Keep your bathroom warm and cosy this winter

If you want to add some heat to your bathroom experience there are a couple of options you may want to consider, such as underfloor or a heated towel rail take the chill of a cold bathroom.

 

 

 

 

Underfloor heating

Having recently installed underfloor heating as part of tiling my bedroom and walk-through closet I can honestly say that this winter might have been colder than usual, but the morning ritual shower was a pleasure!

While many may argue the cost to run underfloor heating, especially in light of power outages, when installed and used properly underfloor heating actually costs less than switching on a heater.

 

 

 

Underfloor heating takes about 30 minutes to heat the floor to a comfortable level, while warming the room at the same time and depending on the size of the room. If you set the timer to switch on and off during the early morning or late evening, you will effectively use less electricity. If your underfloor heating doesn't have an integral timer you can manually switch on 30 minutes before and immediately after.

 

 

Underfloor heating is fitted underneath tiles. So, if you are planning a renovation or replacing existing flooring with tiles, take a look at underfloor heating as an alternative way to heat a bathroom. Consider placing the heating pads where you’ll be doing most of the standing in the bathroom, such as in front of the mirror and vanity, where you step out of the bath and shower or where you get dressed.

Underfloor heating also assists in bathrooms that have insufficient ventilation and helps reduce the incidence of damp and mould growth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heated towel rail

Considered more of a luxury than underfloor heating, the latest models of heated towel rails have been designed to use less electricity and are available in a wide range of styles.

Heated towel rails not only keep towels warm and ready for use, they also offer background heating to gently warm up a cold bathroom during the chilly winter months.

The range of heated towel rails at Tile Africa offer the latest designs featuring Dry Element Technology (DET). In effect, the side bars are not heated, but rather the horizontal rails under the towels, which results in energy saving over older models. DET technology also allows for rapid heating - within 10 to 15 minutes from switching on the rail.

 

 

"Select a model that allows for the temperature to be adjusted and that is fitted with a timer so that you can programme it to automatically come on only when needed," says Liz Watermeyer of Tile Africa.

Visit www.tileafrica.co.za for more information.