Educate me about radiators

[Gerrydelasel]

I just had a plumber round to quote for moving a couple of radiators. While he was here I asked him about replacing a rediator with a heated towel rail, because I'm planning to turn a bedroom into a bathroom. He said they're not really considered radiators as such, and wouldn't heat a room of that size (2.9 x 2.3 x 2.5m). One of the online calculators reckons I need about 2000 BTU, which is available in towel rail form. Do these calculators grossly underestimate, or what?

I also asked him if I'd need to pay extra for inhibitor to be added when the loop was refilled, and he didn't know what I meant by inhibitor (not a native speaker) but assured me only water was needed. Is that normal?

 

[denso13]

The trouble with towel rails is you cover them with towels so you are better oversizing them. I bought the largest one I could for a bathroom not even half the size of yours.

but assured me only water was needed. Is that normal?

No.

 

[Steelmasons]

The trouble with towel rails is you cover them with towels so you are better oversizing them. I bought the largest one I could for a bathroom not even half the size of yours.

but assured me only water was needed. Is that normal?

No.

Depends on the circuit towel rails are fed from..

 

[AGAS]

No.

towel rads are not only fed from heating

 

[dilalio]

If the proposed towel rail is off the normal heating circuit then your plumber is not very good

 

[DP]

You the plumbers needs to polish his English?
Perhaps inhibit giving wrong advice

Do not know why people go again ga when they see these shiny, chrome plated idiotic things. Fit a proper radiator with chrome rails if you have to. A towel rail will rarely heat the bathroom. Know this from experience, OWMBO was on my case till I ripped the towel rail out and fitted a proper radiator. If someone want a good towel rail, it is there for taking

 

[Gerrydelasel]

OK, so it sounds like he was right about the towel rail, but wrong about the inhibitor

 

[alan333]

We have a large towel rail in a small en-suite, and although it does heat the room, it's nowhere near as efficient as the smallish radiator it replaced.

 

[Agile]

If its only a secondary or ensuite bathroom you can fit a normal radiator and then use the towel rail which supports the towel above but spaced off the radiator.

If all the other rads and the boiler are isolated so their water content is not lost then then its not necessary to add further inhibitor.

Tony

 

[Gerrydelasel]

If all the other rads and the boiler are isolated so their water content is not lost then then its not necessary to add further inhibitor.

I'm moving downstairs radiators, so I assume it all needs to be drained. (Plastic piping throughout, unfortunately).

 

[bernardgreen]

it all needs to be drained. (Plastic piping throughout, unfortunately).

Plastic pipe, very fortunate..... it seems you can simple squash it flat in a clamp to avoid having to drain down.

There is concern about the "professional quality" of the plumber who suggested that option.

 

[Agile]

It is normal practice to squash MDPE water and gas pipes.

But I don't think its safe to do that on barrier heating pipes though!

Tony

 

[denso13]

towel rads are not only fed from heating

The OP is talking about an existing radiator in a bedroom. Where do you think it will be fed from?

 

[AGAS]

The OP is talking about an existing radiator in a bedroom. Where do you think it will be fed from?

so you think the only circuit that can go through a bedroom is a heating circuit ???

op , they are better to heat your ceiling than the room especially with concern for heating your room you will probably be covering it with towels as well

 

[denso13]

so you think the only circuit that can go through a bedroom is a heating circuit ???

No, I'll ask again. Where is a bedroom radiator normally fed from?