Heated Towel Rail

[Jonnny]

Looking for a little help here please I'm not very DIY, well.. I'll give it a go, but this is my first house so not got much practice so far!

It's a 2001 build, so not too old, has a Boilermate and a standard boiler. All of the radiators work, except the two heated towel rails in the bathroom and the en-suite.

I had thought the little white twisty knobs underneath weren't open but when turned they didn't seem to do much, pulled them off and they're pretty loose inside, so I suspected they weren't actually turning the valves at all.

Got some pliers on them and managed to open the left side until it turned freely, but just cannot turn the right side. Is this correct or could it be stuck shut? (Not sure why but maybe the previous owner wanted them off)

Few pictures to show what I'm talking about;



Managed to undo this one reasonably easy, and turns freely now.



This side is stuck shut, maybe a bigger pair of pliers needed?





I've tried bleeding it from this but a little air came out and then water so I assumed this is bled enough?



Thanks very much.

[dazwalsh]

Looks like you have rounded the head on the right valve, bigger pliers or better still vice grips make sure you are turning it ANTI clockwise.

Re: bleed valve if you have got all the air out then thats working as it should.

[CorradoTDI]

You sure they don't work off the hot water circuit rather than the CH

[Jonnny]

CorradoTDI said:

You sure they don't work off the hot water circuit rather than the CH

How would I find out?

Our hot water is on demand, if that makes a difference..

[Jonnny]

Trying to read about this online but can't seem to understand what type of system I've got, I assume these valves are 'Lockshield Valves'?

I'm assuming one pipe is inlet, one pipe is outlet? So both valves need to be open? I've got a bigger pair of pliers to try tonight.

Someone at work is suggesting the system could be shut off at the boiler? The boiler is downstairs in our kitchen but we also have a Boilermate in the airing cupboard upstairs.

The fact both towel rails aren't working would make me think they were turned off for whatever reason?

[CorradoTDI]

Ignore my suggestion above if it's on demand but as you say they could be on a separate loop and there maybe a service valve / lever valve somewhere - do both bathrooms back onto an airing cupboard or anything like that?

What about the pipe work up to the valves - does either side get warm / hot when the heating is on?

Locksheild valves are basically just normal radiator valves with a cap on them so once the system is balanced they can't be adjusted (without removing the cap)

[Jonnny]

Neither back onto the airing cupboard, one is mounted onto an internal bedroom wall and the other on a separating wall between our houses.

The pipe work doesn't get hot when the heating is on.

Tried a bigger pair of pliers to no effect, still cannot shift it. Although I've undone the nut 'behind' it, which undone freely and came completely off, no leak etc.

I've bled the system and cold water comes out the top.