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towel radiators, yes or no ?

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  • 30-07-2015 1:50pm
    #1
    thebackbar
    Registered Users Posts: 462 ✭✭


    Hello,

    I'm building a house with underfloor heating upstairs and downstairs, with an air to water system.

    From talking to my plumber it doesn't seem as though towel radiators will fit in neatly with this setup.

    My questions
    - > Is it worth having towel radiators in the bathrooms ?
    - > How should they be configured in a system using under floor heating ?

    thanks


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    #2
    Strolling Bones
    Registered Users Posts: 615 ✭✭✭Strolling Bones


    Your plumber is correct. UFH pipes run water at 30/40 degrees - rads at 50/60.

    So if you tack rads of any sort onto your system they will never feel warm enough.


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    #3
    delfagio
    Registered Users Posts: 376 ✭✭delfagio


    Is it for the look or for the heat that you want towel rads???

    I have the same set up as you. I have UFH both upstairs and downstairs.

    I like the look of the towel rads on the walls so I am just installing them onto the walls in the bathroom and downstairs toilet. Just obviously for the look and function of hanging towels on. Other than that they wont be any heat from them.

    Just an idea.


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    #4
    baby builder
    Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭baby builder


    I'm also going with UFH throughout. My plan is to get electric towel rads as there's no point trying to run them with a heat pump and they'll work with a flick of a switch when needed and look nice too!


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    #5
    Robert Allen
    Registered Users Posts: 96 ✭✭Robert Allen


    strolling bones - are you saying that there is no point in having ufh downstairs and rads upstairs because it wont work then?
    does there need to be an oil or gas back up with the air to water system? is it possible to incorporate solar panels to work with the air to water system?


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    #6
    Borzoi
    Registered Users Posts: 2,876 ✭✭✭Borzoi


    Strolling Bones wrote: »
    Your plumber is correct. UFH pipes run water at 30/40 degrees - rads at 50/60.

    So if you tack rads of any sort onto your system they will never feel warm enough.

    Au Contraire , been running a towel rack off our ufh which runs at 35c, it warms the towel very nicely and dries it out quickly


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    #7
    Calahonda52
    Registered Users Posts: 12,222 ✭✭✭✭Calahonda52


    Robert Allen wrote: »
    strolling bones - are you saying that there is no point in having ufh downstairs and rads upstairs because it wont work then?
    does there need to be an oil or gas back up with the air to water system? is it possible to incorporate solar panels to work with the air to water system?

    A lot in that:)

    The OP was about ufh up and down stairs

    Water filled Heat emitters are based on 2 factors: size of the emitting surface and the flow temp of the water.
    UFH has a massive emitting surface and a low flow temp : 35/40.

    Normasl rads are based on 60/70/80: depnds.
    As the temp goes up the size of the emitting surface goes down.
    So rads sized from the brochure on say 70 will not heat a room with 35:40 water temp.
    Solar thermal will work with Air to water heat pump: its an additional coil in the tank: however it needs to be sized accordingly, u may need a TMV on the hot water before it hits the UFH manifold to drop the temp

    “I can’t pay my staff or mortgage with instagram likes”.



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    #8
    mfceiling
    Registered Users Posts: 12,780 ✭✭✭✭mfceiling


    We have them in our house and tbh they're a bit of a gimmick. They look good and that's about it!!


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    #9
    Strolling Bones
    Registered Users Posts: 615 ✭✭✭Strolling Bones


    Robert Allen wrote: »
    strolling bones - are you saying that there is no point in having ufh downstairs and rads upstairs because it wont work then?


    Not with a heat pump no.
    Robert Allen wrote: »
    does there need to be an oil or gas back up with the air to water system?

    how bizzare

    Robert Allen wrote: »
    is it possible to incorporate solar panels to work with the air to water system?

    All things are possible. But that is not sensible. Both ATWHP and SP's work worst when you need them most - in dead winter. Spend your money on the building fabric first before adding more and more "kit" onto it.


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    #10
    Strolling Bones
    Registered Users Posts: 615 ✭✭✭Strolling Bones


    Borzoi wrote: »
    Au Contraire , been running a towel rack off our ufh which runs at 35c, it warms the towel very nicely and dries it out quickly

    The magic of the interet.

    When you wait long enough you get the answer you want.


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    #11
    Borzoi
    Registered Users Posts: 2,876 ✭✭✭Borzoi


    Strolling Bones wrote: »
    The magic of the interet.

    When you wait long enough you get the answer you want.

    Its terrible when reality and practical experiene contradicts your notions. ;-)


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    #12
    Strolling Bones
    Registered Users Posts: 615 ✭✭✭Strolling Bones


    Touché :cool:


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    #13
    Robert Allen
    Registered Users Posts: 96 ✭✭Robert Allen


    "How bizarre"

    Bizarre? Bizarre how exactly?


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    #14
    KFiddles
    Registered Users Posts: 44 ✭KFiddles


    I have UFH and when we remodeled, I had electric towel rails installed. Wouldn't be without them.


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