Bathroom towel radiators in warmer months?

[noobiediyer]

I've got a system boiler with megaflo tank for the heating system and standard radiators in the rooms. In the bathroom, there is a towel radiator that is connected the same as the other radiators (i.e. they use hot water from the heating system).

In the colder months when the central heating is on, the bathroom radiator is lovely as they can help dry hand towels or heat up bath towels. However, in the warmer months, the central heating never comes on so the bathroom radiator doesn't do anything with the towels. The radiators in the rooms all have TRV valves, while the bathroom one has a standard valve.

In the warmer months, if I wanted to have just the bathroom radiator come on for a short period during the day while the other radiators are off then I guess I would need to:
1. Close off the valves in all the room radiators
2. Open the valve in the bathroom
3. Set the heating to come on just for the time I want the towel radiator to come on

Is that the only way to do it with my current heating setup? Feels like this would be a lot of hassle especially if there were some cold days in the warmer months where I wanted to turn on the heating a little (as I'd need to open the room radiator valves again). And likewise, in the colder months, if there were warm days then I would need to do the opposite. Sounds like a lot of manual effort.

Would changing to smart TRV radiator valves (e.g. like Tado) allow me to do this easier?

 

[aveatry]

I am not a heating engineer but from what I understand it could perhaps be even dangerous to to have the boiler on for just 1 rad with all f the others off.

 

[ChrisJP]

The only real answer to this issue (which I also suffer from) is to install a towel rail with an auxiliary electrical heating element that can be used in the Summer. I've never done this because of the hassle, and just put up with the lack of heating of the towel rail in the Summer.

 

[noobiediyer]

Getting auxiliary power to where the towel radiator is will be a lot of effort, there's no power source near by and the walls have tiles so that's going to be a lot of work. Perhaps using smart TRV valves is the way to go.

 

[ChrisJP]

Absolutely true - which is why I've just put up with the unheated towel rail in Summer!

 

[opps]

I am not a heating engineer but from what I understand it could perhaps be even dangerous to to have the boiler on for just 1 rad with all f the others off.

Not saying you are wrong... but why would it be dangerous?

I have worked in houses where I have removed most of the rads but left one or two connected to give me some heat whilst redecorating.

 

[Jurassicspark]

Not saying you are wrong... but why would it be dangerous?

I have worked in houses where I have removed most of the rads but left one or two connected to give me some heat whilst redecorating.

Having one radiator is similar to the boilers operation when its pumping water only through the bypass. I don't see nothing wrong either.

Edit: If you haven't got a bypass installed and the 'one' radiator turns off then it can potentially harm the boiler.