How to choose the right size radiator for your bathroom

The family bathroom has become intrinsic to any house in the UK now and with the advent of different furniture and ways to shower it is no wonder that heating this important room has changed as well. There is no point in spending thousands on your rain shower or roll top bath if you are freezing when you get out! Therefore, today bathroom radiators are not just something attached to a wall, there are a wide selection of designer radiators available to help the bathroom look great. In terms of bathroom accessories that really make a different to your own personal comfort and the overall appearance of the bathroom or wet room, then a bathroom towel rail is hard to beat. A lot of times when it comes to bathroom design, the humble bathroom radiator is overlooked and the last thing on the list of things to consider when designing a new bathroom or having a bathroom suite installed. Often, bathroom lighting, vanity units, shower trays and the shower heads all come higher up on the shopping list than the heating radiators. Here at Columnrads we have moved with the times and now offer different finishes and styles of rads to compliment your chosen décor. Not everyone has the budget to spend lots on a bathroom but a simple edition of a coloured towel radiator (also known as a heated towel rail) can make even the simplest of bathrooms take on a luxury feel. However, for that clean look it is hard to beat a chrome or stainless steel radiator in the bathroom.

Revive Compact Radiators

These are functional rads and fully enclosed so make a simple statement and heat the room according to the output required. Compact convector rads generally will heat the room as required because they are the most efficient radiator. Unfortunately for designer rads they do not often have a great output.  To find the right size use our radiator calculator and determine what you can fit in. If you are limited by width then often going for a taller rad, 750mm high will give you more output. Compact rads come in single convector, double panel convector and double panel double convector.

Revive Towel Rails

Revive towel rails – These vertical radiators were originally manufactured for bathrooms but are now used in kitchens and utility rooms. Their sole function is to hang towels and allow you to have dry, warm towels after you exit your rain shower. We do not offer a myriad of style here as the most popular type of towel rail is the ladder type. We have then added colours to match tastes that are now required. At the moment the traffic red is the most popular and this makes a funky statement in a possibly contemporary bathroom. With regards to choosing the best size it is always best to fit the biggest one possible due to the fact that as soon as you cover the rad it reduces the output. Ladder rails are less powerful than convector rads and actually white towel rails give the best output.

Revive Column Radiators

These column radiators have become really popular to be used in a bathroom because they not only look great but give a good output. The most used range are the vertical type in either two column or three column and can be used in various finishes like white, jet black, grey aluminium, raw metal and hammered gold. Although you cannot put towels on column rads please watch this space as we have some exciting new accessories that will be available in the next few months. With regards to output column rads offer really good options as they come in two and three column and in different heights up to 2000m.

Things to Consider

For some designer towel radiators, the valves are included. However, for some that take on a more traditional appearance, you may need to purchase radiator valves separately. Another option for the bathroom if you're looking to heat the bathroom with a multi-radiator approach is to consider underfloor heating. This can be great to walk on especially with bare feet. Ultimately most people opt for a towel radiator too, since this is a great way to dry towels. Also many people decide to opt for an electric towel radiator, instead of one that is plumbed in, especially if the towel rail is only used for drying purposes and not heating the room. In these circumstances a dual fuel approach works well. It should be noted that in the UK, when using electric radiators all the time, these are less efficient than those found in your wet central heating system that uses traditional radiators so for heating the room, we'd advise against it unless you have no other option. However, if space is limited then a small electric flat panel radiator may be a good option, to heat the room, if it is designed for bathroom use. Generally you can't dry towels on this type of radiator. Ultimate the heat output from the radiator is based on the size and power of the radiator itself, so the smaller the radiator it is, the less heat it will likely be able to produce since the heating elements will be smaller. The size of the radiator is important too from a designer radiator perspective. It might be nice to have a cast iron radiator installed in the bathroom, because they look good, but do consider whether it fits in your bathroom. This might be perfect in a large bathroom, but in a smaller room, then you may want to install a more compact bathroom radiator or towel rail to avoid making contact with it, and burning yourself when you get out of the bath or shower. A designer radiator can quickly become an unwelcome addition after you have bumped into it a few times! This happens when bath panels or the shower enclosure is too close to the radiator itself, not giving you enough room to move. Save the large cast iron radiator for the living room. Also consider smart home technology. Smart heating can be installed to turn on your radiators at specific times of the day. Modern heating controls can be used to save money and be more convenient to use especially when it can control all your central heating radiators together to give you both hot water, and a hot radiator at the same time. Smart home technology can be a little daunting at first, but if you're looking to install it in your home and have questions our customer service team can help provide you with the best solution for you.