New towel radiator help please

[Taryn Hauritz]

Hi everyone,

The guys who put in my new combi boiler and radiators have left a hot and cold pipe in the bathroom ready for me to plumb-in my new towel radiator. They both have isolator valves (phew), so I'm assuming that connecting them up to the new radiator should be pretty straight forward.

Only thing is that I can't find anything on the Internet which explains how to arrange the plumbing for a new towel radiator as all the YouTube videos just show you connecting one to existing pipes.

Is it as simple as connecting each of the radiator valves to the pipes, so one is hot and one is cold? Does it matter which is left or right?

Thanks a lot!

N.B. If you want to post "get a proper plumber in" as a response, please don't bother. I'm here to learn and would appreciate actual advice.

 

[townfanjon]

Lol, to your last paragraph .

But this potentially might not be as easy as you think , simply put one of the existing pipes is a flow (to the rad ) the other is the return (going back to the boiler ) if its a basic towel rail it doesnt matter which goes where .
The problem you may have is positioning the rad in relation to the valves, it has to be spot on , dont force the pipes to the rad. If they have left you plastic pipes (Pffttttt ) it will be slightly easier.
Get ready for the fun to start lol

 

[Taryn Hauritz]

That's perfect, thanks so much. I added a bit of plastic piping already for that very issue! I'd had a similar problem when I fitted the bath.

Much appreciated,

Taryn

 

[AMW]

Do you mean flow/return not hot/cold as you don't want to be connecting hot/cold pipe work to the heating system towel rail

 

[Taryn Hauritz]

Hmmm...I don't know. They're the two pipes that were left for me from when they took the old radiator out, so I assume it's flow/return but I've not worked with radiators before so when I touched the pipes one was cold and one was hot ...so that's what I called it!

 

[AMW]

The hot pipe would be the flow and the cold one the return but because they are not yet connected to your t/rail they cannot circulate therefore there is a temperature difference between the pipes.

 

[Taryn Hauritz]

Ah ha! Light bulb moment. I was trying to compare to my other towel radiator and got confused as they were both warm/hot. Thanks!

 

[Best]

I think you should get a proper plumber. :smile:
When you say isolator valves, do you mean proper radiator valves, or the valves with a slotted screw turn off? Good luck with them

 

[Taryn Hauritz]

Very funny!

Good news is it's all now connected and nice and hot. I just need to add a bit more PTFE tape to stop a tiny leak...but shouldn't be too hard to resolve. Job for Sunday!

 

[gassafe]

Very funny!

Good news is it's all now connected and nice and hot. I just need to add a bit more PTFE tape to stop a tiny leak...but shouldn't be too hard to resolve. Job for Sunday!

On the inlet to the towel radiator I bet!

The threads on towel rails are really bad, only 2 or 3 threads compared to a normal rad that has much more depth to get a seal on! I find loctite cord good for this, if there not tight in the rad then they unscrew as you tighten the valve onto it!!

 

[Worcester]

And you did put sleeves / inserts in the plastic pipe didn't you

 

[lame plumber]

give it a year and the post will read, "how do I replace a leaking isolation valve, dribbling out of the screw head"

 

[Best]

give it a year and the post will read, "how do I replace a leaking isolation valve, dribbling out of the screw head"

I note the OP didn't answer my question of what the isolation valve type was. :smile:
Still, didn't need a proper plumber.

 

[Riley]

I bet slot type isos. Will look terrible and will leak in time

 

[Best]

I bet slot type isos. Will look terrible and will leak in time

I have no idea why anyone fits them on heating pipes, especially coming up to rads.
Except that it suits the idiots to stick an isolating valve on when draining systems or moving pipes back.
People are oblivious to the fact that they are not for heating, are very restrictive for flow and will leak.

 

[gassafe]

Very true they restrict flow & don't look that good but Iv seen plenty on central heat systems, Iv only seen them leak once they've been isolated after a long time... But then they leak on hot & cold pipes after being touched & also restrict flow there so no big difference...

 

[harrygashull]

IMO if you are asking simple questions like this then you shouldn't be trying.

contact a pro.

 

[oz-plumber]

IMO if you are asking simple questions like this then you shouldn't be trying.

Hey Harry,

This isn't the simplest question she has asked !!

And besides...between the UKPF and its helpful members and Youtube she has managed to plumb most of her house.

If she had legal problems to the same extent as her plumbing problems, she would have been charged for advice off a lawyer.

But that is the main difference between Plumbers and Lawyers.

Lawyers charge for giving advice to people according to their knowledge, experience and expertise.

Plumbers just give it away to anyone - free of charge.

 

[WHPES]

Boss white and hemp for heated towel radiators tails every time. Never leak!

 

[gassafe]

Boss white and hemp for heated towel radiators tails every time. Never leak!

Screw that... I ain't using dirty old hemp again! Surely you've heard of loctite 55 cord lol