Towel Radiator on Communal Hot Water - Copper/Brass lined?

[steven239]

Hi all

I recently bought a flat in a London block, which has communal (some call it district) hot water and heating. I'm refurbing the bathroom and currently the towel radiator is just a hefty bit of copper pipe. It runs from the main hot water pipe located in the airing cupboard, goes straight through the back wall of the cupboard and into the bathroom, does a few 90 degree turns to make a rail and then returns through the wall and back into the main hot water pipe about 6 inches below.

Now, it's been suggested to me that I couldn't just replace this with an off the shelf towel radiator because there will be a constant flow of fresh water through the rad and it is likely to rust from the inside pretty quickly. Copper or brass lined towel radiators have been suggested. Does this sound right? And how do you go about telling whether a towel rad is lined with copper or brass? Anyone know where to get one?

Cheers

Steve

 

[Dan Robinson]

INdeed you can't use a regular towel rail.

Myson do compatible rails. But make sure you are sitting down when you get the prices.

 

[steven239]

Thanks Dan.

Just had a look. The first one I came across that was brass construction was £499.99, reduced from £729.99 ....... bargain then! I'll keep looking!

 

[Charnwood]

Why not use an electric heating element instead of connecting to the heating system.

Cheaper to buy, more expensive to run. Swings and roundabouts.

 

[mfarrow]

Why don't you hace a go at building one yourself? You could probably assemble a half decent one out of chromed copper pipe and fittings for around £40.

Also are you sure it's hot water which goes through there? Which means when you run a tap you have to wait for the towel radiator to heat up first before you get hot water? Sounds a bit daft to me.

 

[steven239]

Thanks for the replies.

I pay for my heating and hot water as a one off yearly charge in my service charge; it doesn't matter if I have 3 baths a day or 1 a year, it's the same price. So it would kill me to pay for the electricity, same reason I sourced a second hand, reconditioned Bosch washing machine that was hot/cold fill rather than using the newer cold fill machines.

I like the idea of creating my own and will certainly consider this if I can find a decent price.

Defo hot water, I have the bathroom stripped out and it's very easy to follow the run of pipes.

 

[Charnwood]

Also are you sure it's hot water which goes through there? Which means when you run a tap you have to wait for the towel radiator to heat up first before you get hot water? Sounds a bit daft to me.

Defo hot water, I have the bathroom stripped out and it's very easy to follow the run of pipes.

Hot water, yes, but DOMESTIC hot water - unlikely.
Surely DHW and heating are separate circuits?

 

[Dan Robinson]

It does happen in some blocks Charn. Rare though as a lot of buildings are ripping the systems out and letting the residents fend for themselves.

 

[steven239]

Hi

Yes, the hot water and the heating are separate, but this towel rad definitely comes from the hot water which then runs on to supply the bath and basin.

I found this brass lined rad at a reasonable price: http://www.trueshopping.co.uk/produ.../38070.html?gclid=CJns7NeNk7gCFXLLtAodoVIAvw#

The other half has moaned that it isn't very exciting but I've assured her that neither is a flooded flat if we get a cheap off the shelf option!

 

[Agile]

Are you really lucky enough to have working isolation valves on the hot water and heating connections?

Most that I have seen either dont work or are completely jammed. One poor leaseholder called the council after he had a DIY accident and they just told him they did not get involved with sold flats.

He then called the fire brigade who came and hammered the pipe flat which slightly reduced the flow rate.

I did manage to get the valves turned off but the fellow did not want to pay me the quoted standard visit price ( £94 inside the charging zone ) so although eventually after protesting he did pay I would not go back there to complete the repairs.

When someone is quoted a price for a visit thats what they have to pay! Not then want to pay 20 rupees.

Tony