Choosing pads for a heated towel rail

From time to time it happens that the heated towel rail leaks a little. Usually the reason for this is that the sanitary pads for the heated towel rail in the bathroom were not chosen correctly, and they are of poor quality. You should know how to choose gaskets so that they last a long time.

During the installation of plumbing equipment, types of gaskets such as fluoroplastic, rubber, silicone and paronite are usually used. Such products come in different sizes, which are designated by the formula d × D × s.

The gaskets are used to strengthen the connections of the threaded type heated towel rail. For a particular model, they must have a certain diameter. The most commonly used diameters are 30X40, 31X45, 32 or 40X48 mm. The first number usually means the inner diameter and the second one the outer. Although sometimes the size is simply indicated in one number.

When purchasing a new heated towel rail, the kit will immediately contain everything you need for installation, including gaskets. When replacing the gasket, you will need to purchase a product of the same size as before. Defective items do not need to be used, and therefore it is better to purchase a new item at any plumbing store. The gaskets can differ according to certain criteria.

The main criterion by which such devices are divided will be the material. They are made of rubber, fluoroplastic, paronite and silicone.

• Rubber products come in different brands. For them, hard and semi-hard rubber is used, which perfectly resists large temperature extremes. The disadvantage of this material is its low durability. After a while, the rubber loses its elasticity, which is why such a gasket will need to be changed.

• Paronite gaskets can withstand pressures up to 64 bar. They are made from sheet-type paronite. The specified material is made from synthetic and natural rubber, powder-type components, as well as from a compressed mass of chrysotile asbestos. Paronite products perfectly resist temperature extremes and high pressure.

• Products from fluoroplastic have excellent properties of antifriction, physical and electrical nature, and today they are almost the best solution. This material is environmentally friendly, resistant not only to fire, but also to large changes in temperature and pressure. In addition, PTFE gaskets are highly resistant to aggressive environments.

• Silicone gaskets can be called universal, they are used in many areas. This material is a silicon based organic rubber. It is non-toxic and does not contain sulfur, unlike the usual one. They often try to replace silicone with polyvinyl chloride. It is easy to check the authenticity of a product: you just need to set it on fire. If the soot is white during smoldering, then this is a real tapered or tapered silicone gasket.The disadvantages of such a material can be called the impossibility of long-term use at high temperatures, as well as with a prolonged absence of oxygen, the material softens due to the appearance of porosity and a decrease in hardness.

If we talk about the size of such products, then the first criterion that you should pay attention to is diameter. It must exactly match the diameter of the previously installed gasket. Plumbing gaskets have 3 important indicators:

• thickness;
• inner diameter;
• outer diameter.

These characteristics are usually indicated on the package with gaskets, as well as in the instructions for plumbing products. By the way, sometimes the marking will not be done in millimeters. For example, you can often find an inscription of 1 inch or similar on products.

If suddenly, when repairing a device, you need to find out the size of the gasket, then it is better to look at its documentation. If not, then the gasket can be taken with you to the store.

If we talk about the selection criteria, then the first, of course, will be the material. Rubber gaskets wear out quickly. At the same time, they are affordable and easy to buy. Silicone analogs last a little longer, you will not hear such a characteristic smell as in a rubber product. The price of silicone gaskets is much higher, so they often try to counterfeit them.

PTFE gaskets are a good solution due to their durability. But they are extremely difficult to acquire, and their price is very high. It should be remembered that paronite products, despite their good characteristics, harm human health.

You can replace this element with your own hands, but for a number of people this causes difficulties. The replacement process is possible only when the heating device has ball-type taps to shut off the water supply and a special jumper that can conduct water bypassing the device. To work, you need a set of tools.

After the cause of the leak has been identified, and its location has been found, you can begin to work to eliminate the malfunction. Replacing the towel warmer gasket should be started by turning off the water. Loosening the nuts on the joints without shutting off the water and not relieving pressure is dangerous, because there is a risk of scalding with boiling water.

Shut-off valves are usually located next to the meters. When the water is shut off, you should carefully begin to loosen the nuts that connect the liner and heated towel rail. Wait until the water is drained. When this happens, you need to unscrew the nuts completely and remove the device from the brackets.

Now you need to unscrew the fitting and, after a brief inspection, start changing the rubber gaskets and threaded seals. To remove the liner from the so-called American, you should use a special hex key. After replacing all the seals, the heated towel rail should be installed in the reverse order on the brackets and connected to the water supply.