When it comes to choosing your bathroom heating, there are a whole host of decisions and choices to be made to ensure you get the right heating system for your own specific bathroom. Once you have decided on a heating system for this space, like it or not; there are a handful of other fittings you’ll need to purchase alongside the system itself.

But don’t fear, there’s help on hand – indeed, to help you choose the right fittings to complete your heating system (and your dream bathroom completed by the perfect bathroom radiators), below you’ll discover simply all the information you need thanks to our following guide…

Westminster Crosshead Angled Manual Chrome Valve Set

 

Valves

The types of valves needed depend on the type of central heating radiator chosen, the location and whether or not a thermostat control is required. Electric radiators do not require valves. For a bathroom radiator or heated towel rail which has side valve connections, angled radiator valves will be needed. A heater which has underside connections will use angled valves where the pipework comes from the wall, and straight valves where the pipework comes from the floor.

Manual valves

Manual valves are usually smaller and more discreet than thermostatic valves, taking up less space and offering a cleaner decorative finish. As the name suggests, the temperature is adjusted manually, and as such, there is no automated device that switches the system on and off. In bathrooms where aesthetics are more important than convenience, manual valves are usually the best option.

Thermostatic radiator valves

Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) allow the heating system to be controlled automatically, adjusting the temperature of the radiator according to the current temperature of the room. This makes the radiators more cost-effective as the radiator will only heat up when required.

Because a thermostat takes into account the current temperature of the room, it doesn’t warm up unnecessarily, and will take advantage of heat from sunlight. In bathrooms which have a room thermostat controlling the boiler, a thermostatic valve is not required.

Thermostatic valves are the most energy efficient option, making the radiator more environmentally friendly as well as inexpensive to run. However, by design, thermostatic valves tend to be bulkier in appearance than manual valves, which might make them a less viable option for smaller spaces or contemporary bathrooms where the overall design calls for clean lines.

Additional fittings

There are certain accessories and fittings which, while not a requirement for a bathroom heating solution, can make it more energy efficient. In cases where a heated towel radiator is used as the sole or main heat source, external towel rails or rings prevent the heat from being absorbed wholly into the towels, keeping the bathroom as warm as the fluffy towels. Plus, in addition to the likes of clip-on towel rails, there are also a whole range of different robe hooks, vents, brackets and even pipe-sleeves that can help make bare-pipework a bit more bearable to look at by ensuring this perhaps unsightly by necessary radiator fixture appears a little more discrete than it otherwise would.

Moreover, where underfloor heating might be installed under a timber floor (should you decide to go that heating route instead of via gas-centrally-heated or electric radiators), the skirting board or trim will be needed to cover the expansion gap around the edge of the room. Your installer will be able to advise you further about this.