Nowadays there are plenty of heated towel rail designs available. Yet, many are uncertain about how effective these are compared to radiators. So, choosing the right heating option here can be time-consuming, but as the UK continues to face rising energy bills, the right choice may well help financially.
We’ve been selling radiators and heated towel rails for many years, so we understand that not one size fits all and that some bathrooms may be suited to one choice over the other. Here we offer some swift advice to help you decide whether a radiator or a heated towel rail is the best bathroom fixture.
Can a Heated Towel Rail Replace a Radiator?
Is it possible to eliminate radiators and install heated towel rails instead? There are a few reasons to ponder this question. Radiators are certainly the bulkier of fixtures, especially when compared to heated towel rails. What’s more, heated towel rails come in an assortment of sizes, shapes and styles, whereas radiators offer less scope for creativity!
The answer is yes, but only provided you have a small to medium-sized bathroom. The design of a heated towel rail means it will only heat a specific area of the room. Thus, if your bathroom is larger, it may not be adequate to provide full coverage. In this case, a heated towel rail could complement your current radiator.
How Much Heat Does a Heated Towel Rail Emit?
An important factor to consider if you’re looking to replace your radiator with a heated towel rail is the BTU. This refers to the British Thermal Unit and simply measures the units of heat offered by a heated towel rail. As a general guide, the larger the towel rail, the higher the BTU output. You can learn more about BTUs in our blog post.
What are the Differences Between Radiators and Heated Towel Rails?
To work out their ability to effectively heat your bathroom, it’s worth understanding the differences between each fixture.
A radiator is an optional method when heating a bathroom. Providing a larger surface, it’s purposely designed to heat the room itself. By filling up with a large amount of hot water, a radiator provides greater heat output. Working from the home’s central heating system, radiators throw out enough heat to warm the entire room, eliminating cold spaces if the bathroom’s correctly insulated.
A heated towel rail is not primarily concerned with heating the room. Instead, its role is to warm and heat bathroom towels placed on it. Though it heats up quicker than a radiator, due to its reduced surface area, it will only be the space close by that benefits from this warmth. So, a heated towel rail works to make the area more comfortable and cosier.
Heated towel rails advantages
- Space saving.
- Offer fantastic design choices.
- Can be installed off the floor.
- Allow for more installation possibilities.
- Heat up swiftly.
- Can be turned off over the hot summer months.
- An eco-friendlier choice as opposed to gas.
- Provides an additional storage solution.
- Ideal for ensuites and small bathrooms
- Prevents damp towels.
Radiators advantages
- Provide full coverage in the room.
- Require little maintenance.
- Offer greater warmth over the winter months.
- Can be controlled via the thermostat.
- Help keep the air and bathroom environment dry preventing dampness from building.
- Offer full comfort to all users.
- Ideal for large bathrooms.
What is Best: A Heated Towel Rail or Radiator in a Bathroom?
Overall, whether you select a radiator or heated towel rail will depend on both personal preference and what you’re trying to achieve with either fixture. The key element here is how you’re intending to use your radiator or heated towel rail. Ultimately, you could even combine the two for the penultimate luxury bathroom designs.
