Currently in the starting stages of a bathroom remodel. We have planned for a wall-mount, hot water towel warmer. The heating sub has recommended against it and suggests substituting an electric heater instead. They claim to have installed them and had clients be unsatisfied.
Anyone else have any feedback on these?
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Replies
Have you ever used a hot towel after a hot shower? I found them uncomfortable. Could just be me.
Currently have a standing, cast iron radiator about 46h x 30w x8d. Before starting the shower, I throw a towel over the radiator, turn the thermostat to 80. By the time I am done, the towel is warmed, and here, where current outside temperatures have been running between 8 and 25, it feels very verrry nice. Furnace jacket temp is set to 180 max.
I suggest you talk to the folks on "The Wall" at heatinghelp.com
They are great...top notch radiant folks all the way around.
My parents just built a house...and it seems everytime my Mom suggested something she liked, her GC talked her out of it. EVERY TIME. Radiant heat was one such thing. Why? I suspect it was because he doesn't deal with it routinely, doesn't understand it, and didn't want to have to bother with it. Maybe I'm wrong...but whenever she wanted something a step above the "basic", she always got talked down. Who know's....
Good suggestion, I've been to their site in times past. Fortunately, my GC has not done that, just passed on the heating sub's comments and recommendations. The bathroom will have a radiant floor. I know the floor will need a tempering feature so it doesn't get too hot. It has occurred to me that they may not want to hassle with an installation that requires tempering in the floor, and none to the wall-mounted towel rack. Their comments also beg for details about the other installations that were deemed unsatisfactory, why didn't they work? What were the complaints? I guess I need to follow up on that...
I've been thinking about running the 1/2 copper hot water pipe through a towel rack adjacent to the shower. It'll add about 6' to a long run, and maybe 'self heat'. I figure, a warm towel comes after the shower, right? Had the same sort of idea behind the mirror to cut down fog ....
I'm doing the same thing using the hot water line to the shower in my IFR heated ensuite. I thought that someone else must have thought of this as well. Planning to have a bypass valve for the summertime. Do you know of anyone who's actually done this and how it performed in practice? I'm planning a few back-and-forth windings in the "towel rack" / pipe. Regards - Brian.
Usually I get my inspiration from somewhere else, so I gotta believe I saw it somewhere. Sounds like the sort of thing they might have had on Hometime, or This Old House, except, on TOH, it would have been handcarfted out of solid platinum by a Lithuanian craftsman: "We thought we'd should you how its made ...."
The mirror idea is my follow on to stupid expensive electric mirror heaters I've seen. Of course, I might just consider using a reptile warming pad, which costs about 1/4 of a 'proper' mirror heater.
Although I'm always preaching against using electrons for heat, this is a case where it makes sense. For something that operates 10 mintues a day, the quicker, cheaper install and easy controls make an electric a very reasonable choice.
Heck, $59 and a trip to your local, in-bankruptcy K-Mart (or a trip to the more upscale Wal-Mart) will get you an oil-filled electric radiator. Turn it on when you step into the shower, with the towel draped over it. Toasty towel when you step out! Bet that will beat the HVAC bid by 20-fold and the elctrical option by 10-fold.
Another idea, offered at HeatingHelp.com, which I like: install a hydronic warmer in series with and before the shower and run the hot water through it. No extra hydronic loop, no special controls and only runs when the shower is running.
Hmmmmm
Wflather: "a hydronic warmer in series with the shower"
I like the elegant simplicity of that.
David Thomas Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska
wow, there's a way to take a complex idea and make it overly simple.
Why didn't I think of that?
They are very pricey accessories. My price page from Runtal lists models (electric) from $661 up to $2288. The hydronic models range from $434 to $2545. Of course, if you are going to heat your bath with one, it is more than just an accessory.
Yep, seen the prices, about choked, but someone buys the things. Frankly, I don't get even wanting one, but they intrigue me.
Why not just buy some stainless pipe and fittings and make your own? Still probably cost you $150+. I've seen them advertised, they'd be simple to make, and a good metal worker could dress it up so it looked fancy if you wanted. Could probably find enough parts even in McMaster's catalog.
And, you could still heat your bath with it if you wanted to.
Or even run some pex tubing inside a commercially available tower rack.
Just my thoughts
Thanks
Billy
That's not another idea - that's what we're talking about!
My apologies, yes you did describe the same thing.
Check this thread, some pros and cons and a photo of a shop-built bent SS tube rack. I might see if there are any local fabricators who could make me one.
http://forums.invision.net/Index.cfm?CFApp=2&Message_ID=27923
Thanks for the link- it's been a while since I've been there and it's now a much more friendly format. Regards - Brian.
"wall-mount, hot water towel warmer"
First personal experience with these was hydronic one in Champany Inn in Scotland in early 90's, now very common in Europe. Great accessory in an inn, it works great for a clothes dryer when you travel light ( 30# backpack for 2 week business trip, etc) and don't have anything else 'warm' in the room <G> . .
Actually never considered one at home, not 'cause I'm too cheap (cost can be nearly identical to heating costs overall) but then I wouldn't have any logical excuse for just leaving towels over the edge of the sink <GG>
I installed 2 hydronic towel warmers in 2 different bathrooms for customers and they are both happy with them. They are manufactured by Waley and cost around $500 to $800 each (depending on size). They have 1/2" angled supply valves with compression fittings to attach to 1/2" copper supplied through the wall. They both replaced cast iron radiators. Here's the website http://www.radiantheatcool.com/walney/radiators.htm
Why would you need a heated mirror if your bath has heat an the roof don't leak? If the fan is on it should hve enough capacity to suck out the vapors that steam up the mirror.