Towel rads are cold

boardtc

We have 2 heated towel rails installed in our house, which has a heat pump (2015). They worked the first couple of years but I don't recall them working the last couple of years at least. We have radiators upstairs which have thermostatic radiator valves but nothing equivalent on the towel rails - the 2 knobs on either side don't seem to budge.

Any advice on how to get then working?

pm1977x

Have you tried bleeding them of air from the bleed valve on top?

boardtc

No, I never knew about that. The one on the right top has a head that looks like it takes a flat heard screwdriver. Do I turn clockwise, how much?

pm1977x

boardtc wrote: »

No, I never knew about that. The one on the right top has a head that looks like it takes a flat heard screwdriver. Do I turn clockwise, how much?

screwdriver might do it or a rad key from any hardware store, turn anti-clockwise until you hear air escaping, stop and wait for a trickle of water, you may need to open it up gradually until the trickle starts, soon as you see some water tighten it back up again.

If you open it up a lot and there's air but no sign of any water you might need to top up the water in your system through a valve near your boiler or via a filling loop, but make sure you know what's what before touching any valves, could be very dangerous otherwise.

edit: perhaps watch a tutorial on Youtube for how to bleed it, may help.

boardtc

Thanks @pm1977x, I had a gold key and it fitted, air and water came out of the main one like you described. I left it a couple of days and still cold, I bled again last night, only water came out. I sealed it straight away. It's still stone cold.

We have a heat pump so no boiler. Is the water for all rads are not fed centrally? We'll have to figure out this top up maybe...

In the ensuite the towel rack there now is hot in the bottom half and cold in the top after the first bleed, a 2nd one last night did not effect the top half?

listermint

boardtc wrote: »

Thanks @pm1977x, I had a gold key and it fitted, air and water came out of the main one like you described. I left it a couple of days and still cold, I bled again last night, only water came out. I sealed it straight away. It's still stone cold.

We have a heat pump so no boiler. Is the water for all rads are not fed centrally? We'll have to figure out this top up maybe...

In the ensuite the towel rack there now is hot in the bottom half and cold in the top after the first bleed, a 2nd one last night did not effect the top half?

Often what happens is the knob on the left of the radiator the lock shield valve is turned and closed by accident by homeowner or toddler. Which stops the water flowing through the rad.

Make sure that valve isnt fully closed, try opening it two turns.

Kimbot

boardtc wrote: »

Thanks @pm1977x, I had a gold key and it fitted, air and water came out of the main one like you described. I left it a couple of days and still cold, I bled again last night, only water came out. I sealed it straight away. It's still stone cold.

We have a heat pump so no boiler. Is the water for all rads are not fed centrally? We'll have to figure out this top up maybe...

In the ensuite the towel rack there now is hot in the bottom half and cold in the top after the first bleed, a 2nd one last night did not effect the top half?

The 2 knobs are flow control on the bottom of them, maybe your system needs to be flushed/balanced?

seamus

Doesn't sound like a bleed issue any more, sounds like a bit of rebalancing is in order.

It's a bit involved, but worth it in the end. Loads of videos and other tutorials online.

boardtc

listermint wrote: »

Often what happens is the knob on the left of the radiator the lock shield valve is turned and closed by accident by homeowner or toddler. Which stops the water flowing through the rad.

Make sure that valve isnt fully closed, try opening it two turns.

In the top picture both the knobs on the left and right at the bottom are immovable currently, I would not imagine they've ever been touched. I guess they can me moved just like stuck jars can be opened. They probably both need to be for this rebalancing needed....


The one I bled is on the top right. That's all the knobs I have identified....

Blondini

seamus wrote: »

Doesn't sound like a bleed issue any more, sounds like a bit of rebalancing is in order.

It's a bit involved, but worth it in the end. Loads of videos and other tutorials online.

This.

As a rough guide, the further from the pump/boiler the rad is, the more the lockshield needs to be open.

Alun

My plumber advised me, when bleeding our towel rad, to do it extremely slowly. If you open it right up, water flows rapidly up the vertical column the bleed valve is on and doesn't fill the horizontal pipes so the bleeding isn't very effective.

As for turning the valves, if they won't budge by hand, see if you can pop the silver covers off and you can then turn the shaft with a pair of pliers.