Best Towel Warmers

Archive for the ‘FAQ’s’ Category

We all know at least one- that person or couple that has everything, which paves the way to making gift giving a real headache.

Some occasions that find may find you scratching your head, looking for a unique gift:

* House warming
* Wedding gift
* Anniversary
* Birthday
* Holiday gifts and baskets
* Going Away
* Mother’s Day
* Father’s Day
* Thank you
* Celebration of the addition of a pool or spa
* Baby shower gifts
* Bridal shower
* Corporate gifts
* Graduation, especially from college
* Retirement
* Summer time

There are a number of gifts that fit all these holidays and gift giving occasions. Towel warmers are one popular choice.

Towel warmers come in a variety of styles, installation choices, heating elements and price ranges. For as little as $100, you can pick up an electric towel warmer in one of six finishes and dozens of designs. Freestanding warmers require no tools to install, they simply plug into a grounded outlet. There are wall mounted warmers that are also electric and plug into an outlet, installation only requires a few screws and all the hanging hardware is included. These work by heating air within tubes that make up the rack.

For $200 or so, you can pick up an oil filled towel warmer. While these are similar in style to the electric warmers, they also plug into an outlet and come in freestanding and wall mounted styles. These work a little differently, they heat oil that is inside the tubes. These require less electricity as the oil heats quickly and stays warm longer than air filled tubes.

Whether air or oil filled racks are chosen, you can do much more than heat towels. Parents can heat blankets and baby clothes for baby’s comfort. In winter, you can heat sweaters, socks and dry wet outdoor clothes. Put shoes underneath to dry and heat.

For spa and pool owners, a cabinet style towel warmer is a good choice. While these are much more expensive, they start at about $1800, these cabinets can be placed outside year round. Installation is generally not required, as they are plugged in to a grounded outlet. Timer options are common, as are lights that come on only when cabinet doors are open. In addition to heating towels, they heat robes, shoes and even dry bathing suits.

Even the best towel warmers on the market can malfunction and need repair.

This is why most models of towel warmers come with a warranty to cover the cost of any repairs necessary during an agreed upon time period. Sometimes even extended warranties are available for an additional cost. The following paragraphs will discuss how warranties on towel warmers generally work, and what to do if your towel warmer needs repairs that are not covered under warranty.

When you purchase a quality towel warmer, it will most likely come with a warranty for a set amount of time. This insures your towel warmer will run effectively for this time, and not require repair. If during this time, your towel warmer does malfunction, the repair cost, or replacement cost if the towel warmer cannot be repaired, will be covered by the warranty, and will not cost you any out of pocket expenses.

It is very important, when purchasing a towel warmer, to understand what repairs your warranty will and will not cover. Most warranties do not cover any damage caused by user negligence. And most warranties will not cover any damage caused by freezing conditions in your house. A towel warmer should never be used as a primary source of heat in your house.

If your towel warmer needs repaired, and it is not covered under a warranty, it is likely you will need to seek professional assistance. Depending on what type of towel warmer you have, and depending on the type of repair needed, who you would need to call can vary. If you are having problems with your hydronic towel warmer, you may need to call a plumber. If you have an electric towel warmer, it is possible you will need an electrician. With either type, sometimes an appliance repairman can do the fixing, and usually cheaper than a plumber or electrician. It all depends on the type of towel warmer you have, and the specific problem you are having with it.

There are numerous accessories available for various brands of towel warmers.

There are many different manufacturers of towel warmers, like Omnipanel, Radia, Neptune, Solea and Versus. Each company has created their own look for their towel warmers, so each has various accessories that are available to accent their product.

Some of the popular and common accessories available for various brands of towel warmers are:

1. Pull out drying rack – great for those delicates that cannot be placed in a traditional dryer. Gently dries clothing like undergarments, sweaters and intimate apparel, then can be pushed back for storage. Comes in various sizes.
2. Timers – set the timer for up to three separate on/off cycles per day, seven days a week! Great accessory for those of us who are forgetful or hurried, but know general bathing times.
3. Robe knobs – fits between the towel warmer panels. Allows the towel warmer to gently heat your robe for that comfy feeling.
4. Full length mirror – attaches to the side of your floor to ceiling towel warmer as a nice, decorative accent piece.
5. Towel ring – fits between the towel warmer panels. Great for holding mid-size towels for constant hand drying. Decorative accent piece for your towel warmers.
6. Accent panels – solid panels that fit on particular models of towel warmers. Various types available: plain panels, panels with a towel bar and panels with robe knobs. Can match or accent the finish of your towel warmers for a unique look.

Not all of the accessories listed will work with each type and brand of towel warmer. Make sure to check on the specifications of your towel warmers and buy only accessories specially made to be compatible.

The prices of towel warmer accessories vary based on type, finish and manufacturer. Catalogs are available that will give you prices of towel warmers and their accessories for your convenience. If you are in the market for towel warmers, looking into decorative accessories will be a great bonus!

The towel warmer may have had humble beginnings, but someone obviously recognized a good idea when they saw one.

When I step out of the steaming shower in the mornings I tend to do a little dance to my towel to avoid the cold tile. I wrap the cold and sometimes soggy cloth around myself, and shiver myself dry with the help of a vigorous toweling, then almost literally jump into my clothes. When I finally warm up ten minutes later, I wonder why I put myself through this routine every morning. Of course it did not always happen this way.

The Victorian era boasted radiators in the bathrooms that would keep the whole room toasty through the winter months. Even better: a towel or outfit set on top of these radiators before the showers provided a warm haven after stepping out of the water and into the day. Genius!

It seems ridiculous that with our many modern advances, we accept this frigid awakening ritual with stoic pride. Installing a radiator in your bathroom is a potential solution, but one that seems antiquated, and might feel out of date in your home. If your house is Victorian period, or if you wish to add an antique flair, this might be the solution for you. If you are looking for something a little more modern, however, or if you are looking for something compact, a towel warmer is the solution for you.

These handy bathroom fixtures stay warm using either heated water or heated airflow, and will warm and dry towels or clothing. Originally large and chunky, these bathroom fixtures have gotten both more compact and more efficient over the years. Many nice hotels boast them (at least they do in Europe) and for good reason. A sleek and stylish towel warmer mounted nicely on your bathroom wall will warm your entire bathroom just enough to keep comfortable, and will provide you with a warm, dry towel every day. It’s like wrapping yourself in a dryer-fresh towel every time you shower.

The towel warmer may have had humble beginnings, but someone obviously recognized a good idea when they saw one. Now for less energy than it takes to light your bathroom, you can have a warm start to your morning everyday.

Towel warmers work in several different ways. No matter which type you install, you will enjoy the cozy comfort of your warm towel after each and every bath or shower.

Water or Oil Towel Warmers
Water, also called hydronic, towel warmers use hot water from your hot water heater or a hydronic heating system. This hot water warms the towels as it goes through the towel warmers.

Electric towel warmers are self-contained and filled with oil. The low wattage electric heating element in the towel warmers heats up the oil, which in turn warms the towels.

Plugged In or Hard Wired Towel Warmers
The towel warmers that are plugged in have more flexibility of placement. They can basically be installed anywhere there is an electric outlet (as long as it is the correct wattage).

The towel warmers that are hard wired are nice because they are cable free, which makes them less of a tripping hazard and gives them a nicer look. The hard wired variety typically is more expensive.

Towel Warmers With or Without a Timer
A timer is not an absolute necessity when you purchase a towel warmer. However, they can be a nice additional “extra” to have.

Towel warmers with timers are nice as they can be set to warm up a towel exactly when you plan to use it. You can set it for a certain hour of the day and even a certain day of the week!

If you plan to use your towel warmers as a heat source in your bathroom at all times, you can just leave it on and forget about a timer. Many people opt to forget a timer and just leave the towel warmer on to create a spa-like atmosphere right in their bathroom!

When you go to purchase towel warmers, look at the unit as a whole and decide which one would work best with your home set-up.

From simple free-standing, plug in towel warmers to elaborate wall-mounted, gas heated units; installation of these luxurious bathroom or spa shed accessories varies.

Below are installation procedures for a few of the most common types of warmers.

* Free-standing electric warmers – these are simplest to install. Plug the unit into the closest grounded outlet near the shower door or curtain.
* Door hanging electric warmers – these are pretty simple as well. Pop out the top hinge pin of your bathroom door, insert the bracket and replace the pin. Plug into a grounded outlet nearest the door when the door is open.
* Wall mounted electric warmers – find a spot on your wall you’d like a warmer installed and screw it in. These types of warmers typically take less than 30 minutes to install. Make sure you plug a wall mounted towel warmer into a grounded outlet.
* Water heated warmers – these will require access to the hot water pipes but should not be in the same water flow line as the shower or bath, since warmers take up to 30 minutes to heat. These are easiest to install during original construction or remodeling of your bathroom, since necessary pipes will be exposed during construction. Attach warmer to hot water plumbing using valve included with warmer. Mount warmer to wall.
* Hard wired warmers – these are wired directly into your electrical system and are a more complex than plug-in and water heated warmers. If you aren’t familiar with electrical work, you may want to consider hiring an electrician. The chosen circuit used for your towel warmer should be protected by a circuit breaker. Run positive, negative and ground wires from your warmer to the circuit box, choosing an unused breaker.

Whichever type of towel warmer you choose, you should install it where there is no risk of submersion. Most towel warmers, regardless of installation and heating process, are only approved for occasional splashes.

Timers are often included on towel warmers to cut down on how much energy is used to heat towels or clothing. There are usually not additional installation procedures of timers.

When it comes to keeping your bathroom a healthier room in your house, a towel warmer could play a huge role.

Towel warmers can not only be a stunning part of your bathroom decor, but can also reap several health benefits while dressing up the room. The following paragraphs will discuss the types of towel warmers available, as well as the health benefits of adding a towel warmer to your bathroom.

Types of Towel Warmers

There are two basic types of towel warmers available for purchase. They are electric towel rail warmers and hydronic radiator towel warmers. Electrical models seem to be most popular styles, and can be plugged directly into any electrical outlet. With hydronic towel warmers, the actual warmer runs off the main hot water system, and requires a circulating pump in order to pump the hot water through the towel rails.

Either model of towel warmers are available in a wide variety of sizes and styles, to match the decor of any bathroom. By adding a towel warmer to your bathroom, you can achieve a hint of elegance, or even sophistication.

Health Benefits of Towel Warmers

By adding a towel warmer to your bathroom, you are not only adding to the decor, you will also be making your bathroom a healthier place to be. Both electric and hydronic radiator towel heaters can actually help prevent the constant flow of unseen dust particles in the air. This is because they are not forced air units. Towel warmers can help improve the quality of air in your bathroom, especially for those who suffer from dust allergies or asthma.

A heated towel rack can improve your health by eliminating many things from your bathroom. Since dust mites, mold, and mildew thrive from excessive moisture, especially if your bathroom does not have proper ventilation. A towel warmer can help eliminate the moisture from the room, thus making the air much healthier to breath, and prevent the spreading of many types of germs.