Heated towel rail - some very dumb questions

[noviceplumber]

Hi there.

I hope you can help me with some very dumb questions. I've got a couple of heated towel rails in my flat (heated from the hot water/central heating system) and one of them doesn't seem to warm up. I'm just about bright enough to work out that a possible cause is the valves are not open but I can't really work out how to check this and/or how to open them. The valves look pretty similar to these ones.

http://www.edirectory.co.uk/pf/page...EBJQ_+sphere+chrome+towel+rail+valves&cid=880

The ends screw off but then I'm filled with fear about touching anything inside in case I end up with a leak (I really am a novice plumber!). How can I tell whether the valves are open or closed? Which side do I need to adjust? How do I adjust them?

Also, is it normal to have these heated off the hot water system (i.e. they're always hot when there is hot water) or off the heating system (i.e. they're hot when the radiators are hot)?

Thanks very much.

Mark

 

[Nige F]

2 towelrails.that`s a big flat

 

[JohnD]

depending on the type of head, you either rotate the knob anticlockwise (when looking down on it) to open the valve, or the take the head off, and rotate the spindle (some heads do not turn the spindle, they are called lockshield valves, the idea is that you set the opening and then put the head back on to prevent prying little fingers from changing the setting).


Yes, it is quite common to have the towel rails heated by the circuit for hot water, that way your towels are aired even in the summer when the heating's off.

Having opened the valves at each end to get a flow, you then turn one of them down as far as possible without the rail getting cold (otherwise it may hog all the hot water flow).

 

[noviceplumber]

Thanks - I'll try that tonight.

Mark