3 Myths About Towel Warmer Radiators
If you've watched a European movie, stayed in a European hotel, or even looked at a picture of a European home, you've no doubt seen those towel racks that have several bars close together, installed against the wall. Those are towel warmers, and while they aren't standard in U.S. homes (yet), there's more interest in having them in U.S. homes now. These heated towel bars help your towel dry faster after you use it, preventing the growth of mildew and other icky things.
The towel warmers are only one model, however; you can also get towel warmer radiators, which are towel warmers that radiate a little more heat out and warm up the bathroom. That's handy during winter when getting out of the shower can be an unpleasantly cold experience. Because towel warmer radiators are not that well known in the U.S., there are a few misconceptions that need to be cleared up.
Will It Set the Towels on Fire?
At this point, some of you are probably rolling your eyes, but others are happy this was brought up. Placing cloth on any heat source seems like a bad idea, especially because you're told to keep heat sources away from things like curtains. But that's not how this radiator works. It doesn't become hot; it becomes warm. And, as it's meant to hold towels, you can guess that it will hold clothes, too. The one caveat is that, if you put too much on it, the heat from the radiator could be mostly blocked from getting out into the room by the clothing.
Does It Have to Be Connected to Your Home's Heating System?
These radiators can be connected to your home's heating system, or you can install a separate radiator. The electric radiators are usually standalone systems that you just plug into an outlet. Hydronic radiators would be connected to your home's heating system if you used hot-water heating for your home.
Do You Have to Keep Wet Clothing off of the Bars?
You do not have to place only dry things on the bars. You're not going to steam-cook your clothing or towels; in fact, these racks are made specifically so that your towel dries more quickly. Your clothes can, too, but do not use the radiator in place of a regular drying rack for your laundry. Again, if you place too much on the rack, you're going to block the heat that should be warming the room.
These racks usually have an off switch, so you'd be able to turn them off when you're not using the bathroom. There are some that are connected so completely to the heating system in your home that there's no off switch just for the rack; you'd have to turn the breaker off. Keep that in mind when choosing a style of towel warmer radiator.
Contact a company like PSCBATH for more information.
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