Adding heated towel rail

herod · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 10:19 am Post Subject: Adding heated towel rail

I want to put a heated towel rail in my bathroom. Currently there are no radiators in there. Access to other radiators in the flat is limited, since a hardwood floor has recently been laid in all rooms except the bathroom. The central heating system is run off a gas combi. Is there a way of adding the towel rail into the bathroom without having to rip up the floor?

croydoncorgi · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 10:32 am Post Subject:

Before you even THINK of tearing up the floor, WHEN do you want the HTR to be hot? With a combi, it can only POSSIBLY be when the central heating is on and active. There's no output from a combi to be used for an all-year-round towel rail.
You COULD use an electric HTR (costs about 150 watts, 24/7, to run, which IS extravagant but possibly the only fit to your requirement).

herod · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 10:39 am Post Subject:

Thanks croydoncorgi. Don't want to rip up the floor at all. Is it possible to fit the HTR to the HW system rather than the CH? Would this mean the HTR would be hot 24/7 or can a thermostat be fitted? I have access to HW in bathroom anyway as a new suite is being installed...

Would prefer not to go for an electric one if at all possible.
Apologies for basic questions - i'm a novice

gas4you · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 11:05 am Post Subject:

No, this would contaminate your hot water and the constant fresh water going through it would rust it very quickly

__________________
Dave
DRL Gas Services

herod · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 11:08 am Post Subject:

Thanks. So is electric my only real option?

croydoncorgi · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 11:10 am Post Subject:

You MUST NOT fit a towel rail onto a hot water circuit under current regulations.
There ARE plenty of examples of copper-tube towel rails in mansion block bathrooms fed off centrally-provided hot-water circuits but not allowed under current regs.
Apart from anything else, a STEEL tube rad (like, most of them) will rot out in months in such a situation and an all-copper one costs £££££. Also, it would only heat when hot water FLOWED from the combi - and how often is that? And did you really want to wait for your hot water to arrive at the tap while the rad heats up? - I think not!
One of the drawbacks of life with a combi, I'm afraid.