How to replace/install a towel rail?
How to Replace & Install a Heated Towel Rail: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Upgrading an old, inefficient radiator to a stylish and practical heated towel rail is one of the most rewarding DIY projects you can undertake in your bathroom. It not only enhances the look of the room but also adds the year-round luxury of warm, dry towels. While it may seem like a complex plumbing job, replacing a like-for-like radiator is a very achievable task for a confident DIYer with the right tools and guidance.
This all-in-one guide from Company Blue will walk you through the entire process, from preparing for the job to admiring your handiwork. We'll cover the essential steps for safely removing your old radiator, correctly installing the new towel rail, and ensuring a perfect, leak-free finish. Let's get started on this transformative bathroom upgrade.
Safety & Preparation First: Don't Skip This Step!
Proper preparation is 90% of the job. Getting this right ensures a smooth, safe, and clean installation.
- CRITICAL SAFETY: Turn off your central heating system completely and allow all radiators to cool down for at least an hour. You do not want to work with hot water. For any electrical or dual fuel models, ensure the mains power to the bathroom is switched off at the consumer unit.
- Gather Your Tools: Get your complete toolkit ready. You'll need two adjustable spanners, a radiator bleed key, a bucket, plenty of old towels or dust sheets, a power drill with appropriate bits for your wall, a spirit level, a tape measure, a pencil, and PTFE tape.
- Protect Your Bathroom: Lay down your dust sheets or towels under the radiator and create a clear working area. This will protect your floor from any drips and spills.
Step 1: Draining Down the Radiator
You need to remove the water from the radiator before you can take it off the wall. The easiest way is to isolate it from the rest of your system.
- Close the Valves: On one side, turn the main control valve (the manual cap or TRV) fully clockwise to the 'off' position.
- Close the Lockshield Valve: On the other side, pull off the plastic cap of the lockshield valve. Using an adjustable spanner, turn the square spindle fully clockwise. Crucially, count the exact number of turns it takes to close it (e.g., "one and a half turns") and write it down. You'll need this later.
- Catch the Water: Place your bucket under the control valve. Grip the main valve body with one spanner to hold it steady. With your second spanner, slowly loosen the large nut that connects the valve to the radiator itself (the coupling nut).
- Bleed to Speed Up: As water starts to drip into the bucket, go to the top of the radiator and open the bleed valve with your bleed key. This allows air to enter and forces the water out much faster.
- Empty and Tighten: Once the radiator is empty, tighten the coupling nut again for now to stop any final drips.
Step 2: Removing the Old Radiator
With the water gone, it's time to get the old unit off the wall.
- Fully loosen and undo the coupling nuts on both the control valve and the lockshield valve.
- Gently tilt the radiator to ensure any last drops of dirty water go into your bucket, not on the floor.
- Lift the radiator upwards and away from its wall brackets. Be aware it can still be heavy and awkward, so ask for help if needed.
- Once removed, it's a good idea to temporarily stuff a rag into the open valve pipes to stop any debris from falling in.
Step 3: Preparing and Mounting the New Towel Rail
This is where precision matters. Your goal is to get the brackets perfectly positioned and level.
- Remove Old Brackets: Unscrew the old radiator brackets from the wall. You will almost certainly need to drill new holes for the towel rail.
- Measure and Mark: Check your new towel rail's instructions for the correct bracket positions. Hold the rail against the wall, use your spirit level to get it perfectly straight, and use your pencil to mark the exact points where you will drill for the new brackets. Double-check all your measurements.
- Drill and Fix Brackets: Using a pipe and cable detector to check for hidden hazards, drill the holes for your brackets. Use the correct drill bit and wall plugs for your wall type (e.g., heavy-duty plasterboard fixings for stud walls). Screw the new brackets securely to the wall.
- Prepare the Rail: Before hanging the rail, prepare its fittings. Screw the bleed valve and the blanking plug into the top two inlets. Then, take your new radiator tails (that came with your valves), wrap their main threads with PTFE tape (5-7 wraps clockwise), and screw them into the bottom two inlets.
Step 4: Connecting the Plumbing
Now you connect your new towel rail to the central heating system.
- Hang the Towel Rail: Securely mount your new towel rail onto its wall brackets.
- Connect the Valves: Attach your new radiator valves to the radiator tails you just fitted. Ensure the olive is in place inside the coupling nut and tighten it firmly using the two-spanner method (one to hold the valve, one to tighten the nut) to create a watertight seal.
- Connect to Pipework: Now, connect the other side of the valves to your existing pipework. If you're lucky, they will line up perfectly. If not, your pipework may need adjusting. For minor adjustments, you can use flexible radiator tails, but for anything more, it's best to consult a plumber. Tighten these nuts firmly.
Step 5: Refilling, Bleeding, and Final Checks
This is the final and most important stage: bringing your new towel rail to life.
- Refill the System: Go back to the valves. Open the control valve fully (anti-clockwise). Then, open the lockshield valve by the exact same number of turns you wrote down earlier.
- Check Boiler Pressure: The pressure in your system will have dropped. Go to your boiler and use the filling loop to top up the pressure to the recommended level (usually 1.5 bar on the gauge).
- Bleed the New Rail: Your new towel rail is now full of air. You must bleed it using your bleed key, as described earlier. Keep bleeding until all the hissing stops and a steady stream of water emerges. Re-check the boiler pressure and top up again if needed.
- THE FINAL LEAK TEST: This is crucial. Before turning the heating on, meticulously check every new joint you have made with a dry piece of kitchen roll. Check around the tails, the valve nuts, and the pipe connections. If you find any moisture at all, you must tighten the connection further.
- Power Up and Enjoy: Once you are 100% confident there are no leaks, turn your central heating on. Your new towel rail should now begin to heat up beautifully.
FAQ: Your Towel Rail Installation Questions
Here are our answers to the most common questions that arise during installation.
My new towel rail's pipe centres don't match my old pipes. What do I do?
This is a very common issue. If the difference is small, you may have enough play in the copper pipes to gently guide them into place. For larger differences, you can buy special 'offset' or 'extension' radiator tails. However, for a neat and professional finish, the best solution is to have a plumber alter the pipework to fit perfectly.
What do I do if I find a leak after refilling?
Don't panic. Isolate the radiator again by closing both valves. The most common cause is a coupling nut that isn't tight enough, so try giving it a gentle quarter-turn. If it's leaking from a thread (like where the tail enters the rail), you will need to drain the rail and remake the joint with fresh PTFE tape.
I've finished, but the towel rail is only hot at the bottom. What's wrong?
This is the classic sign of trapped air. Even if you bled it once, more air might have moved through the system. Turn the heating off, wait 10 minutes, and then bleed the radiator again until all the hissing stops. You may need to do this a couple of times to clear all the air.
What is a 'lockshield' valve and why is it important to count the turns?
The lockshield valve is used to 'balance' your heating system, ensuring all radiators get a fair share of hot water. By closing it and reopening it by the exact same amount, you are returning it to its previous balanced state, which should prevent your new towel rail from stealing too much heat from other radiators in the house.
When should I absolutely call a professional plumber?
You should call a plumber if you are not 100% confident at any stage, if your pipework needs significant alteration, if you have a leak that you cannot fix by simple tightening, or if you need to drain the entire central heating system and not just one radiator. Their expertise will save you time and prevent costly water damage.
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