Fitting towel rail to domestic hot water All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[SimonMc]

Hi

First post so be gentle! Bit of background to the query I have...

Upgrading an Uncles flat in London built mid 50's. Heating is provided through c50mm steel pipes that loop throughout the flat. I've just had the inlet valves in the bathroom (incoming and outgoing hot and cold incoming) replaced at great expense (all completely shot) which involved cutting out the steel pipework in that room. Kitchen entirely seperate and unaffected.

Want to fit new bathroom suite using push-fit but the question is, how to provide background heat in the bathroom and airing cupboard?

Can I pipe in a standard towel rail to the domestic hot water supply for both the bathroom and the airing cupboard or isn't this allowed?

Any help appreciated.

Many thanks

PS Anyone broken up a cast iron/steel bath in a flat without going deaf! Too big to remove in one peice so has to be reduced into smaller pieces somehow!

[htg engineer]

Is this communal heating ?

People have fitted towel rails to the primaries of their heating system so that they had a warm towel rail when using the bathroom without having the heating on.

Not sure what you mean by 'fitting towel rail to domestic hot water' if you mean running the DHW through a towel rail before it goes to the taps - then it would not work. If you mean using the heating coil that heats the hot water - then this may be possible.

Abit more info on the heating system is required.

htg

[SimonMc]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, communal heating for the entire block.

Original set-up had a short pipe from the central vertical hot water pipe for the block running to the inlet valve. From here steel pipe ran along one wall then looping back passed the inlet valve and then around the bathroom - with pipework off for the sink and bath - before carrying on out of the bathroom into the airing cupboard. Again, simply ran along back wall of the cupboard, looped around back into the bathroom and then to the 2nd outlet valve. No other heating in either the bathroom, hall or airing cupboard.

All I want to do is replace each loop with a towel rail - or is this too simplistic?

[Steve the gas]

Simon,

Reading this I seem to think it is the Hot Water ring you are hoping to tap into- so No!
Towel rail/rad should be connected to heating pipework NOT hot water.

Regards

Steve

[SimonMc]

Hi Steve

Thanks for the reply

That's exactly my problem!!! There isn't any heating pipework - honest.

The flat is simply heated by 'exposing' the hot water pipework - I was hoping to simply take this concept a stage further in the bathroom. The lounge is the same except the pipes are boxed in with metal grills in front that can be opened and closed to control the level (but never shut off completely) the level of warmth.

Any ideas?

Simon

[htg engineer]

Do you have a room thermostat or timer in the flat. Normally when communal heating is installed, you will have a flow and return to you flat. When you turn the thermostat or programmer to call for heat, an actuator opens a 2 port valve. The water will then flow through the pipwork with to either radiators, or as you say past grilles - this heats the flat.

The central heating and the DHW are normally 2 seperate systems, although the DHW pipework will always be hot - as it will probably be a loop that is continuously pumped - otherwise you could wait for 10 minutes before you got hot water from as storage tank (in large buildings).

Why not fit an electric towel rail in the bathroom.


htg


htg

[SimonMc]

Htg - thanks for replying.

I can assure you there are no controls / additional pipework within the flat. I'm looking at the electric option already but, although I'm perfectly capable of doing the job myself, we'll be selling the flat as newly renovated so it will have to be done and certified by a Part P qualified electrician at central London prices!

The 3 blocks of flats are run by an independent Housing Association and you can't have contractors on site without going through a right rigmarole and getting approval. Takes weeks and is a right pain. However, if it appears that's the only option, I'll have to do it.

Thanks again.

Simon