Four for Sure: 4 Top Tips on Choosing a Heated Towel Rail System

· As a preference choose products from trusted brands, sourced from reputable vendors.

· Choose the right IP rated product for the right environment. Standard EN 60335-2-43 - 'Particular requirements for clothes dryers and towel rails' states that a heated towel rail must have a minimum Ingress Protection rating of IPX1. Products with ratings between IPX1 and IPX3 can be chosen for locations such as kitchens or in Zone 3 or beyond in a bathroom. If installing a heated towel rail in a bathroom in Zone 2 the product must carry an IP rating of at least IPX4 - or IPX5 if water jets are going to be use for cleaning in that area. So it's important to make note of what IP rating a heated towel rail system carries.

· For added confidence of product safety, look for a third party certification mark on the rating plate of a heated towel rail system when choosing one. The mark you will most commonly see in the UK is the BEAB Approved Mark. This indicates that the product has been tested and assessed against relevant Standards by an independent third party with a recognised expertise in electrotechnical safety. The manufacturer will also have undergone factory inspection to ensure the product is made in the same way on a consistent basis and then random samples of their product will also be regularly checked by the certification body. This ensures that a product stays safe throughout its production life.

· Energy usage is also a factor worth taking into consideration when selecting a product. Since towel rails are left on for extended periods of time, choosing a rail that is larger than necessary or that has a higher power rating than required will be costly to run. Similarly, if you were to compare two identically sized heated towel rails, each with a different surface finish, you would find that painted and enameled finished systems require more energy to run than the same system with a chrome finish - because the painted surfaces act as an insulator and so need more power to reach the same surface temperature as that reached by the chrome ones. If your client has a particular requirement for lower energy consumption - then a chrome finished product could be for them

For more information on the implications of 3rd party certification email info@astabeab.com today.