Varieties of clothes dryers on the balcony and their choice

The question of the rational use of premises in the house worries every housewife. In the absence of automatic drying in the washing machine, drying the laundry takes up a lot of space in the room and takes time. Competent placement of structures for drying clothes on the balcony solves these issues.

There are many classifications of dryers - according to the material of manufacture, installation methods, the use of heating elements, and so on.

According to the location, dryers are divided into external and internal varieties. For drying several things, the external view of dryers with a very simple design in the form of profiles attached to the balcony railing, connected with ropes, is suitable. It is most convenient to use a street structure on balconies where there is no glazing.

Pros of outdoor structures:

• additional free space on the balcony and in the apartment;
• high-quality drying in the sun and good ventilation;
• access to the view from the balcony.

Cons of outdoor dryers:

• lack of protection from precipitation;
• the design is not suitable for heavy and long things;
• dust ingress in windy weather.

Since the functionality of external types of clothes dryers is limited, internal structures are used to arrange a drying zone while maintaining free space on the balcony.

Pros of installing clothes dryers on the balcony:

• independence from weather conditions;
• saving on clothespins;
• absence of dust and other contamination.

Minuses:

• lack of free space on the balcony while drying clothes;
• additional dampness on the balcony.

The electric type of dryers is used on glazed balconies.

Main advantages:

• ease of use and installation;
• control over the degree of heating;
• the ability to use a timer to turn off heating;
• the effect of heat on bacteria.

Minuses:

• additional costs for electricity;
• electrical voltage.

Types of electric dryers.

• The wall dryer, up to 1 m in size, can hold up to 20 kg of clothing.
• The ceiling dryer, up to 2 m in size, can hold up to 30 kg of laundry.
• Outdoor variety. This dryer is suitable for small spaces as it can be folded up. In the unfolded version, it can hold a large amount of laundry. Has a high level of safety against burns.

A familiar type of structures for many with fastening to the wall. There are three main types of wall dryers.

• Stationary view. The device is based on hooks screwed into the wall, on which the ropes are fixed. The parameters of the tension force of the cables and the height of the dryer can only be adjusted when the system is installed.

• Foldable version. The mechanism of the device is quite simple. Ropes are wound on a special base. The base itself is fixed to one of the walls of the balcony. The rope fastener is fixed on the opposite side. At the right time, you can pull the ropes to the side with the fasteners and fix them. The main advantage of such a mechanism is that when folded, it is almost invisible on the balcony.

• Sliding variety fixed on one of the walls of the balcony. Special wooden, steel or plastic crossbars serve as ropes of this design. Folded in the form of an accordion, the retractable dryer can be unfolded after washing, and when the laundry is dry, it can be collected. The authors of such a device made it possible to put forward not all, but several sections, depending on the number of things. When folded, the unit is very compact. To some buyers, it does not seem quite roomy.

Telescopic folding ceiling structure. It almost does not differ from the wall version.

Pros of the ceiling variety:

• significant savings in free space;
• fits organically into the interior in folded versions;
• high capacity;
• sturdy device designed for heavy weight.

Types of structures embedded in the ceiling.

• Removable. Can be attached only to dry clothes, and then put away in the closet. A serious advantage of this type is the minimum time spent on installation, since the fasteners remain on the ceiling.

• Stationary option. Consists of a series of 2-meter tubes installed between two holders. The structure, which is permanently located on the balcony, is highly durable.

• Retractable drying unit. It is controlled with a special cord to determine the height of the elements. The sliding design allows you to hold about three dozen kilograms of linen.

A fairly common type of modern drying plants for small balconies. The mobility of the device is its main advantage. The dryer can be unfolded while the laundry is drying, and then folded into a pantry or closet.

It should be borne in mind when choosing such a dryer that when unfolded it almost completely blocks access to the balcony. The presence of additional sections in the kit allows you to increase the area for drying. These products are usually equipped with casters to facilitate movement.

Suspended structures like the model of the "liana" type are distinguished by their versatility of use, both on small and large balconies. Parts of the structure are attached to the ceiling, and the rest of the elements are fixed to the wall. A sliding installation of thin pipes that hang on special cables is fixed to the ceiling. The ends of the cables are fixed to the wall, forming a tensioning system to adjust the lifting height of each tube.

Advantages of mounted varieties:

• stylish design that suits modern interiors;
• the ability to remove or hang part of the washed clothes;
• thanks to height adjustment, it is possible to influence the speed of drying of the necessary clothes - clothes pulled closer to the ceiling usually dry faster;
• a high degree of structural reliability allows a large amount of wet clothes to be dried at the same time.

Disadvantages of "liana" devices: the complexity of the placement of the structure.

The sequence of proper installation of the dryer.

1. The correct choice of location, taking into account the location of windows in the open and closed state, the presence of cabinets, shelves and the quality of building materials on the ceiling. If necessary, fastenings should be reinforced with embedded elements.
2. Installation work, which is regulated by special documents. Screws are used to fasten the brackets, which serve as the basis for the installation.

When the dryer is bolted to the ceiling, it is important to pass a series of special tests for comfort and stability.This usually requires a few wet things.

Drying structures can be made of various types of materials, which simplifies the selection of the installation required in terms of functionality and style.

Types of materials:

• aluminum;
• steel;
• plastic;
• wood;
• combinations of different materials.

Aluminum is the cheapest and most common material for household needs. The advantages of aluminum devices include their lightness. As a rule, aluminum types of installations are made folding, so a lot of free space is required to use them. At the same time, they can hold a large amount of laundry. Suspended type of aluminum structures is not very durable and is suitable for placing small linen and cotton types of clothing.

Steel types of clothes dryers are a sturdy and durable option, presented in the form of floor and hanging models. The equipment of such elements on the walls will ensure high-quality drying of clothes. It can be either a classic cable car with steel fasteners, or a suspended structure. The disadvantage of floor-standing steel dryers is their heavy weight, as a result of which their movement around the balcony or room becomes difficult.

If you initially define a place for such a dryer without moving it, the installation will perform its main function for a long time. There are balconies where steel fasteners are located on the outside, and between them a stainless steel cable, fishing line or strong clothesline will be stretched. This version of the balcony rope dryer is appropriate only for miniature balconies.

Plastic structures for drying clothes are suitable for small rooms. In the standard form, plastic models are a small frame with several strips for hanging clothes. A significant drawback of the installation is the fragility and fragility of plastic products, which are easily deformed under the weight of the laundry. These options are suitable for drying baby clothes, socks, underwear, T-shirts and other small underwear. Securing the structure requires special attention, because it is the parts close to the fastening structures that can deform and break under the weight of the clothes.

The wood type of dryers is divided into cheap and expensive options. For the production of the former, pine and spruce wood are used, and the manufacture of the latter involves the use of high-quality expensive species that are moisture resistant, for example, oak, cedar, larch. The tree requires additional processing in the form of a varnish coating, which protects it from the adverse effects of the external environment. After several years, the procedure will need to be repeated to increase the life of the product.

Combined options are a combination of several types of materials in one product. For example, aluminum fixtures may contain a portion of the plastic elements on the sides for hanging additional small clothes.

The comfort of using at home depends on the choice of the dryer, in which the following features should be taken into account.

• The ability to save space on small balconies as much as possible due to a convenient product of small size or a competent design that will allow you to quickly unfold and fold the dryer.
• High-quality raw materials for the manufacture of the product. For example, in the absence of heating on the balcony, preference should be given to metal, aluminum or plastic varieties.
• The spaciousness of the structure and the ability to withstand a large weight of wet linen.
• Compliance with the type of construction and the frequency of washing. If the laundry is rarely washed, you can get by with a small hanging or external structure. Regular washing of large amounts of clothes will require a larger work surface, so it is better to give preference to a large floor or install a "vine".
• Does the product fit into the overall design of the room and apartment?
• It is important to consider the length and number of metal pipes, which affects the capacity of the installation. For the things of several people, only 5 narrow pipes will be enough, for large families it is better to opt for long pipes in the amount of 6 or more pieces.
• In what capacity is the balcony room used. If family members gather on the loggia or on the balcony, then you should choose varieties with adjustable height.

Laundry dryer manufacturers carefully study all the factors that need to be considered and regularly offer customers new and improved product models.

The products of the following manufacturers can be distinguished.

• Gigmi Lift. The company introduced a 6-bar liana ceiling format that can hold up to 15 kg of laundry. Compactness and low cost with high quality make it one of the leading positions in the range of any shopping center. Due to its small size, the design is suitable for both balconies and bathrooms.

• Nika. Offers the best outdoor option this season at a reasonable cost. The product is suitable for a loggia or balcony. The length of the rods allows you to place a large amount of diverse clothing and linen. Short bars on the side panels increase the capacity of the structure. The use of metal elements guarantees strength with a weight of only a few kg, which ensures the mobility of the product.

• Leifheit. Demonstrates to mass buyers a folding version of the wall-mounted format that can hold more than 8 kg of laundry. The product is suitable for both a glazed balcony and an open one. A special mechanism allows you to instantly unfold the dryer, which, when folded, takes up almost no space.

The classic and fastest version of a homemade homemade dryer:

• fix metal corners with several holes on opposite walls of the balcony (the strongest holders in this case are dowels);
• stretch the rope between them in several rows and tie it.

If you have time and diligence, you can assemble and hang a complete installation with your own hands. Instructions for setting up a home dryer:

• installation of a plastic frame of the required size, connected by fittings at the corners;
• making holes one opposite the other in order to stretch the rope between them;
• thread and tie a clothesline.

You should select a clothes dryer for balcony rooms, focusing on the indicators of the models, the size of the room and its use. If the room is not used for placing a recreation area or things, you can choose any of the proposed options for drying plants. If the balcony is equipped with a seating area, a study or cabinets for storing all kinds of household utensils, it is better to opt for folding varieties.

After purchasing the desired structure, it is important to know the maximum permissible load. If this parameter is violated, the installation may be deformed.Given the high market value of quality products, you can buy the necessary pipes, materials, cables, ropes and fasteners, and then equip the drying zone according to your own idea, taking into account the number of things that need to be dried, their weight, the option of using the balcony and its dimensions, as well as quality of materials.

Taking into account this information and the characteristics of the premises, you can choose the option that will last as long as possible and will not cause inconvenience to the residents of the apartment.