Bathroom radiators
Bathroom Radiators for British Homes
A British bathroom has one problem most rooms do not. It produces moisture every day and offers less usable wall space for effective heat distribution than any other room in the house. In older properties, particularly those without mechanical extraction, that combination means condensation on the mirror and damp behind the tiles. The room never quite dries out. In these conditions, a radiator is not just about comfort; it is doing active work to protect the fabric of the building.
Our bathroom radiators are built for that daily load. Standard thin-walled rails rarely provide the BTU output required to properly dry the space. Moisture will not clear without sufficient heat. In bathrooms with a single external wall or limited ventilation, the shortfall in heat delivery leads to persistent damp within weeks. Where wall space is limited, a vertical towel radiator uses height to deliver warmth without occupying the floor area needed for a basin or bath panel. To ensure longevity in high-humidity environments, our units feature a heavy-duty, powder-coated or stainless steel finish to prevent corrosion. Every unit is built to order to suit your existing pipework—no awkward extensions or unnecessary alterations to your tiling. Few rooms place greater demands on a radiator than the bathroom. When it is correctly sized for the load, performance follows.
My bathroom has no window. Will a radiator help with the damp?
It will help, but it cannot work alone. A windowless room relies on mechanical extraction to remove moisture, but a radiator is required to raise the surface temperature of walls and tiles above the dew point. Without sufficient heat, moisture in the air will condense onto the coldest surfaces. The radiator and the extractor must work together; neither is sufficient on its own.
Can I use a towel radiator independently from the central heating?
Yes, by specifying a dual-fuel model. This is particularly useful in the UK, where you may face a cold bathroom at 6am in February before the main heating timer fires. A dual-fuel unit connects to the central heating but includes a separate electric element, allowing you to provide heat to the room and dry towels during the summer or early morning when the boiler is off.
How do I know if my bathroom radiator is big enough?
A common mistake is sizing for floor area alone. Many standard UK bathrooms of 4–6m² require in the region of 900–1,500 BTU to maintain a temperature that keeps condensation off the walls. If the output is below this range, you are merely warming the air without actually drying the room. The calculation must account for external walls, ceiling height, and mechanical extraction.
Will a towel radiator actually dry towels, or just warm them?
This depends on the BTU output. A low-output decorative rail will warm a towel but leave it damp, adding to the moisture load of the room every day. A correctly sized specialist unit will dry a bath towel completely between uses. This is the practical difference between a rail chosen for appearance and one specified for heat performance.
Where is the best place to install a bathroom radiator?
Ideally opposite or adjacent to the coldest surface, usually the external wall. Placing a radiator directly behind a bath panel is inefficient, as the heat is absorbed by the panel rather than circulating into the room. In narrow British bathrooms, a vertical radiator on the end wall opposite the door often provides the most effective heat distribution as warm air rises and circulates.
Can I match the radiator to my bathroom tiles?
Yes. We offer over 200 RAL colours as standard, included in the price rather than charged as an upgrade. Whether you are working with classic metro white, deep encaustic patterns, or anthracite stone, we can specify a finish that reads as part of the room rather than an addition to it. Most customers reference a RAL code directly to ensure an exact match.
How long should a bathroom radiator last?
A well-specified bathroom radiator can last 15–20 years. The main failure point is the finish, not the mechanics. Units with poor-quality coatings can begin to blister within a few years of daily steam exposure, particularly around weld points. Our powder-coated and stainless steel finishes are rated for continuous humidity. The design life is considerably longer than the guarantee period.