How Homeowners Can Evaluate the Need Of Heated Towel Rails In Their Homes

Have you ever stepped out of the shower and wrapped yourself on a cold towel and felt how torturous it is? It is because of this mishap that people have invested in heated towel rails at their homes. These rails take many forms and can range from the simple towel radiator to the contemporary heated towel designs which you make an attractive feature which can have it fixed at your living room’s center.

Also known as towel warmer, a heated towel rail works slightly different from the conventional radiators which are known to lose a lot of heat and associated with increasing energy bills in most homes. Most of the modem towel warmers are powerful in their performance and can heat small en suite cloakroom or bathroom. However, you are still advised to maintain radiator sources of heat as the main heat source for your larger room.

The things you need to check as the homeowner:

Is it electric or plumbed?

Towel heating system can be plumbed or electric. The choice depends on the existing system at your home, but you still have a different system of towel heating from the general system of heating your home. You can also have dual fuel heated towel rail installed at your home. This is basically a plume towel warmer which has electric heating element in it. This warmer gets heated when you turn on the central heating system during the winter season but you can also heat it independently when your central heating system is turned off.

Most dual fuel towel warmers in Auckland can be easily turned on and off as necessary to get the desired warm up. The dual fuel systems work efficiently but they need both plumbing and electric works but you can have them installed at your home at affordable rates if you get quotes from several companies, compare them and choose one that suits your budget.

Electric heaters:

Where plumbing and pipe work is not economical or is impossible, electric towel heated rail works well. The advantage of this system is that it can work well with the existing electric main in your home. Ensure that the unit is double insulated so as to ensure safety. Ensure that it is pre-filled with water treatment so as to ensure it is protected against lime scale and corrosion. The towel radiator which has thermostatic control allows users to set temperature to which the room should be heated and thus you do not have to switch it on and off.

IMPORTANT ADVICE:

• Always hire a professional installer to asses and advice on the best location to install the towel heated rail in your home.
• Check the BTU (British Thermal Unit) to see how much heat the towel heater can produce. Get one with the heat capacity you need for your domestic use.

Myths And Facts About HRV Ventilation System You Need To Know

Ventilation is very vital to any building since it allows the entry and the exit of air from the room. A building, just like your body, needs to breathe. There are various myths and facts surrounding the HRV and it is important to set the record straight so that you know the truths, the half-truths and the lies if any, against this system.

But first, what is HRV system?

Heat recovery ventilation (HRV) can be described as the ‘nose’ of your house. Just the way your house breathes in fresh air and expels out the used one from the body, the HRV system is comprised of two ventilation ducts which run next to each other. These two ducts pass between the outside and inside of your house. One of these ducts carries fresh, cool air in while the other duct carries stale, moist air out. 

FACT: there is exchange of heat between the incoming and the outgoing air in HRV system:

The clever bit of the ventilation system is that these airstream run through heat exchanger, a device which allows exchange of heat between the outgoing and the incoming air. This exchange of heat happens without the ingoing and the outgoing airstreams coming in to contact with each other or mixing actually. Normally there is a blower fan within each duct which can be automatically or manually turned down or up depending on the humidity and temperature levels. The supply of incoming air can be channelled directly in to your home such that it does not meet the outgoing air at any point.

MYTH: a HRV system will increase power bills in your home:

Some people claim that a heat recovery ventilation system will increase the power bills at your home but nothing can be further from the truth that a good HRV system will in fact lead to reduction of heating bill in the long run. Among the greatest goals in the building of energy-efficient home in extreme climates is to ensure the interior of the home is sealed to the maximum and thus eliminate any loss of heat through air leakages. It also helps save money because it does not increase the heating bills at your home.

FACT: HRV system can recover up to 85% of heat in outgoing stream of air:

As explained above how the exchange of heat takes place between the incoming and the outgoing streams in heat exchanger, a high quality HRV system can recover as much as 85% of the heat in outgoing stream, meaning that only 15% of heat is lost. This means that the system is cost effective and efficient in terms of performance and energy saving.

These are just of the few myths and facts you need to know about HRVs. Note that most of these systems require maintenance in the long run in order to ensure they perform efficiently.