Dual Fuel Heated Towel Rails Common Questions

Dual Fuel Towel Rails – Frequently Asked Questions

Plumb-Warehouse sells a complete range of heated towel rails – including dual fuel towel rails. We are often asked about the pros and cons of the dual fuel option. So here we answer the questions we are frequently asked about them.

What exactly is a dual fuel towel rail?

A dual fuel towel rail is plumbed into the central heating system so that it is warmed in the same way, and at the same time, as your radiators. It also has an electrical heating element so that you can warm your towels when the central heating is not operating.

Can I run it on any central heating type?

In a word, Yes. Any system that warms the radiators with hot water from a boiler or heat pump, will heat the towel rail at the same time. You can run a heated towel rail from a combi boiler. They also run successfully from systems heated by heat pumps rather than boilers, but a heat pump will take longer than a boiler to heat the system up.

Does a heated towel rail use much energy?

Not a lot.  It will use a similar amount to a small radiator. This is normally in the range of 100-200watts.

Can I set the temperature?

You will need two thermostats to control the temperature on a dual fuel towel radiator. The one for the central heating is called a TRV, or Thermostatic Radiator Valve.  Then you will need a thermostatically adjustable control for the electric element. Both of these help save energy by cutting off the heat when the towel rail reaches the required temperature. It is also fine to run the towel rails without thermostatic controls.

Is there anything else I should know?

It is a good idea not to run the towel rail from electricity and central heating at the same time. This is especially true if the electric element has a thermostatic control. The heat from the hot water in the central heating system means the thermostatic control will switch on and off frequently which might shorten its life.

Which dual fuel towel rails do you sell?

Plumb-Warehouse.co.uk sells the full range of JIS Sussex heated towel rails. These are available with central heating, electric only, and dual fuel heating options. You can simply select the ‘dual fuel’ option from the dropdown list on the page for your chosen towel rail.

You can see or full range of JIS Sussex Heated Towel Rails here.

Or for further design ideas, you can see the JIS heated towel rail gallery here.

Can I get further advice?

Yes. If you have any other questions or would like to talk to us about the JIS Sussex range, please don’t hesitate to contact us.