Everyone likes clean, fragrant freshness, and therefore people living in apartment buildings hang it on the balcony or loggia for drying. But unfortunately, these structures do not always have sufficient area so that the laundry is well dried and does not take up much space at the same time. In the XXI century, this problem was solved with the help of special devices-dryers for linen. The most popular among residents of apartment buildings was the dryer with the beautiful name “Liana”.
What is remarkable about this model of a dryer, why it is most often chosen by lovers of clean clothes — these and other questions can be answered in this article.
Features
The dryer got its name “Liana” due to its external similarity and properties with the plant of the same name. Its design is simple and ingenious at the same time. It consists of two brackets with rollers, metal rods, ropes, fixing caps and a wall unit (combs).
The main structural elements are two brackets that can be mounted both on the wall and on the ceiling surface. Ropes are stretched between them, in turn, fixed in the grooves of the base of the pipes (rods). It is on the rods that the linen is hung out. The length of the tubes, depending on the model, ranges from 0.5-2 meters, and their number, as a rule, does not exceed 4, and in some models even 5 pieces.
Suspension height adjustment is carried out using ropes passing through a roller mechanism built into the brackets, fixing caps, and a block mounted on the wall. In order to raise or, conversely, lower the rope with the rod, you only need to release the cap from the comb and fix the height with the help of another cap in the desired position.
The clothesline used in the dryer is quite strong, its base is made up of kapron threads woven in several layers in a special way. Therefore, it serves for a rather long time and does not stretch.
Advantages and disadvantages
Balcony clothes dryer "Liana", like any other device that facilitates domestic work, has many advantages.
Primarily It is impossible not to note its attractive appearance. Brackets and rods are painted white, and, as you know, it is universal and the most common in the design of household structures. therefore This model will look great on any balcony or loggia, regardless of the style of design. And in comparison with stretched ropes or wires, it looks much more aesthetically pleasing.
One of the main advantages of this dryer is its compactness. In the absence of linen, the rods are located quite close to the ceiling, which means that the construction does not interfere with free movement on the balcony.
It does not take up extra space even during drying, because the laundry, after it is on the crossbar of the structure, rises to the desired height and is firmly fixed with cords and caps. In addition, drying clothes using this design is not necessary strictly under the ceiling, only some rods can be raised, and the rest can be fixed at different levels. Such a multilevel arrangement allows air masses to freely penetrate between the layers, which means that the laundry dries much faster than with the parallel arrangement of the crossbars.
An equally important advantage of this design is the convenience of use. You no longer need to bring a stool or a ladder to hang the washed laundry, just pull the rope down, fixing the desired position.
The Liana dryer is not only convenient, but also durable. As a rule, most models with this design are designed for a fairly significant load, which the manufacturer always indicates in the attached instructions. It depends on the material of the rods. Plastic models are designed for a load of 7 kg, and metal rods can withstand up to 12 kg. In both cases, this strength is enough to dry a family kit and several small towels at a time, which, undoubtedly, saves time and energy.
The simple assembly and installation of the dryer can, without a doubt, be attributed to the advantages of this design. Each model comes with assembly instructions and installation recommendations. As a rule, in order to fix the dryer, you need very few tools and a minimum of time.
An undoubted advantage for the Liana design is its low cost and a fairly large selection of models. Simple models can be purchased for 400-500 rubles, and more complex and durable will cost 1000-1500 rubles.
It is difficult to name the disadvantages of this design. They, according to most buyers, are practically nonexistent. But for some consumers of this design, the installation was too complicated. This is often associated either with a complete lack of installation skills, or with a reluctance to acquire the tools used in the installation.
And in either case, you can use the services of a professional installation worker, and then you will not have to buy tools or deal with the installation.
Species overview
There are several varieties of dryers, similar to the "Liana" on the principle of action, but differing from it in details in the design.
One of the most famous is the block type ceiling dryer. The rods on which the laundry is dried cannot fall or lift apart, since their ends are firmly fixed.The design itself is a rectangular frame with 4 or 5 rungs, on which the laundry is hung to dry. The cords regulating the height of this design are less, since the system of rods is monolithic.
Such dryers have a significant drawback: linen will always have to be hung almost perfectly evenly to prevent skewing of the entire structure. And the crossbars or tubes on which the laundry is dried are always on the same level, which, of course, increases the drying time.
A better variety is the electric model of the Liana design. In this case, lowering and raising the crossbars takes place using the control panel, and therefore there is no block with ropes and fixing caps in these models. In most electric models, the lifting mechanism automatically shuts off when overloaded, so their service life is quite long.
Fans built into the design accelerate the drying process by supplying warm air to the space between the crossbars. Some models even have UV lamps that are used to disinfect laundry.
Electric models can differ significantly from each other by the number of rods, the distance between them and the location in space relative to each other. In this segment, there are models not only with a single-level arrangement of rods, but also specimens in which tubes (rods) are fixed at different levels.
A multilevel design is more practical, since it is possible to dry different sizes of laundry on it at the same time. The lower trims are designed for such overall things as a blanket, rugs and bedding sets, and the upper ones are usually used to dry smaller clothes.
Selection tips
To date, there are a variety of Liana design models on sale. Before choosing one or another model, it is necessary to take into account many nuances.
First of all, it is necessary to take into account the parameters of the balcony or loggia, since the dryers vary in size. In order to understand whether the front bar will interfere with the opening of windows, markup is desirable. It will help to understand at what distance from the window the first bar should be not only in the upper position, but also in the lower one.
In addition to the dimensions of the dryer, it is also necessary to pay attention to the material of manufacture. Plastic models, although they are much cheaper than metal ones, are inferior to the latter in strength. Therefore, if the family is large, and the amount of laundered laundry is quite significant, then it is better to opt for metal products.
But there are pitfalls too. Aluminum rods are less reliable than stainless steel trims. In addition, peeling paint from aluminum tubes, and sometimes this happens during prolonged use, is fraught with contamination of linen. But stainless steel strips, even with the loss of the surface layer of paint, the laundry does not get dirty, and does not deform in case of overload.
When buying, take into account the thickness of the ropes. The more tightly woven they are, the longer they will last. As a rule, for quality manufactured products, the ropes serve for a long time, and the clamps are made of durable plastic or metal.
It is worth paying attention to the country of manufacture. Chinese dryers are less durable and durable compared to products manufactured by European manufacturers. In dryers from China, fixing caps, comb and rods very often become unusable, since not very high-quality plastic is often used for their production
When buying, you should also focus on the load volume of the washing machine. The larger it is, the stronger the dryer will be.
Installation Instructions
Dryer installation is carried out in several stages.
First you need to prepare such tools as a screwdriver, screwdriver, tape measure, pencil, ruler (square) and knife. You will also need a stepladder or a stable stool - because the brackets will have to be fixed quite high, and you can’t do without a convenient fixture.
After preparing the tools, it is necessary to mark the mounting points of the brackets. Everything must be taken into account: both the distance between the brackets, and their location relative to the windows, and, of course, a strict perpendicular orientation with respect to the wall.
Drill the marks marked with a pencil, then insert the dowels into the holes. Then, using the screws, fasten the brackets, and make sure that they are correctly positioned on the surface. In the same way fix the comb on the wall.
Now you can start hanging the rods. To do this, cut the rope into equal segments and fix them on the end of the rods until on one side. The free end of the rope must be passed through the roller mechanism of the left bracket, fasten the cord to the other end of the rod, and stretch a loop of two cords through the right bracket. Then you should fix the clamps on the rope and, having measured the necessary length, cut the unnecessary edge.
Possible problems
Problems with this dryer may occur. as a result of improper installation.
Very often, when installing the structure, the material of the ceiling surface is not taken into account, and therefore the fixing of the brackets does not differ in strength. This problem is especially relevant for balconies and loggias, in which the ceiling surface is covered with lining. For a strong fixation of the dryer to such a ceiling, longer self-tapping screws will be required than those that come with the product. There is a gap between the ceiling panel and the concrete base, and if you take short screws, then the brackets will not fit snugly to the surface, which, of course, will affect the strength of the entire structure.
Choosing the right fasteners is an integral part of a good installation. Do not use nails instead of screws, even if the ceiling surface is lined with wood. Indeed, in case of improper installation, the nails will have to be pulled out, and this is fraught with breakage of the brackets. In addition, nails are unlikely to withstand wet laundry, it is highly likely that the structure will collapse from the load.
It’s worth it to choose not only the types of fasteners, but also their size. Self-tapping screws must exactly match the diameter and length of the drilled holes, otherwise the structure will not fit tightly to the surface, which will undoubtedly lead to deformation of the brackets, and then to collapse.
It is equally important to take measurements correctly, since they affect the tension of the rope. A very strong tension will not allow lowering the crossbar, and a weak rope tension will quickly lead to sagging rods. A wrong measurement or a poorly thought out place for the installation of the dryer is fraught with extra holes that spoil the appearance of the ceiling surface and take time to mask them.
Although the installation of the dryer is a laborious process that requires some preparatory measures, it is still quite feasible. The main thing is to take into account all the subtleties of the process in advance, and carefully study the instructions that came with the product.
The video briefly talks about the principles of operation and operation of this dryer.
