A Creative Lifestyle Blog By Zoe-Lee Skelton

Considered buying a towel radiator before and doing the rounds on dual fuel towel rails, or a central heating towel rail or even an electric one?!

Below is an ultimate buying guide showcasing some fantastic ideas and giving you the who, when, what, where, how, and why of all things about heated towel rails.

So, whether you’re revamping a bathroom, or remodelling an ensuite, grab your coffee and sit comfortably as we head through our ultimate guide to heated towel rails.

There used to be a time in the past when a heated towel rail or towel radiator was considered a luxury in the average home, but thanks to the new technology, better materials and more intelligent design, heated towel rails are now more affordable and have become a necessity that can provide a vital heating and drying function for every bathroom.

But how do you select the perfect towel radiator for your home and make the best choice while spending your hard-earned money? Before you buy a new heated towel rail radiator, you need to be sure of how you intend to use it. Of course, the first place you think of is the bathroom when picturing a heated towel rail on the wall, but you should not limit your vision to the only space. It’s not unusual for a heated towel rail to be installed in a  utility room or a kitchen, for example – and of course, there is the ensuite or cloakroom suite or even both.

How do you install a heated towel rail?

But, when installing the radiator, there are three significant ways to use it and power it up. Generally, most UK households have a central heating system in place. You can easily plumb your brand new towel rail into your already existing central heating system with a pair of radiator valves.

This is the most conventional way to use a heated towel radiator to keep your towels dry and warm.
An electric-only heated towel rail is ideally suited to flats or high-rise buildings due to the pressure required for central heating may be a little challenging to achieve.

Simple to set up and installed by an electrician, an electric-only heated towel rail radiator is one of the most economical methods of keeping your towels warm and dry.

An increasingly popular way to get the best of both worlds is a combination of both electric and central heating, a dual fuel heated towel rail. It is plumbed into your existing central heating system and also features an electric heating element too.

Having both plumbed and electric heating at your disposal ensures having warm towels available all year round, even when you may have switched your primary central heating system off in summers.

Where should you install your heated towel rail?

The place where you install your new heated towel rail will depend significantly on a few different factors, including the shape of your bathroom, cloakroom or ensuite, the dimensions of that space, the existing pipework, and the size appliance.

It’s essential to consider precisely where you want to place your new towel rail for added convenience and how it looks concerning the rest of the décor of your room.

It’s also important to understand where your heated towel rail will be placed concerning your bath or shower. You don’t want to get out of the bath or shower and walk across a cold bath floor to grab a warm towel, so be sure about how and where it is accessible for you to get your hands on a towel or robe before deciding to put the appliance on the wall.

Though heated towel rails are designed to keep your towels warm and dry, in the case of cloakrooms or ensuites, it is entirely plausible for a towel rail radiator to be powerful enough to heat up space as well.
Of course, you can always purchase a couple of separate heaters, but that is only possible if you have enough room to accommodate two heating appliances alongside all other things in your bathroom. And don’t forget about the must have radiator valves you need to install these heated towel  rails.

A radiator coupled with a towel rail attachment is ideal if you have a larger bathroom and your heat requirements are on the higher side.
If you have a cloakroom or even an ensuite, a heated towel rail should be sufficient to provide enough warmth to stay heated comfortably.

Different styles of heated towel rails

For a small bathroom with a large family and frequented visits, a ladder-style towel rail with many horizontal bars is ideal. Ladder styles are significant in terms of practicality, and benefits don’t just stop there.
Thanks to a range of new styles and designs, ladder-style heated towel rail warmers can also now provide a touch of luxury to your bathroom space.

This modern designer style towel rail offers as much benefaction in terms of heat output as a similarly-sized standard towel rail.

This ladder style heated towel rail adds an entirely different element to your space while making sure you have plenty of functional towel storage space to use.

Whether you are moving to pursue your dreams with a new job or for a change of scenery – you must put your best foot forward by ensuring your current property is in a good condition ahead of the move. This will make it much easier for you to sell or rent out, and could provide you with a greater sense of financial security by providing you with more funds that can be used in the move. 

With that in mind, here are some simple ways in which you can get your home ready for the market – ensuring that it sells quickly. 

• Pay close attention to the current property market in your area and beyond- what homes are currently in the most demand? Do you need to undertake any renovations to be able to compete with others and stand out from the crowd? How much can you realistically get for the space? 

• People are more likely to rent/buy a property that feels homely or welcoming, so be sure to find a way to create a comfortable home through interior design and furniture. Even if your furniture is coming with you, having a few good items displayed when people are looking around can help them envision how the space would look when they are living in it. If you are stuck for inspiration, focus on a minimalistic design – as this is always a good way to catch people’s attention.  

• If something is broke – fix it. Though it could be tempting to pass this job over to the next tenant, broken or faulty items can often ring alarm bells for potential buyers – and may turn them away altogether. Thankfully, completing routine home repairs has never been easier. For example, many companies now offer their services 24/7  and can easily tackle jobs such as HVAC Repair. 

• Find ways to declutter your home and keep it clean. Ideally, you should also complete a thorough deep-cleaning of the property before moving out to ensure that it is in perfect shape for the new buyers. To break down the job, work through the home a single room at a time.

• While the new buyers may already be planning on renovating the property, you can ensure that they are at a good starting point by giving the walls a fresh coat of paint. This is an excellent way to cover up any imperfections or signs of wear and tear. 

• Whether you are working with an estate agent or selling the property yourself, it is essential that you take good quality photographs of the property to use in advertisements. If the pictures are bad, they can turn potential buyers away as they won’t do the space justice. 

• Find a way to draw more attention to the area of your homes that are the most impressive. Focus on your selling points and drive them home as much as possible – as this could be the difference between a buyer looking elsewhere and making an offer. 

There may come a time in your property ownership life where you have to put into place some renovations. It might be that you have bought a property specifically for this purpose. Many people consider doing that as a way to make some extra money from their home. However, you could also consider moving into a property that needs some work. Sometimes doing this enables you to afford a bigger home or a property in a nicer area due to valuations and property prices creeping up. Whatever your motive is, flipping houses and renovating is not something to go into lightly. You need your eyes wide open. Which is why I thought I would share with you some of the things you need to consider when renovating property. 

The plans you want to make

First of all you need to consider what you want to do. The plans you have might be to extend and make the floor plan different. It might be to just change the use of a room, or it could be as simple as updating kitchens, bathrooms, electrical or plumbing. You might need a specialist like a certified electrician or 24/7 plumber to help. You need to know what you want to do so you can make decisions on some of the other factors before getting started on the work itself. 

The budget you have for the work

The next thing to consider ahead of actually doing any work is to think about the budget you have. You may want to get some quotes for the work initially so you have an idea what your plans and aspirations will cost. This could end up hindering your decision on what you end up doing. Once you know your budget, you then need to make plans to stick to it. Allocating different amounts for labour and materials will help you stay on track. 

Whether you have the right regulations and permissions in place

Knowing what you want to do and having the money to do it is only half the battle. You also need to ensure that you have the right level of regulations in place and permissions in order to do the work you want. A great tip is to get companies who specialise in this area to help you. This will help you avoid any issues that could be costly along the road of renovations once work starts. 

The time it can take to complete a project

Having everything in place is a great position to be in, so you now need to be aware of the time it will take to complete the project. It is also worth remembering that you can come under fire with certain issues, so time will need to be flexible. Just in case. 

Not letting the stress get to you too much

Finally, the stress renovations can cause can be extreme and can even match the stress you feel when buying and selling a home. So try and remain calm. Having all the right plans and exploring all your options will help you to feel in control. 

Let’s hope that these tips help you when renovating a property.