Can I replace bathroom radiator with heated towel rail?

[Celeriacacaca]

We have a normal radiator in the bathroom and, as far as I know, it's set up (I'm not sure of terminology) so that it still heats up when the heating is off i.e. it's some kind of outlet for the system. I'm quite keen to replace it with a heated towel rail and I wonder if this is possible and what's involved please?

[PigletJohn]

it's possible, if you want a cold bathroom.

towel rails have only a fraction the heat output of radiators, which drops to about nothing when they are thoroughly insulated in a layer of towels to stop the heat getting out.

I expect it is connected to the hot water cylinder. A good method. So is mine. Or perhaps you have a multifuel stove or woodburner and it is the emergency heatsink to prevent overheating.

Get a rail as well, not instead. Have TRVs fitted to both, unless it is the heatsink.

Or, much easier, get a towel rack and put it on the wall above the rad.

[SpikeWithoutASoul]

Wish I'd asked MN before we did exactly that. Our cold bathroom is even colder!

[Bimblywibble]

This is news. Neither of our bathrooms are cold with just towel rails.

Both bathrooms are small, with only 1 external wall and one of them backs onto the airing cupboard. We also chose fairly large towel radiators, not ceiling height but 1.4m IIRC.

[PigletJohn]

Examples

500x700 radiator nominal output 835Watt

700x500 towel rail nominal output 292Watt

[PrimalLass]

We have them in both bathrooms and neither are cold. Downstairs bathroom has a huge floor to near-ceiling towel rail, upstairs bathroom has a smaller one but is a super-insulated dormer that gets too warm anyway. The towel rad is often the only one on upstairs in the winter.

Also great for drying washing

[Roussette]

Gosh, I have two bathrooms both with ladder radiators that you hang towels on. They are far warmer than when I had the original radiators! Why have they a fraction of the output of a radiator, it's just a different shape of radiator, they kick out a lot of heat. This is similar to the ones I have.

[PigletJohn]

the ladder type, with lots of tubes, is a recent improvement on traditional towel rails.

However size for size, they still emit less heat.

I don't know anyone with an ordinary radiator six feet tall.

[Thurlow]

We've got an extended downstairs bathroom, the type that is notoriously cold, but we've had no problems at all with just a heated towel rail. Plus it keeps your towel lovely and warm, and is fantastic for drying clothes in the winter if you don't have a tumble dryer.

[Wscplumbing]

It is possible to do as mentioned before your most practical option will be the towel rail above the rad.
Best looking option although not most efficient is the towel rail.

[CherriBlossim]

We have a heated towel rail in our shower room and bathroom - lovely and warm. Connected to central heating but also on the hot water system so that we can have it on at other times.

[PigletJohn]

this sort of thing, though stainless is better than chrome in a bathroom