Fitting a new radiator - easy?!

janninew

Hi All,

I want a new radiator fitting in my shower room, I currently have just a normal wall radiator and want it replacing with a towel radiator.

Is it an easy job to change them over, or would it require a plumber?

Just to add it will be my husband doing it, he is quite handy at DIY at home, but has never taken off or replaced a radiator before.

Thanks.
Janninew

LEJC

Im not trying to put you off the "towel radiator"....but you do realise that you probably wont get anywhere near the same heat from it as you do from the existing white radiator you have

I assume you mean you want a heated towel rail....and thats really what they are,good enough to dry a damp or wet towel but not a primary source of heating in a bathroom in my opinion...ive got one in my kitchen...it warms the tea towels a treat but does nothing to heat the room!

That aside,it will also depend on the size of the radiator that you are taking out of the bathroom and where the pipes for it are...if both the old and the new are the same size then its not too complicated a Job for diy...my husband has managed it a few times...but if the radiator is a different size then you might want to think about getting a plummer to do it for you.

southcoastrgi

the pipe centers won't be the same 600mm towel rail = 570mm pipe centers, 600mm rad = 675mm pipe centers

Stooby2

LEJC I'm not sure if you've looked at all the different towel radiators - we have one that pumps out so much heat (wet heating system) I have to barely crack the valve on it. It's very similar to this..

http://www.screwfix.com/p/flat-ladder-towel-radiator-chrome-400-x-700mm-176w-601btu/26726

Jannine - as mentioned above, the wall radiator has valves that enter horizontally, whereas the towel rails (like the one above) tend to enter vertically at the bottom, so at least you will probably have to change the valves and it may mean moving the pipes - which is a heating drain-down job. And best suited to a plumber.

Nothing's ever simple!

Kernel_Sanders

LEJC wrote: »

... from the existing white radiator you have.

How can you be sure it is white?

Why not just get one of those drying frames that hang off the top of the rad?

missile

I have changed rad before and it is not too difficult, but last time, I got a plumber and he did it so much quicker than I could.

I would suggest get a quote and if not too expensive you could save hubby the hassle.