Bathroom heating?
Discussion
I need to sort out some form of heating for our bathroom in the near future and currently am unsure what to do.
We wanted a heated towel rail anyway, so my thought was to get a decent big one and use that as both the radiator and the towel rail. Question is, will having towels hanging off it stifle its ability to produce heat?
Or should I be looking at a small radiator and a seperate (electric) towel rail?
We wanted a heated towel rail anyway, so my thought was to get a decent big one and use that as both the radiator and the towel rail. Question is, will having towels hanging off it stifle its ability to produce heat?
Or should I be looking at a small radiator and a seperate (electric) towel rail?
We have a large bathroom and one big towel rail more than adequate.
Bought it from this company www.PlumbCallDirect.co.uk would recommend.
Bought it from this company www.PlumbCallDirect.co.uk would recommend.
Underfloor heating laid under ceramic tile
Very thin wire laid on the floor, easy to install, costs very little to run, is silent, and doesnt need to be on for long as ceramic holds the heat in for ages.
It also quickly dries up any spilt water.
Try a company called warmup.
Available from most places, but shop around and let me know- i have a mate who has a tiling business and will try to beat a price for you.
Very thin wire laid on the floor, easy to install, costs very little to run, is silent, and doesnt need to be on for long as ceramic holds the heat in for ages.
It also quickly dries up any spilt water.
Try a company called warmup.
Available from most places, but shop around and let me know- i have a mate who has a tiling business and will try to beat a price for you.
My initial thought was a bigger towel rail, its only going to have 2, maximum 3 towels on it, so not exactly swamped...
Underfloor heating isn't really an option, ground floor bathroom (stupid old house), need access to 2 sewer covers that run under the bathroom floor, and tiled in slate flagstones (creative tiling around said covers).
The bathroom is an all round PITA unfortunately
Underfloor heating isn't really an option, ground floor bathroom (stupid old house), need access to 2 sewer covers that run under the bathroom floor, and tiled in slate flagstones (creative tiling around said covers).
The bathroom is an all round PITA unfortunately

-C- said:
Here's part of our issue, single pane windows, with no scope for double glazing (listed property) So not very effective.
Bathroom is about 7 x 14.
Can you not install sliding (aluminium) windows behind the pane windows? Or perhaps improve the existing windows. I have electic underfloor heating which is more efficient that i expected - as it seems to have the desired effect even if i set it at 20-25C.Bathroom is about 7 x 14.
Edited by fido on Tuesday 10th November 11:48
I bought one of these...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HEATED-Traditional-Chrome-To...
... which allows you to hang a towel without it smothering the radiator and stopping it heat the room. Ours projects about 30cm, but they do smaller ones.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HEATED-Traditional-Chrome-To...
... which allows you to hang a towel without it smothering the radiator and stopping it heat the room. Ours projects about 30cm, but they do smaller ones.
fido said:
-C- said:
Here's part of our issue, single pane windows, with no scope for double glazing (listed property) So not very effective.
Bathroom is about 7 x 14.
Can you not install sliding (aluminium) windows behind the pane windows? Or perhaps improve the existing windows.Bathroom is about 7 x 14.
Our house is old but fortunately not listed. Hope your place only has the outside listed!
Hanging towels on a towel rail only really slows the heat, it obviously doesn't destroy it... 
But for the difference in price I'd just fit a bigger one.
As a matter of interest, I wouldn't fit electric underfloor heating unless I had no serious alternative, I've known too many people lose an element or two and then you're stuffed... Cold floor.

But for the difference in price I'd just fit a bigger one.
As a matter of interest, I wouldn't fit electric underfloor heating unless I had no serious alternative, I've known too many people lose an element or two and then you're stuffed... Cold floor.
-C- said:
Here's part of our issue, single pane windows, with no scope for double glazing (listed property) So not very effective.
Bathroom is about 7 x 14.
Not strictly true, but it can be a battle and entirely depends on the level of listing that your property has. See www.slimliteglass.co.uk. These items can be placed in window casements with narrower than usual (for standard double glazed panes) cross bars.. I (finally) got a local planning authority to agree to allow a client's listed building to fit double glazed units, but it did require 1:20 sized drawings and everything had to be detailed and noted.Bathroom is about 7 x 14.
ETA : of course they are not cheap and are the panes of glass only.. Making a window in addition to that costs more on top as well.. but it can be done.
Edited by eps on Thursday 12th November 11:49
Is this the stuff I saw not long ago on Grand Designs?
From memory its thin enough to be nigh on undetectable, but as you say is a normal double glazing panel?
Do you happen to know how much it costs? Obviously its something that would involve a long, protracted and ultimately pointless jumping through hoops exercise with the LA which I would like to avoid at all costs really, but if its a resonable cost, its something we could consider when replacing (other) windows.
From memory its thin enough to be nigh on undetectable, but as you say is a normal double glazing panel?
Do you happen to know how much it costs? Obviously its something that would involve a long, protracted and ultimately pointless jumping through hoops exercise with the LA which I would like to avoid at all costs really, but if its a resonable cost, its something we could consider when replacing (other) windows.
-C- said:
Is this the stuff I saw not long ago on Grand Designs?
From memory its thin enough to be nigh on undetectable, but as you say is a normal double glazing panel?
Do you happen to know how much it costs? Obviously its something that would involve a long, protracted and ultimately pointless jumping through hoops exercise with the LA which I would like to avoid at all costs really, but if its a resonable cost, its something we could consider when replacing (other) windows.
I believe it has featured on Grand Designs.From memory its thin enough to be nigh on undetectable, but as you say is a normal double glazing panel?
Do you happen to know how much it costs? Obviously its something that would involve a long, protracted and ultimately pointless jumping through hoops exercise with the LA which I would like to avoid at all costs really, but if its a resonable cost, its something we could consider when replacing (other) windows.
It's not too tough to get the Conservation Officer to agree to it, but it does need some careful attention and a drawing which must be religiously stuck to.
The cost will depend on the pane size, but they can be around £35 per pane (400mm by 300mm sized pane with a 4mm cavity) plus carriage of about £40.. So quite high. The company are based in Scotland and I am trying to see if a company more local which deal with them on a regular basis would be able to supply them at a lower cost, or possibly lower delivery charge at the very least. VAT is on top of course..
If I were you I'd send them an email or their online form, with quantities and pane size(s) and the cavity you require and see what they come back with.. I gave them a call and got an estimate over the phone.
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