How Many Hand Dryers Do I Need?

There’s no hard and fast rule, but deciding how many hand dryers you need in your washroom can be a daunting task. Get it wrong, and you could bottleneck the whole flow of your facilities. However, thanks to an influx of high powered hand dryers the number of them required in a washroom can be adjusted depending on how busy your washroom actually is. 

How many hand dryers do I need?

When deciding how many hand dryers you need in a washroom, the most important thing to consider is how busy they might be. While there are regulations and guides to how many sinks and toilets are required depending on the size of your business, there are no set criteria for hand dryers. As a quick rule of thumb, you could serve two washbasins with one hand dryer, and two hand dryers could serve three to five washbasins. However, it all comes down to efficiency. A small cafe has less need to get users through their washrooms and out the other side quickly, while in an airport or event venue expediency is of primary concern.

High-speed hand dryers

In years gone by, hand dryers were not particularly efficient and required a user to have their hands underneath them for quite some time. However, technology has advanced significantly and newer models are now super-efficient, meaning it takes seconds, not minutes to dry your hands. For high traffic washrooms in public spaces, motorway services and train stations, this type of hand dryer is essential. 

Blade hand dryers

Of course, the Dyson Airblade has dominated and revolutionised the hand dryer market, providing clean, filtered, high-powered air to blow moisture off of your hands - while hot air hand dryers work to evaporate the moisture with heat. These efficient blade hand dryers have also been integrated into taps by Dyson, meaning users can wash and dry their hands while standing over the washbasin. There’s also a strong move towards hand dryers being integrated behind mirrors above the sink too, further aiding efficiency and a strong move for space-saving washroom design and high traffic toilets. A prime example is the Delabie mirror cabinet.

A case for better hygiene

It's worth pointing out that sensor-activated hand dryers remove the need for users to physically touch the unit. This reduction in touchpoints in the washroom significantly reduces the spread of bacteria and has a powerful impact on infection prevention control. 

If you would like further advice on hand dryer options and strategic washroom design, please get in touch with one of the Commercial Washrooms team on 01202 650900.