help! Should Towel Rail connect to Hot Water or C/H?

[Chrischecked]

Hi - we have a towel rail radiator in bathroom which runs off the hot water system only (and not with the central heating).
Problem is we only have the hot water on for an hour in the morning and an hour at night. Rest of the day the towel rail is cold which is not enough during the winter.

The builder says it's this way so you can have hot towels in the summer when C/H is off, which I understand but what do I do during the cold winter when I want heating on all night and this towel rail wont come on unless I turn on hot water as well as C/H (which would cost quite a bit to my gas bill right??)

any advice appreciated. I just don't know if I'm being abnormal or builder got it wrong?

 

[Armo74]

It is normal to have the towel rail on the hot water circuit, however it should also come on when only heating is on. Sounds like it has been plumbed in wrong.

 

[ianmcd]

It is normal to have the towel rail on the hot water circuit, however it should also come on when only heating is on. Sounds like it has been plumbed in wrong.

WHAT???? if its on the HW circuit then how does it come on with the heating only circuit , pixie dust ??

 

[matt1e]

It is normal to have the towel rail on the hot water circuit, however it should also come on when only heating is on. Sounds like it has been plumbed in wrong.

WHAT???? if its on the HW circuit then how does it come on with the heating only circuit , pixie dust ??

you put it on the flow before any valves (then it comes on which ever circuit is calling)

Matt

 

[ianmcd]

It is normal to have the towel rail on the hot water circuit, however it should also come on when only heating is on. Sounds like it has been plumbed in wrong.

WHAT???? if its on the HW circuit then how does it come on with the heating only circuit , pixie dust ??

you put it on the flow before any valves (then it comes on which ever circuit is calling)

Matt

Correct but this is not the Hot water circuit

 

[Dan Robinson]

Indeed.

 

[Chrischecked]

Thanks for the replies. So it sounds like it's been plumbed wrong then.

So towel rail radiators should come on with both H/W or C/H circuits - not just one or the other?

 

[Armo74]

If it is teed in after the pump and before the valve(s) then yes it will come on whichever is calling.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I wouldn't go as far to say it is wrong.

But it is less than optimal and depends on the spec. Towel rads should never be the primary source of heating in a bathroom anyway IMHO - unless it is a small room.