What we’ll cover…
Choosing a bathroom radiator? This guide covers how to calculate heat output, compare fuel types, explore styles, colours, and storage options – and what sets radiators apart from towel rails when it comes to heating your bathroom.
Selecting the perfect bathroom radiator
Planning your dream bathroom but not sure how to choose the best radiator for your project?
We’ll take you through the five steps you should think about to help you find the perfect bathroom radiator or heated towel rail that meets your heat and style requirements.
Step 1: Work out your heat requirements
Just like with any other new radiator you choose for your home, the first thing you need to do is work out the heat requirements of the room where the radiator will live. In this case, the bathroom!
This job is easier than it might sound. Just head over to our BTU calculator, answer a few questions about your bathroom and the calculator will give you the total BTUs (British Thermal Units) required to keep the room a comfortable temperature. Generally speaking, the bigger the radiator, the higher the BTU output.
Your plumber should also be able to provide you with an accurate calculation of the BTU requirements.
Step 2: Choose gas or electric
Once you have your heating requirements, you can now decide whether you want a plumbed, electric or dual fuel radiator.
If you want fully integrated bathroom heating with a plumbed radiator, don’t forget to choose your radiator valves too! We offer a wide range of stylish minimal and ornate radiator valves to complement your bathroom decor, including thermostatic valves to help reduce your energy costs.
Electric radiators are very popular options for bathrooms since they operate independently from your central heating.
This means that even if you have the heating turned off in the summer, you can still enjoy a comfortable bathroom and warm towels without wasting energy heating your entire home.
If you’re unsure whether to go electric, dual fuel radiators are a great option since they offer the best of both. At the flick of a switch, dual fuel radiators can operate as an independent electric radiator, or part of your central heating system.
Step 3: Select your style
Now for the fun part! There are lots of different radiator styles to choose from, so try to narrow down your options by thinking about the overall look and feel you want to create in your bathroom.
If you are drawn to clean lines and minimal interiors, a modern ladder style heated towel rail or designer radiator will complement your bathroom aesthetic and bring a sense of contemporary simplicity.
For more of a cosy, traditional feel, mild steel column radiators and towel rails work beautifully in vintage-inspired bathrooms with traditional features like roll top baths and ornate basins.
When thinking about a radiator for your bathroom, most of us instantly think about a standard heated towel radiator.
But, space-saving vertical radiators and narrow low level radiators that utilise the under window wall space can also create beautiful decorative features and improve the function of the room.
Step 4: Think about storage
Once you have an idea whether you are looking for a modern or traditional bathroom radiator, the next thing you want to think about is how much storage you need to help the space function.
For maximum storage in busy family bathrooms, ladder style heated towel rails offer a larger surface area with multiple rails to hang several towels.
If style takes priority over storage, radiator accessories like hooks and rails provide additional space to hang robes and towels on vertical designer radiators, whilst still creating a modern minimal look.
Where storage is a must but wall space is limited, shelf style heated towel rails offer an extra surface to organise towels and keep them warm without overcrowding a small bathroom.
Step 5: Find your favourite finish
So you have decided on a design and you’ve got a sufficient amount of storage, now it’s time to choose the final detail, the finish!
Some people may decide to start at this step and reverse the process. But the last thing you want to do is get your heart set on a colour you love, only to then find out that these radiators don’t meet your functional needs like heat and storage.
When selecting your finish, think about how the colour will work with your bathroom fixtures and fittings and overall scheme. With so many beautiful bathroom radiator options now, it should be easy to find a finish that complements your interior style and helps you create a coherent look.
As well as classic chrome, you’ll find a collection of matt black, brushed brass, oil rubbed bronze and many more attractive colours to suit your dream bathroom.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is not essential to choose small towel rails for small bathrooms. In fact, you might find that larger towel radiators make for a better addition for a compact space; they can act as somewhat of a focal point and provide an eye-catching wall feature.
The likes of ladder style heated towel rails are a sizeable type that will offer ample storage room for towels in a busy but diminutive family bathroom, for instance. That said, there is no set rule, and provided a bathroom towel radiator offers an adequate heat output for what you want it to achieve, you can decide on a small, large or medium sized towel rail based largely on your own personal preference.
For a deeper insight, browse our blog, What are the best heated towel rails for small bathrooms?
Rust, unfortunately, is a common problem for bathroom radiators because the bathroom is an environment where this type of corrosion thrives!
The combination of metal and oxygen with water or air moisture causes a chemical reaction which forms rust.
So, combine a steamy bathroom with a hot metal radiator and damp towels and you’ve got all the ingredients for a rusty radiator or towel rail.
The good news is, external bathroom radiator rust can be easily removed with some white vinegar and a cloth. Regular cleaning with your usual bathroom products can also help prevent rust forming on your radiators by removing the moisture and bacteria.
The build up of sludge in your heating system can also cause the bathroom radiator to rust from the inside and create little holes which could turn into leaks.
If that is the case, your system may require a power flush.
For more information on how to combat radiator corrosion and rust, head to our guide, How To Combat Radiator Corrosion.
Towel rails and bathroom radiators are essentially the same and their names are often used interchangeably. They both serve the purpose of heating the bathroom.
However, towel rails are known for featuring a design element specifically to keep towels warm. This may be a ladder style construction or an overhanging rail to provide storage for towels.
Bathroom radiators may refer to any type of radiator that is installed in the bathroom. This is not limited to towel rails, but also may include horizontal and vertical radiators.
You can also turn a vertical bathroom radiator into a towel rail with additional accessories like detachable chrome towel hooks and rails.
Essentially, when selecting bathroom radiators, you should always scrutinize the size of the space they are to be installed in.
Choosing a bathroom radiator that is too big will look out of place, and place an unnecessary strain on energy bills.
On the flip side, fitting a bathroom radiator that isn’t large enough can leave you wanting for heat in the colder winter months, and potentially requiring an extra bathroom heat source such as a designer radiator.
Many heated towel rails will provide an adequate heat output to keep most bathroom spaces comfortably warm.
However, everything is relative to the size of the area – larger bathrooms might require an extra heating source to provide a sufficient BTU output.
As with any room, you can make use of our BTU Calculator to work out which heated towel rail design will be appropriate to heat your bathroom. Or, whether you also require the likes of radiators to provide extra warmth.
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Want more heated towel rail advice?
If you’re still not sure which heated towel rail to go for, take a look at our Expert Heated Towel Rail Buying Guide for more tips, advice and know-how on buying a heated towel rail.
Jess has a passion for interior design and wants to inspire people to look at radiators as home decor. She enjoys keeping on top of the latest design and heating trends to ensure the Advice Centre has all the information and inspiration homeowners need to make the best choice for them.
