As you can see by exploring our commercial hair dryer range and purchase guide , there are very different types of hair dryers for hospitality and sport facilities, such as handheld, drawer mounted or fixed to the wall. You might be unclear how and where to place those blow dryers designed to be installed to a solid wall, so we have gathered some basic concepts to help you.
First of all, when reading any online information or the product manual, we must note that a commercial hair dryer can have diverse reference points:
- The top can either refer to the held hair dryer already put inside the holder or the highest side of the hair dryer case or holder.
- The bottom is usually the lowest side of the hair dryer case, though the hose or cable might actually be closer to the floor.
Hair dryer installers
According to building regulations , the electrical installation must be carried out by a qualified electrician in accordance with the latest edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations.
Hair dryer installation heights
Since the size of commercial hair dryers varies from one supplier to another, every blow dryer requires different installation points, which should be explained in the corresponding manual.
- Regarding our Valera hair dryers , it is recommended to install the Hotello range at around 5-6 feet or 150-180 cm from the floor to the top of the unit. Also, bedroom hair dryers can be wall mounted at the same height if possible or as the space allows.
- The recommendations for our Mediclinics hair dryers , is that a minimum distance of 120cm from the case bottom to the floor and at least a 20cm clearance at either side of the dryer case or nozzle. The technical sheet of every product provides more details about where to exactly drill the back plate according to user type (adults, disabled, children).
With respect to disabled visitors, volume II of Document M for access at buildings other than dwellings, locates the bottom of washrooms appliances or fittings like commercial hand dryers , soap dispensers or shaver points between 800-1000mm above the floor and coat hooks of self-containing changing rooms at 1050mm and 1400mm above floor level. We could conclude that in accessible facilities there should not be more than 1000mm from the floor to the action area of the accessory, which in the case of hair dryers would be the nozzle and, in some, also the shaver socket.
As with any other electrical appliance, we encourage you to check manufacturer’s documentation to see whether children above 8 or people with reduced capabilities can use the blow dryer without supervision.
Hair dryers suitable for bathrooms
We can distinguish several zones in the bathroom depending on the likelihood of ingress of water and therefore electrical shock if equipment is installed there:
- Zone 0: the cubicle that would hold the water (the bathtub itself, the shower tray).
- Zone 1: the area above the bathtub or inside the shower cubicle, up to 2.25 m above the floor.
- Zone 2: the 60 cm area that surrounds zone 1 as well as the 60 cm radius from the basin tap.
- Zone 3: the rest of the areas inside the bathroom.
IP rated hair dryers like our Hotello range manufactured by Valera can be installed inside zone 2 but only if hardwired. Styler Deluxe hair dryer for clubs and leisure centres could be installed in zone 3 as long as it is hardwired and its stretched length does not allow that it is used in zone 2 (such a unit is available coin or button operated ).
Please beware that those wall mounted hair dryers without IP rating cannot be installed in bathrooms, even if hardwired. They are designed for non-sanitary areas like bedrooms.
Apart from hair dryers for hotels , nursing homes or leisure centres, we can also supply a wide range of appliances and accessories like mirrors, hand dryers, waste bins, soap dispensers, sensor taps or baby changing stations . Please don’t hesitate to contact our team with any technical questions or to find out about availability and trade/bulk discounts. We aim to deliver good products overseas, so we have special websites for Ireland and to supply automatic hand dryers to Australia .
To view our complete range of commercial hair dryers go to the main website and filter by your requirements
