Custom Fabrication of towel warmer?

Tracy

I am an architect, and my client wishes to custom fabricate some stainless steel towel warmers. I have some questions/concerns about the process, and am hoping someone out there might have thoughts about this? Since we will only have two towel warmers and no radiators, it seems inefficient to provide a separate source for hot water only for those two fixtures....

1. The domestic hot water is oxygenated - I know that normally it is not used for radiators as it will corrode/rust the metal. Is this a problem with stainless steel? Some towel warmers can be fed from the domestic water heater I know, but I am not sure which variable allows that?
2. I believe that the water to feed the radiators is normally at a higher temperature than the water for domestic use. I think that this is ok if all the fixtures/faucets have anti-scald devices? Otherwise, I am not sure whether or not the towel warmer will work satisfactorily at the lower domestic water temperature?
3. If the water is running through the towel warmer at the higher temperature (and it is running directly through the stainless steel with no inner pipe) will it burn people's fingers when they touch the metal? What is the optimum temperature for the water?
4. I think that we will need a small pump between the water heater and the towel warmer to force the water up and through the pipes? Is this correct?
Thank you!

hot_rod

I've built a few

different towel warmers for DHW recirc operation. A few with stainless a few with copper.

Typically a WH will run 130F,plus or minus. That's plenty to warm towels. Warm to the touch no doubt but not scalding hot. I doubt you would get much output below 120, let's say.

Plenty of electric towel warmers on the market also. Myson, Runtal, and dozens of Euro brands if you shop online.

hot rod

Mike T., Swampeast MO

1) The oxygenation of domestic water should be no problem with brass, stainless steel or even copper as such are normaly used for domestic water. Ferrous components (say a circulator) are another matter as is unusual water chemistry--anecdotally at least naturally soft, somewhat acid water can be very rough on copper... Quality, commercially available hydronic towel warmers are typically rated for use in both space heating and domestic systems.

2) The temperature supplied to radiators in space heating systems is highly variable with regards to both the control of the system, the type of emitters and the method of heat transfer to those emitters. In general, systems with fin baseboard and "bare-tube" radiant floor systems require the hottest water. Systems with tube embedded in concrete and old systems using standing iron radiators generally require the lowest temperatures. Particularly if some sort of reset (changing the supply temperature to suit the weather/load) is used, there is a very good chance that the space heating system will not supply sufficiently hot water for a sufficient length of time to properly supply a towel warmer and make warm, fluffy towels. In the case of a space heating system with tube-in-slab or big standing iron radiators and reset there is a very good chance that it would never produce a warm, fluffy towel.

3) "Typical" domestic hot water temperature (say 120-130F) will certainly produce warm, fluffy towel given sufficient time. Think nearly 24 hours if a wet towel is rehung; 4-5 hours for a fresh towel. If you merely put the warmer(s) in series with shower(s) you will NEVER get a warm, fluffy towel. Higher temps will reduce the time required.

4) Personally, I would try to use a gravity circulation system to operate the towel warmers. This can EASILY be integrated into a gravity recirculation system for domestic hot water. This will provide 24-7-365 heat to the towel warmer. To reduce excessive contribution to the cooling load in the warmer months, the warmer MUST be kept loaded with towels!

5) It is possible to produce a tiny dedicated hydronic system for towel warmers. While I have never used one, such was once recommended to me. I choose not to use. Three years later, the suggestion from the exact same source was, "Don't do it. They fail in short order."

6) Unless the custom design of the towel warmer is utterly integral to your overall design, I HIGHLY suggest the use of a commercial, oil-filled electric towel warmer. If budget is sufficient I would consider a custom oil-filled electric model.

Chris_82

Concerns?.,,,

First of all running domestic water thru anything is a bad idea and against most codes, this is something most uninformed homeowners ask who also think they know better.

Secondly Runtal will make whatever you want, including the heated custom railings and brass trim in the Trump Towers Lobby as one example. Err.,,, I think it was the trump towers it could have been one Rockefeller center but anyways it is this 2 story curved hand rail that is warmed for,// because they could do it and Runtal did it. Additionaly Runtal makes an electric unit that is also quite cost effective. In addition there are a number of euro manufacturers but they take a bit of time to get over here.