathroom. This is going to look a whole lot better than jamming it up against a storage unit or putting it above the toilet!
Practically speaking
When it comes to practical considerations, this is simple. You’ll want to place your unit close to your shower and vanity (and bath if you have one).
Heated towel rails are luxurious, but there’s nothing luxurious about having to dash across your bathroom in your birthday suit to grab your towel. You also don’t want to drape your towel over your shower or bath while washing, as it won’t be warm when you’re finished.
Ideally, keep your heated towel rail close to your shower, bath and vanity and you’ll have the best spot, practically speaking.
Making a compromise
In some cases, you may need to compromise on where to place your heated towel rail. For example, the best place to locate your unit may be a high traffic area where it will get bumped into regularly.
In these cases, remember that safety should never be compromised. You may need to make compromises on aesthetics or practicality, but never take short cuts when it comes to your family’s safety.
Safe and sound with Gordon heated towel rail
While there are many reasons why you should consider a Gordon heated towel rail, one simple reason is that it makes placement of your rail a breeze.
For a start, Gordon is manufactured to exacting standards and complies with Australian electrical safety standards. With an IP44 rating, it’s also perfectly safe to use in any bathroom (keeping in mind the safety distances highlighted above).
While Gordon is super-efficient, it’s not surprisingly hot to the touch. With an exposed surface temperature of 43 degrees Celsius, it is completely safety to touch or bump into.
While Gordon can hold up to four large towels and bath mats (eight for the double Gordon), it also takes up less space than the traditional horizontal towel rails. Which means, from an aesthetics and practically standpoint, Gordon will provide more options for you to locate your unit. Plus, it will fit in the smallest or largest of bathrooms.
Speaking of aesthetics, Gordon simply looks better than most other heated towel rails. Empty, it looks more like an art piece. Draped with towels, however, it turns into a workhorse, drying your towels in a fraction of the time of competitor models.
Safety, aesthetics and practicality, Gordon has it all!
Take a look at our Gordon installation guide, you’ll find a PDF and demo installation video here.
