Heated towel rails: central heating, electric and dual fuel

A heated towel rail, also sold as a towel radiator, is a radiator shaped for hanging towels. It can be heated by the central heating, by electricity, or by both. Which kind you have explains why it is cold in summer, why it barely warms the bathroom, and who should work on it.

Three kinds of towel rail

Central heating (plumbed) towel rail. It works like any other radiator. Hot water from the heating system flows through it, controlled by a valve at each end. It is only warm when the heating is on.

Electric-only towel rail. It is not connected to the pipes at all. It is heated by an electric element, either sealed inside a fluid-filled rail or in a "dry" rail, and is wired into the electrical supply. It can run whenever you want, regardless of the heating.

Dual fuel towel rail. A plumbed rail that also has an electric element. It is usually fitted with a T-piece at the bottom so the element and the heating connection share one end. The heating warms it in winter, and the element can warm it when the heating is off. Wickes's listing for the Towelrads Horton below, for example, says it "can be made dual fuel".

Why towel rails feel cooler than radiators

Towel rails generally give out less heat than a radiator of a similar size, because there is less metal and surface. The towels themselves block some of the heat. Makers publish a heat output, usually in watts and BTU/h at a stated test condition. For example, Wickes lists the Kudox 750 x 500mm chrome rail below at 228 W and the Towelrads Horton 1200 x 500mm chrome rail at 263 W. The Kudox figure is quoted at Delta T50; the Horton listing does not state its test condition. Compare like with like, and ask a heating engineer if the rail is meant to be the room's only heat source.

A towel rail that will not heat up

For a central heating towel rail, the usual radiator checks apply:

1. Is the heating on? A plumbed rail is cold whenever the heating is off, including in summer on many systems.
2. Are both valves open? Check the TRV or wheel head, and that the lockshield has not been closed.
3. Warm at the bottom but cold at the top? That is usually air. Towel rails have a bleed valve, often at the top of one side. See bleeding and balancing radiators.
4. Only lukewarm when everything else is hot? It may need balancing, or a stuck TRV pin. See radiator valves and TRVs.

For an electric or dual fuel element, check the switch or spur and any timer or controller. If it still does not heat, call a qualified electrician. Do not open the element housing or its connection box.

Anything to do with the boiler is for a Gas Safe registered engineer if your boiler is gas.

Connecting a towel rail to the heating

Swapping a radiator for a plumbed towel rail, or replacing an old towel rail, is radiator work. It is commonly done by householders who are confident with compression fittings, and it follows the same pattern as changing a radiator valve:

• the heating has to be off and cool, and the rail has to be isolated or the system drained down;
• on a sealed system, the system then has to be refilled and repressurised following the boiler maker's user instructions. On an open vented system the loft feed refills it. See radiator valves and TRVs for the stop points;
• the new rail's pipe centres (the distance between the two connections) and the valve style need to suit the existing pipes. Pipes up from the floor usually suit angled valves. Pipes out of the wall usually suit straight valves;
• bleed the rail after refilling, and check every joint for weeps over the next day.

Stop and call a plumber or heating engineer if the old valves or tails are seized, a joint will not seal, the pipes need moving, you do not know how your system is filled, or the pressure keeps dropping afterwards. Our guide to push-fit, compression and soldered joints explains the joint types.

Electric elements are electrical work

An electric or dual fuel element is a fixed electrical appliance in a bathroom. That is a special location for electrical safety. Fitting an element, or the wiring to a spur or controller, is a job for a qualified electrician. In England, electrical work in homes falls under Part P of the Building Regulations, and some work has to be notified. Approved Document P on GOV.UK explains when. In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, check the rules where you live. We do not give wiring instructions.

On a dual fuel rail, the element and the heating usually share the water in the rail. Follow the rail maker's and the element maker's instructions about valve settings when the element is in use, and have the electrician confirm the set-up.

Towel rails and valves at Wickes

We haven't tested this. Figures are as the maker states them (checked 13 November 2026).

Why is my towel rail cold in summer?

A plumbed towel rail only heats when the central heating runs. On many systems the heating is off all summer. A dual fuel rail with an electric element, fitted by an electrician, is one way round this.

Can I put a TRV on a towel rail?

Often, yes, if the valve suits the pipe layout and the rail's connections. On a dual fuel rail, check the element maker's instructions about valve settings. If the bathroom has the room thermostat for the whole house, ask a heating engineer first.

Can I fit an electric element to my plumbed towel rail myself?

The plumbing part may be within reach of a confident DIYer, but the electrical connection in a bathroom is a job for a qualified electrician. Part P may apply.