Bathroom radiator/towel rails All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[MalcolmDE]

I am considering using both a radiator and a heated towel rail next to each other. Towel rails seem to produce little heat so having removed the airing cupboard I think I could use both to provide sufficient heat. I can do the plumbing but are there any reasons not to link them together.
MalcolmDE

[Dave From Leeds]

I stayed in a holiday cottage in Cornwall last year that had a combination radiator and heated towel rail. I've obviously no idea where it came from or if such things are still available.

[krystalonetoo]

Presumably you intend to run both the radiator and the towel rail off your central heating system. There is no reason why you cannot do this but the question whether both would be necessary depends on the size of your bathroom. I find that a 1500x500 towel rail is sufficient to heat my 3mx3m bathroom but I have a high level electric fan heater to give additional heat when necessary. This is rarely used. One problem to bear in mind when you are running a towel rail off the central heating system (which my wife has made very clear to me) is that if you turn off your central heating in summer then you have no facilities to dry towels in the bathroom. Plumbworld (preferably their e-bay site) and others sell electric insert elements which allow a central heating towel rail to be electrically heated. They are also selling Helissa electric towel rails which have a timer fitted which may be an easier answer this problem. If the central eating is off then you simple turn the electric rail on for 15 mins to warm the towels.