Under Wall Heating: One small design feature that modernises your bathroom.

It's not often you come across a design feature that your builder or trades haven't heard of. This is your chance to 'school' your building team, and have them copy for their own homes! (... It's what happened to me!).

Copacabana House

Who doesn't love warm and dry towels? Regardless if you live in the tropics or cooler parts of the world, towels often need some help in keeping dry between showers. While installing heated towel rails is one sure way to keep your towels dry, they can often be bulky and detract from the minimal design you are seeking for your bathroom.

How do I keep towels dry in my bathroom without using a heated towel rail?

Quite simply, just like you would install under floor heating, you can also install the same heating product, behind the tiles of the wall you intend to hang your towels. My preference is to install something minimal, such as robe/towel hooks, but you could also install normal towel rails. This makes a significant difference when you are trying to match your tapware but sometimes there isn't a heated towel rail option.

How does wall heating work?

Newport Bathroom III

Underfloor heating works in the same way that it heats your floors. Your electrician will run underfloor heating up the wall, and then your tiler will tile on top of it. Just as you would only install underfloor heating where you want warmth, so do you install under wall heating. It will often just require one square metre (enough to cover the space where 2 or 3 towels will be hung).

The wall and floor heating are separate, which means you will have two thermostats/screen, one for the floor and one for the wall. If installing shaving cabinets in your bathroom, it makes great sense to keep these thermostats concealed in there!

I have personally used Coldbuster, a local business based in Frenchs Forest on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They do also offer Australia wide supply and install.

Woollahra House Project

Is it expensive?

Electric floor heating is highly energy-efficient, with remarkably low ongoing running costs. It is no more expensive than what it would take to run a heated towel rail. It is recommended to install your underwall heating, separate to your underfloor heating, meaning they will each have their own thermostat (and therefore temperature, timing, etc.). You will know your family's bathing habits best, so my advice is to consider when your family showers, and to adjust the thermostat and timer to suit, e.g. if you often shower in the morning, you might have your temperature set higher just before you shower and after, ensuring warm towels and drying after. There is no need to run your heating at a high temp 24/7.

Newport Bathroom

How do I design my bathroom with under wall heating?

With great planning.

Seeing your bathroom renovation or build almost complete, and then deciding you would like to install under wall heating, it is likely far too late. You should include the position of where you would like this, as well as the height of towel hooks, clearly documented and shared with your trade before your build commences.

In terms of location, you can most likely position it anywhere you would think to conveniently access towels coming out of your bath/shower. You should discuss the location with your builder/electrician to confirm best placement.

"Installed discreetly within your wall, Coldbuster wall heating is positioned directly behind your towel rail or robe hooks. This innovative setup significantly speeds up towel drying and makes those robes warm and cosy, cutting drying time by up to 70% compared to a standard, non-heated rail.", Coldbuster.

For more information either visit www.coldbuster.com.au, comment below or email me at hello@howardlanedesigns.com and I'll reply with an information pamphlet put together by the team at Coldbuster all about underwall heating.

Would you include under wall heating in your next bathroom design?

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