Mastering the scheme for heated floor heating from a heated towel rail

In apartment buildings, especially those built in Soviet times, a problem arises every year during the onset of autumn and winter cold weather. Heating supplied centrally in such buildings is turned on only when a constant cold temperature outside the window has been reached for a long time.

Apartments cool down after the summer, they are uncomfortable and cool, which is fraught with frequent colds for their owners. Statistics say that up to 80% of residential apartment buildings have centralized heating. The presence of radiators in the apartment does not guarantee sufficient heat, so the owners decide to install an autonomous heated floor.

In high-rise buildings, where the majority of the population lives, there is a high level of heat loss due to ceilings and design features. It seems very difficult to warm up an ordinary house with radiators, so a warm floor from a heated towel rail in an apartment helps to increase the level of warmth and comfort.

Connecting underfloor heating pipes diagrams and necessary equipment

Installation of warm water floor pipes is carried out under a cement screed. Moreover, before starting work, you will need to carefully remove the old coating, level the base and, without fail, lay a layer of waterproofing. Its main task is protection against leakage, a kind of sealing of the system. It also makes sense to use thermal insulation materials with a foil coating, which will reflect heat into the room, preventing it from leaking through the base.

To connect a heated floor to your own gas, solid fuel or any other boiler, as well as to the radiator of a centralized heating system, you must use the following equipment:

a circulation pump capable of ensuring uninterrupted movement of the coolant and uniform heating of the surface;
a control valve responsible for maintaining the temperature set by the user. As soon as it reaches the required parameters, the device stops supplying coolant;
thermostat acting as a fuse. It prevents pump failure when the water temperature suddenly increases and instantly disconnects it from the network;
a collector group that distributes water along the contours of the pipes. It is necessarily equipped with valves that allow you to maintain the required temperature in each area of the coating;
a thermostat that provides control of the heating system and allows you to set the required temperature, depending on the time of day and other factors. Functionality varies by device model, so you should think carefully about which options you need.

In addition, the main element of the connection diagram for such a warm floor is, of course, pipes. They also need to be selected very carefully to ensure the reliability and durability of the heating system. Today, many experts recommend the use of metal-plastic products, which have excellent strength characteristics and transfer heat well. Also a good option is cross-linked polyethylene pipes. But if you choose them, you will need to install an additional separator to minimize the risk of water hammer. The special container also increases the resistance of the material to overheating when water supplied from gas boilers boils.

For installation and connection of heated floors, it is possible to use ordinary steel pipes, which will cost much less than newfangled high-tech solutions. However, they also have one significant drawback - heavy weight and the need to perform complex welding work during the installation of circuits.

Connection to individual heating

Another connection method is to use an individual heating system. In this case, everything is much simpler, because you do not need to obtain any permits. This scheme has virtually no disadvantages. As a rule, such a scheme may include the following elements:

Thermostatic valve. It receives a signal from the installed temperature sensor to turn the heating on and off.
Balancing valve. Thanks to this, idling of the coolant in the circuit is completely eliminated. If the coolant is not supplied, then it starts heating in a small circle without a boiler.
Circulation pump. This device allows you to achieve a uniform temperature over the entire floor area.
Safety thermostat. Its installation is carried out on the feed. It controls the temperature of the coolant in the entire underfloor heating system.
Electric drive. It is used to control the valves of each circuit.
A collector that distributes coolant flows across different circuits.
Remote temperature sensor. The heating floor sensor is connected to the entire control unit.

Parallel connection of heated floors

Warm floors, water rules for installation and installation with your own hands
When connecting in parallel, tees are installed at the attachment points of the heated towel rail. The underfloor heating circuit pipe is connected to them through shut-off valves. In this case, it is necessary to install one control valve to control the water flow through the circuit.

The disadvantage of this type of connection is the likelihood that an insufficient amount of coolant will pass through the floors. This is due to the fact that the circuit resistance exceeds the hydraulic resistance of the heated towel rail.

To establish high-quality circulation, you will have to limit the water flow through the substation and close the tap at the inlet or outlet of the heating device. This can cause a general decrease in flow through the riser and complaints from neighbors.

As a solution to this problem, you can install a low-power circulation pump. The unit will forcibly pump the coolant, but this will cause a small consumption of electrical energy. The power of the pumps for use in the described case is 50 – 70 W.

Combination methods

A heated towel rail is a specific heating device that heats a bathroom, used for drying a variety of small textiles. Warm floors are installed in tandem with a water appliance.

Heated towel rails can be connected to one of the following types of pipelines:

to centralized heating - this is an extremely rare option;
to the main riser;
to the hot water recirculation branch.

These varieties differ in operating modes and diameter. If you connect a heated floor to the first option, it will heat only during the heating season. When introduced to the recirculation line, additional heating occurs when the taps are open. An alternating mode is formed when tied to a riser; this option is not rational, as it exhibits low productivity.

Warm floors are connected to the heated towel rail in parallel, in series or through a circulation station. The first two methods affect the hydraulic parameters of the riser. A circulation unit equipped with a heat exchanger allows you to separate the functionality of the heated towel rail and the heated floor circuit.

Parallel connection

It is implemented using tees: the pipe serving the underfloor heating is connected using shut-off valves. A mandatory component is a control valve that allows you to coordinate water flow.

The solution has a significant drawback: there is a high probability of an insufficient volume of coolant passing through the circuit. The reason for this effect is the hydraulic resistance of the circuit is higher than that of a heated towel rail. To ensure complete circulation of water, you will have to limit the flow of the latter by closing the inlet or outlet tap. But this measure may cause discontent among neighbors, since a general weakening of the flow is likely.

A solution could be a low-power circulation pump with a capacity of up to 50-70 W; it will forcibly pump the working environment. In this case, energy costs will arise.

Sequential

The junction point becomes the cut of the riser; in this scenario, both heating devices will function simultaneously. The riser is turned off, a section of the pipeline is cut out of it, a ball valve and valve (or 2 valves) are inserted into the cut, and the circuit pipeline is connected through them.

Installation diagram for underfloor heating from a heated towel rail

The disadvantage of the solution is the occurrence of large resistance in the operation of the riser. The effect will be enhanced if you tighten the control valve. The use of a circulation pump is not recommended here; it will only be an additional obstacle.

Scheme with heat exchanger

The optimal solution to the issue under consideration is to use a unit with a heat exchanger and a pump. The working medium circulating in the pipes of the circuit is heated by water in the heat exchanger. In such a connection, full hydraulic independence is formed.

It is recommended to connect the pump in series with the heated towel rail; in addition to the station, a bypass must be installed. Parallel implementation in this case is accompanied by the same disadvantages that are inherent in direct connection, one of them is an insufficient flow of heated liquid.

Types of heated towel rails

We make effective heated floors for the balcony with our own hands

A heated towel rail is a special type of radiator in the shape of a coil; the working fluid circulates through a curved pipe. The water model is used complete with fittings that provide connection to the hot water supply system; electric variations have a built-in heating element. The operating principle of both devices is the same: the pipe, heating up along with the energy carrier, dries the air in the room and removes moisture from hanging towels. In the standard version, the battery is fixed to the wall.

Water

It fits into the heating and hot water supply system; this is the most common design option. It is independent of power supply and has the following advantages:

ease of execution,
safety,
unpretentiousness in maintenance,
loyal price range and variety of models,
effective completion of the assigned task.

But there are also weaknesses:

complete dependence on the supply of hot water or heating;
the formation of a layer of corrosion and scale from the inside, which affects the ability to heat the body.

Water heated towel rail

We must not forget that air pockets often form in such systems.

Electrical

They are full-fledged radiators with a closed circuit. Their dimensions are slightly larger (due to the design features), they can be installed in any area of the bathroom, as long as the cord reaches the outlet. Electric models can be oil-based, they are attractive due to their high heat capacity, and “dry” - they do not contain a working fluid, a cable is laid.

Advantages of the line:

long service life;
reliability in use;
moderate energy consumption;
The device can be turned on and off as needed.

The downside is complete dependence on the electricity supply; products are sold in a high price segment. Electrical variations can be supplemented with useful options - thermostat, timer, automatic safety equipment.

Electric heated towel rail

On the specialized market there are universal models that combine the positive properties of both categories; they are connected to the electrical network and heating. With the correct installation, the dryer will delight you all year round: in the summer from the mains, and in the winter from centralized heating. The only difficulty is choosing the optimal installation location.

Legality of connection

Any pipe with cold/hot water inside is automatically part of the apartment's engineering system. According to Article 25 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, the transfer and replacement of utility networks is a redevelopment that must be legalized. Article 26 states that heating and hot water distribution diagrams are approved by coolant suppliers. Therefore, in principle, these companies will not allow you to legally interfere with the heating system and hot water supply.

Penalties for illegally carried out redevelopment are described in Article 7.21 of the Administrative Code of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation. This is a fine of 2,000 to 2,500 rubles and an order to return everything to its original state, that is, to restore the integrity of the heated towel rail riser without any extraneous connections.

In addition, it is impossible to remove a water heated floor from a bath, toilet, combined bathroom or kitchen. Since wiring of engineering systems above residential premises is not allowed. This is another fine, but not the worst.

Currently, thermal energy consumption meters are installed in houses and individual entrances. Therefore, by illegally connecting, and without the permission of the hot water supplier this is precisely an illegal action, to a heated towel rail, you automatically unilaterally violate the provisions of the agreement with coolant suppliers:

if the heated towel rail riser is part of the heating system, the driveway or communal calorie counter will show an inflated figure, all the neighbors will chip in to pay your debt;
if the substation riser has a connection from the hot water supply, then the heat consumption in the heated floor circuits is not taken into account at all by the supplier, since heat meters are not provided in hot water supply systems.

Thus, if an unauthorized connection of a heating system is detected in the bathroom, heating debts will be written off to the owner of the apartment. And these amounts are significantly higher than administrative fines.

Currently, the only legal scheme for connecting a heated floor is:

a heat exchanger is attached in parallel to the riser;
the warm floor is connected to the secondary circuit of this heating device.

The heat exchanger has a power comparable to the heat consumption of a heating register or heated towel rail. The circuits are isolated from each other, clean water without impurities can be poured into the heated floor pipes, the pressure and temperature can be reduced to increase the resource and ensure safety.

Main materials of manufacture comparison of characteristics

Do it yourself - How to do it yourselfRepairing subfloors with your own handsHow to repair subfloors

The main materials for the manufacture of heated towel rails are stainless steel and brass; in budget options, galvanized steel is used for installation in apartment buildings. When choosing, the buyer often gives preference to the widely advertised stainless steel, which has an aesthetic appearance. To determine which metal is better, their main characteristics should be compared in terms of efficiency as materials for heat exchange devices.

If we consider stainless steel, it is almost three times cheaper than brass or copper, can withstand temperatures of more than 450º C, and is slightly susceptible to corrosion in water. Although stainless steel is corrosion-resistant and is not afraid of the effects of solutions of most acids and alkalis, if the alloy is made poorly (violation of technology, structural defects, reduced content of the main alloying additives of chromium), corrosion processes can occur in the structure. The material has high strength and durability, is harmless throughout the entire period of operation, but non-ferrous metals are used much less frequently as parts of plumbing fittings.

Copper-based brass alloys have thermal conductivity 4 times higher than stainless steel, which is the main advantage when using the material as a heat exchanger. Brass has high corrosion resistance (its surface is covered with a protective film of oxides, which serves as a barrier against the penetration of oxygen into the pure metal). Non-ferrous metals, unlike steels, are not subject to electrochemical corrosion; when used, the maximum temperature of the flowing coolant should not exceed 260º C.

Rice. 4 Types of heated towel rails – U-shaped, M-shaped and ladder

Features of use

A warm floor from a heated towel rail in a bathroom is, rather, not commonplace, but an exception to the rule. However, such a heating system still exists, and therefore deserves attention.

Let us remind you that this water heating system will directly depend on how the centralized communications network functions. And, for example, a pressure drop in the general system or a deterioration in the quality of the coolant will affect the permeability of the water circuit.

How to install a warm water floor in an apartment using a heat exchanger. You can read about this in this article.

Don't forget about possible emergency situations. If a pipe ruptures due to a water hammer, the resulting leak will need to be repaired immediately. It will be necessary to remove both the tiles and repair the screed area. It is even possible that in an accident you will flood your neighbors.

Remember that a hot towel dryer can be your problem. If there is no thermostat, it will be difficult to achieve the optimal temperature in the bathroom. A floor that is too hot can dry out a small bath space too much. After all, instability of hot water supply in apartment buildings is not a rare phenomenon. In some cases, a collector and thermal control sensor can help, but then, naturally, the heating system will require large financial investments.

You can read about the types of thermostats for heated floors.

A warm floor in a bathroom is, of course, comfort and warmth, which is so lacking in the cold season. Connecting the system to a heated towel rail is one of the options for creating these favorable conditions.

You can install underfloor heating from a heated towel rail yourself, but only if you have the appropriate skills. If you have no experience, rely on the skills of qualified workers.

Operating principles of the heating system

This connection option does not pose any technical difficulties. A heated towel rail is a heating device installed in almost every city apartment. From a constructive point of view, this is an external element of communications through which hot coolant or hot water of the DHW system circulates. Such elements are often installed as a compensating loop of the heating system, playing the role of an additional source of heat in rooms with high humidity. The name of the element speaks for itself, hence the serpentine shape, thanks to which you can effectively use the heated circuit.

For aesthetics, heated towel rails are usually made of stainless steel or plated with nickel. The design itself and the method of connecting the heated towel rail to the centralized communication make it possible to connect a water floor pipe to it without much difficulty. As a rule, small diameter pipes are used for heated floors. For a bathroom, the area of which rarely exceeds 4-5 m2 in a city apartment, only 15-20 meters of pipe will be required.

There are two types of heated towel rails:

a coil that is connected to a centralized heating system;
a coil that is connected to a centralized hot water supply.

In the first case, with the onset of the heating season, water fills the heated towel rail and accordingly enters the heated floor circuit, heating the floor surface.

The first option only works during the heating season. The rest of the time your heated floor will be inactive. A coil connected to the DHW system looks preferable. Such a floor in the bathroom will always work, providing a good microclimate and comfortable temperature.

Do-it-yourself preparatory work

When carrying out work on installing a heated towel rail with your own hands in a metal riser, depending on the chosen method, you will need different tools. To install the clamps, you need a drill with a metal drill and a hexagon of the required diameter; if the pipe is cut to attach the Gebo coupling, you will need a grinder with a metal disc to trim the riser and adjust the size of the pipe section between the couplings.

To properly connect such a device, you will need a building level - it is recommended to connect the lower pipes to the heated towel rail with a slight slope to ensure spontaneous drainage of water from the heated towel rail pipeline in the absence of coolant (especially important when connecting the unit to the heating system). Before carrying out work, disconnect the riser from the water supply to the heated towel rail pipeline and prepare two containers for continuously draining water from the system

Before carrying out work, disconnect the riser from the water supply to the heated towel rail pipeline and prepare two containers for continuously draining water from the system.

Rice. 16 Examples of installing an old heated towel rail in a single-pipe and two-pipe system

Heat exchanger

The most optimal solution would be to use a unit with a pump and heat exchanger. In the latter, the coolant is heated. In this design, it is possible to achieve full hydraulic independence.

It is best to connect the pump in series to the heated towel rail. In addition, a bypass must be installed. If you perform a parallel connection, the same disadvantages will appear as with a direct connection. And the main disadvantage is the low fluid flow.

Installing heated floors in the bathroom: pros and cons

Do not connect the water circuit to the heating without permission from the relevant authorities.

You can easily install heated floors in your bathroom yourself. In apartments with central heating, it is illegal to change the heating system without the necessary permits.

If you independently, without the knowledge of certain authorities, make warm floors from central heating, then as a result the neighbors will complain that the apartments are quite cold, since the pressure in the pipes will drop. If it turns out that heated floors were made illegally, you will need to remove the system and pay a fine.

Considering these facts, in high-rise buildings it is recommended to begin installation only after the necessary documents and permits have been completed.

Two way valve

An alternative option could be electric floor heating systems.

If a water floor heating system is installed, a connection from a heated towel rail is often used in bathrooms. The main thing in this case is to take care not only of yourself, but also of your neighbors.

They may experience a decrease in battery temperatures. To avoid heat loss from other people, a two-way valve is installed.

Before installation, you should familiarize yourself with the disadvantages and advantages of the system, which are given in the table:

№	Advantages	Flaws
1	The system is invisible to the eye and does not take up space like radiators.	The initial cost is quite high.
2	Taking a bath and being in the room is more pleasant when you stand on a warm floor.	Certain types of coatings cannot be installed with heated floors. But in the bathroom, as a rule, tiles are used, so there should not be any difficulties.
3	Fast payback of the heating system.

If you do the installation yourself, the cost will be significantly reduced and you will only get positive emotions from the heating system.

You need to remember about permits that will protect you from paying fines when connecting the system to central heating, as well as from legal proceedings.

Coolant sources

To operate a heated floor, you need a source of coolant.

Typically, two options are used to power water systems:

heating water in your own boiler of an autonomous heating system

connection to the central heating system (CH)

Having your own boiler allows you to solve all problems with feeding pipelines. The owner of the house decides when to start the coolant supply, what temperature and water pressure to set in the system. Connecting to a central heating system makes users dependent on schedules for supplying heat to their homes.

However, they are spared from other problems and do not think about problems with fuel, the condition of networks, the need for repairs and other operational problems.

In central heating networks there is always a standard pressure and temperature of the coolant, which allows you to accurately calculate and adjust the supply of coolant to the heated floor loops.

Heated floor design instead of a heated towel rail

High-quality work directly depends on a properly installed substrate. It consists of 5 main components:

insulation from possible leaks;
metal mounting mesh;
thermal insulation;
damper tape compensating for various expansions;
one type of screed (dry or wet).

On average, the thickness of such a substrate is 5–15 cm.

The essence of the design is that metal-plastic pipes are fixed together into fragments, placed on a substrate and fixed to the collectors. The coolant circulates through the latter, and the return is returned. Warm floors are a low-temperature design, because their heating does not exceed 45 °C.

Reference! For improved heating of the room, it is better to use ceramic tiles or concrete screed as a floor covering.

Advantages

No interference with finishing the room;
preservation and saving of heat consumption. This is especially true for rooms with high ceilings;
Absolutely environmentally friendly. This design does not have a negative impact on human health.

Flaws

Expensive installation of heated floors;
administrative ban on installation of this structure;
increase in floor weight due to layering of the substrate in the bathroom.

Advantages and disadvantages of electric models

The advantages include the following:

Great resource.
The structures are highly reliable.
They consume a fairly small amount of electricity.
The device can be turned off and on as needed.

The disadvantage is that there is a dependence on electrical energy. The second disadvantage is the high cost. In addition, timers, thermostats, and automatic protection systems can be installed.

It is worth noting that combined designs can also be found on sale. They are included both in the heating system and in the power supply. The main thing is to choose the right place in which the device will be installed.

How to connect heated towel rails with complex shapes

The main difference between the operation of a heated towel rail with a large number of elements and a simple one is its high hydraulic resistance, which leads to the fact that the volume of coolant passing through will be less and, accordingly, the device will not be sufficiently warmed up. In this case, you should reduce the diameter of the jumper, if present, or abandon the bypass altogether and remove all shut-off valves, connecting the heated towel rail in series to the riser pipeline.

If a highly branched heated towel rail is located at a large distance from the riser and you do not want to remove the bypass, you should choose the diameter of the supply pipes equal to or greater than the cross-section of the riser.

Rice. 19 Combined heated towel rails

Key Features

Before installing a warm water floor in your bathroom or other room, pay attention to some nuances

A distinctive feature of a water system is the pipes through which heated water flows. It helps to heat the surface.
The amount of heat supplied to the floor depends on what finishing materials are used as a decorative coating. It is recommended to choose a finish with high thermal conductivity.
The system is fraught with potential danger - leaks. Therefore, not in all apartments and not in every room it is possible to install it yourself and with the help of specialists.
Installation above the first floor in apartment buildings is not allowed. If the basement is residential, installation on the ground floor is not allowed.
The water floor cannot be connected to central heating or to the hot water supply system.
If you have a gas autonomous boiler in a private house or on the ground floor of an apartment building, feel free to proceed with installing a warm water floor with your own hands.
To heat water for floor heating, experts recommend using special boilers - boilers.
Laying a floating concrete screed is required. If it is an old house with wooden floors, the work is considered impossible to carry out as there is a high risk of collapse.
If there is an unheated basement, the floor in the room is additionally insulated with expanded polystyrene or expanded clay.

Advantages and disadvantages

Before you decide to install a heated floor based on warm water in your bathroom, either to do it yourself or to hire specialists, check out the main pros and cons.

The strengths of the system include:

A large area of a bathroom or other room is heated with little energy consumption. If you compare it with heating radiators and the capabilities of a heated towel rail, you will save a lot of money.
Easily replaces heating devices and becomes the main tool for heating the bathroom and other rooms.
A high-quality water system evenly heats the floor over its entire surface.
The design features of the heating make it possible to achieve an operating life of 50 years or more.
Optimum temperature and humidity are maintained inside the bathroom and living quarters.
The absence of additional heating devices and heated towel rails makes the room more attractive and expands the possibilities for designers.
The water floor is compatible with many heating systems. Many people connect it from a heated towel rail.
There is no fungus in the bathroom and no dampness is created.
Installation of a heated towel rail is not necessary.
You independently regulate the temperature that is comfortable for you.
The system is safe.
Water heated floors are quite easy to care for when compared to other heating devices.

Flaws

Do not rush to start working in the bathroom with your own hands without familiarizing yourself with the main disadvantages of water heated floors.

They cannot be installed in apartment buildings or connected to a centralized heating system;
Installation has some difficulties;
To operate the floor heating system, a special water pump must be purchased;
If you install the heating yourself incorrectly, leaks will occur. It is difficult to eliminate them.

Design and principle of operation

There is no requirement for a heated floor in a bathroom such as uniform heating of the air in the room; it is only important that its surface is always at a comfortable temperature and dry, so that drops and splashes quickly disappear. This is the wettest area in the apartment, if the heating from the heated towel rail is not enough, fungi and mold appear here, and a musty smell.

A heated floor system will help create an optimal microclimate and eliminate excess moisture. It can be based on an electrical or water circuit. The latest variation is based on metal-plastic or plastic pipes enclosed in a screed; heated coolant moves through them. This is an economical solution, but it is characterized by complex installation.

An electric heated floor, even in a bathroom, is absolutely safe; all its functional components are reliably isolated in an underground “pie”. In this case, power is supplied via a cable. There is a modernized variation of it - an infrared film floor: when installing it, you do not need a screed, it is possible to regulate the temperature, and installation is carried out directly under the decorative coating.

It is customary to install a water system in tandem with a heated towel rail, since there is no electricity consumption and the heated coolant is supplied directly from the hot water supply system.

Variations

Despite the illegality of this procedure, the common people have different methods for laying heated floors from a towel dryer:

For connection, you can use a methodical connection, a complete diagram of which is certainly available on repair forums. To protect such a floor from overheating, foil penofol is used, which is laid in 2 layers, under and above the system. Again, you can use a thermal insulating dry mixture for floor screed. Using a pipe made of a material with lower heat conductivity can help reduce the temperature. Simply put, any option that can help physically isolate the coolant from the plane is suitable.
A parallel connection scheme is often used. With a small area, it is possible to use quantitative adjustment of the coolant supply using a specialized valve, which has a thermostatic head. Here you will only need one layer of penofol.
The most correct and economically suitable design is considered to be a pump unit with a thermo-mixing valve. This option is suitable for a room with any area and this is its main advantage. Of course, you will need a detailed diagram and a good plan, otherwise there is a risk of making very unpleasant mistakes.
Another option is a device called a hydraulic arrow. This is a short-closed hydraulic unit, which is a piece of pipe measuring 2x2. It is made of stainless steel or galvanized. Design of a warm floor from a towel dryer

All of these are important methods for installing a heated floor structure using a device such as a towel dryer.

And yet, for those who live in a high-rise building and want to heat a couple of square meters of floor in the bathtub, it is better to ask professionals than to take risks. After all, a high-quality, and most importantly, professionally made design of a heated floor will make it possible to eliminate the problem of unsatisfactory heating of the room once and for all, and will also save a lot of nerves and time.

You have read the note - Mastering the scheme: heated floor from a towel dryer

What to expect

We would like to immediately warn you that high-quality installation of heated floors from a towel dryer requires certain calculations, knowledge and skills, otherwise you will inevitably encounter the following problems:

Too hot towel dryer. A floor surface that is too hot can also become a problem if your appliance is working too hard. Sometimes it is not possible to reduce the temperature of the dryer, and then the whole installation does not make sense. In different buildings there may be problems with hot water, and if at the same time you have an underground structure, then it will make the surface not just cold, but icy

This point must also be taken into account during installation. The problem can be solved by installing a temperature control meter. If you do not work properly, you risk disrupting the normal supply and leaving both your own and your neighbors’ living space completely without hot water. Too much pressure in a set with an accidental kinking of pipes leads to a breakthrough of the entire structure, after which the illegal installation of the floor will be revealed and the results can be the most unpleasant. If you were planning to contact specialists, you will most likely receive a refusal, since, in general, companies do not want to get involved with criminal types of installation.

Warm floor from towel dryer

If you are not afraid of this kind of complexity, you can try installing a heated floor from a towel dryer yourself. There are several important connection types for this.

Specifics of installing a heated towel rail

The general principle of connecting any type of heated towel rail remains unchanged: water is supplied at one end, and it flows out at the other. Installation of a substation requires mandatory consideration of points dictated by the installation features.

When connected to a hot water or central heating system, it becomes part of the pipeline. If the connection is made incorrectly, then the problems that arise will affect not only the individual apartment, but also all the others located along this riser.

The heated towel rail is connected to centralized and autonomous heating or hot water supply systems, hung on the wall and/or installed on the floor

To avoid electrolytic corrosion, it is recommended to use parts made of the same material. The exception is plastic pipes; plumbing fixtures made of any material will fit them.

For our water supply system, it is better to choose a heated towel rail manufactured by domestic manufacturers and that complies with regulatory documents. You need to be careful with imported models - most of them are designed for different standards.

The range of heated towel rails includes rotating options, the connections of which are equipped with movable mechanisms with sealing seals. Models can be loaded up to 5 kg

A ladder-shaped heated towel rail is connected to the pipeline using several methods - vertical, diagonal, lateral. The main thing is to maintain an interaxial distance of 50 cm.

When connecting to an existing system, you need to take into account its parameters. The distance from the riser to the newly installed unit should not exceed 200 cm, otherwise significant heat loss cannot be avoided.

Ideally, the pipes of the system and the heated towel rail are the same in diameter, but if they still differ, then the connection is made through adapters.

The pipes of the device may be larger in diameter than the pipes of the existing circuit, but in no case smaller. This will prevent the creation of excess hydraulic pressure and ensure normal coolant circulation in the system.

A selection of photos will familiarize you with the features of connecting a substation to hot water systems:

Image gallery

Heated towel rails connected to the risers of centralized hot water supply networks are used as clothes dryers and bathroom heaters.

They are made from seamless steel pipes in the form of stairs with rungs or coil-shaped structures

The devices are made from materials that are resistant to standard operating conditions for bathtubs and showers. External coating protects pipes from rusting

Heated towel rail devices manufactured for connection to hot water risers can be used as radiator types and are allowed for connection to heating circuits.

To ensure that the device, if necessary, can be easily dismantled and moved to another wall, detachable couplings with American-type internal threads must be used to connect it to the riser. It is necessary to strive to reduce the number of adapters, because... Leaks may form at the places where they are installed.

The joints should be sealed with special compounds or winding, and you should not save on this. Connections with regular metric threads are sealed with flax winding. It is better to seal tapered threads using FUM tape. Tightening should be carried out with a slightly noticeable tension; excessive force is unacceptable.

When selecting taps and fittings, inquire about their electrochemical compatibility so that they do not create a galvanic couple upon contact. A connection made of steel and brass has this property. Rapid corrosion occurs and the unit becomes unusable.

The use of an adapter called American allows you to fix the structure when the diameters of the taps and pipes in the system do not match

If the plumbing fixture is part of the riser, then no shutoff devices can be installed on it. To make it possible to turn off the heated towel rail without shutting off the entire riser, it is necessary to include a bypass in the system - a jumper connecting the outlets from the riser towards the device.

Ball valves are installed after this jumper. When the connection pipes are embedded in the riser, it itself acts as a bypass.

In order for the device to be dismantled for repairs without turning off the system and draining water from it, it is better to include a bypass in the installation diagram of the heated towel rail

What it is

There are several types of heated floors, but water ones have gained the most popularity among us. Their demand is explained by profitable operation and energy saving.

It is fair to say that it is easier to install the system yourself in a private house than in an apartment. Whether it will be located in the bathroom or another room is a purely individual question.

When choosing a heated floor system, you need to take into account not only its cost in the store and installation price, but also the cost of operation. According to these indicators, water heated floors are noticeably ahead of their competitors

A water heating system in a bathroom or living space consists of polypropylene or metal-plastic pipes, thermal insulation, manifolds, fittings, and a thermostat. After proper installation, the heater will serve you for about 50 years.

general information

With the adoption of SNiP 2.04.01‑85, in which the term “towel rail” appeared, the device soon came into general use.

Unaesthetically pleasing and, moreover, useless at the end of the heating season, iron structures painted with “silver” or nitro paint, nevertheless appealed to the taste of householders, and soon they began, by hook or by crook, to obtain and install nickel-plated, graceful, elegant and practical European units.

This topic has not lost its relevance even now: in the housing stock there are still many old buildings, where apartment owners, starting repairs or replacement of plumbing equipment, turn their attention to such useful and necessary devices for equipping a bathroom, which are quite within the capabilities of a home handyman. self-installation

( 1 rating, average 5 out of 5 )

Types of heated towel rails

Heated towel rails connected to the pipeline are divided into three main categories:

Mermen. The main type in all apartment buildings and private buildings, they work on the principle of circulating water through a heated towel rail, and are a piece of curved pipe of various shapes or a ladder with threaded outlet pipes. In old houses, the element was often connected to heating pipes and it functioned only during the heating season; in modern residential high-rise buildings, the heated towel rail is connected to the hot water supply pipeline.
Electrical. The device is a regular autonomous heating element not connected to water; it can be installed anywhere in the apartment: in the bathroom, in the kitchen, in the loggia. Although this device is a modern development, its use in the household is limited due to high energy consumption and additional financial costs for electricity.
Combined. Such models combine water and electric heating of the heated towel rail, which is very convenient when connecting it to the heating system. In this case, during the heating season, the heated towel rail operates due to hot water passing through it, and when the heating is turned off, heating occurs due to electricity. This option is less popular due to its higher cost.

Rice. 3 Electric coil - modifications

Dismantling the old device

You should start by disassembling the old heated towel rail. For this:

Having agreed with the neighbors at the entrance and the management company, we shut off the heating riser and drain the water from it.
If the old structure was welded to the riser pipes, cut it off with a grinder. In the case of a detachable connection, unscrew the fastening couplings.
In rare cases when the installation dimensions of a new device coincide with the old ones, we can consider ourselves very lucky. Most often this is not the case and you have to cut the pipes even with a collapsible connection.
The cutout in the riser must be higher in height than the distance between the inlet pipes of the new heated towel rail by the length of the pipes and couplings required for inserting the bypass.
When cutting, we take into account not only the installation dimensions of the new device, but also the possibility of cutting threads on pipes.
We remove the old device from the wall by cutting off its brackets with a grinder or a hacksaw.

Variety of heated floors: how to make the right choice

Today there are only two main types of heated floors, differing in connection features and materials used. Of these, you have to choose the one that will allow you to efficiently heat the room and at the same time save your money:

electrical system that uses an innovative single-core self-heating cable or infrared film. The heating temperature is controlled using a thermostat. You simply configure the parameters you need, after which a special sensor itself sends commands to turn the heating on and off. The main advantage of such systems is the simplicity of their connection scheme and minimal preparatory work (the cable can even be laid under the carpet without touching the screed). But there is also a drawback - increased energy consumption, the bills for which will increase significantly after installation and launch of the system;
The installation and connection schemes for a heated water floor are much more complicated, but it is the one that can provide maximum cost savings. In terms of functionality, the system is in no way inferior to an electric one - you can regulate the temperature of the coolant in the same way.

If everything is more or less clear with the installation and connection of the first heated floor to electricity (to connect, you just need to connect the cable to the thermostat, and from it to the centralized power supply system), then the second one can create a number of problems. Especially if you have no experience. Therefore, we will dwell on it in more detail.

Sequence of installation work ↑

When installing a heated floor, thermal insulation is installed to prevent heat from escaping downwards. Alternatively, for these purposes you can use extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of 50 mm and a density of 35 kg per cubic meter. A reflective film is placed on it, sending radiant heat energy upward. Expanded polystyrene can be replaced with foil foam insulation, but it is less effective. Damper edge tape is attached to the perimeter walls. It is necessary to compensate for the expansion of concrete when the floor is heated, in order to avoid the formation of cracks in the screed.

The next stage is laying metal-plastic pipes. Instead, a special cross-linked polyethylene with higher heat transfer, which has been gaining popularity recently, can be used. This material is the result of modern scientific and technical developments in the production of high-strength polyethylene pipes. Pipes, wiring and pipelines made of cross-linked polyethylene meet the technical requirements of SNIP, GOST, are reliable and are significantly competitive in price.

Warm floor from a heated towel rail, how to connect, diagram

To make a warm floor from a heated towel rail, you do not need to install a circulation pump.

The fact is that the area of the room is quite small, so the length of the pipeline will also be insignificant.

However, before installing pipes, it is advisable to completely dismantle the old floor covering.

The room should only have a concrete floor. Moreover, it is recommended to thoroughly clean it from dirt and bullets.

Features of the work

It is worth noting that the installation of heated floors is carried out using accurate data and diagrams.

If you assemble the pipeline autonomously without mathematical calculations, you can run into a number of problems. The main ones are presented below:

If the heated towel rail is heated excessively, the floor surface will also be very hot, which can cause burns to your feet. It is recommended to make a temperature regulator for the dryer, otherwise it is better to abandon the plan.
Installation errors may result in disruption of hot water supply.
High internal pressure will lead to damage to the integrity of the pipes, depressurization and leakage.
Professional craftsmen do not undertake such work without first providing permitting documentation from the competent authorities.

It is recommended to proceed with installation only after all the advantages and disadvantages of installing a heated floor with a connection from a heated towel rail have been weighed.

Self-installation

After all preliminary issues have been resolved and permits have been obtained, you can begin installing the underfloor heating system.

Before purchasing material, it is advisable that a diagram be developed that indicates the exact length of the pipeline, the diameter of the pipes and the location of the supply and return. It will roughly look like this:

As mentioned earlier, heated floors connected from the water circuit of the heated towel rail are laid directly on a concrete base, which must be well cleaned.

The next step is to lay thermal insulation on the surface. Only after this can you begin laying and connecting the pipeline.

This is done as follows:

The structure is assembled depending on what material was purchased. The polypropylene pipe is connected using special fittings, the metal sheet is laid out so that there is a minimum number of connections. Copper or stainless steel are mounted with corners of a similar composition.
Fixation to the floor surface is carried out with clamps.
The insertion into the system occurs using a coupling. In this case, it is recommended to avoid sharp turns of the pipeline and use only high-quality materials. Metal reinforcement will increase the strength of the screed
A reinforcing mesh is laid out on top of the pipeline, designed to provide greater strength.
At the intersection of the walls and the floor, a damper tape is glued, which is necessary to limit the enclosing structure from the cement mixture.
The mixture used to fill the screed is poured along the exposed beacons. Over the course of several days or weeks (depending on the thickness of the poured layer), the composition will harden; it is recommended to periodically moisten it with water. This will prevent the surface from cracking due to drying out. To learn how to connect the water circuit to the battery, watch this video

After the screed has hardened, you can lay the finishing floor covering: tiles, linoleum, self-leveling floor.

Main disadvantage

Warm floors from a heated towel rail are a complex structure, the quality of which depends on a number of reasons.

For example, if there are frequent hot water outages in the house, the floor surface will be cold at such times.

With low pressure in the pipeline, the water will cool inside it, which is also considered a significant drawback. Separately, it should be said about the situation when a pipe burst occurs. If such an accident occurs, you will need to not only remove the floor covering layer, but also damage the integrity of the concrete screed. In addition, if a leak is not detected in a timely manner, there is a danger of flooding the neighbors below.

If you decide to make a heated floor with a connection from a heated towel rail, before pouring the concrete screed, be sure to check the integrity of the system by filling it with water and performing a test run.

In addition, it is desirable that the diagram and the actual layout of the pipes are identical. This will help in further operation and accurate detection of leaks.

System check

Before filling the working structure with concrete or its analogues, check the tightness of the system: open the taps to release air and fill the circuit with water.

Before proceeding to pouring the concrete mixture, the pipes are filled with cold water so that a pressure of 2 atm is maintained. This makes it easier to detect any leaks during inspection; if there are none, you can proceed to pouring the screed. To improve the quality of the mixture used, it is advisable to introduce a plasticizer into it. It is optimal if the thickness of the formed layer exceeds 6 cm. After the concrete has completely dried, you can cut off the protruding sections of the compensating tape and proceed to the formation of the final floor covering.

After filling, you need to wait 3-4 weeks before turning on the system in heating mode for the first time. Over several days, the temperature is gradually raised to the required level.