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Plumber or spark?


Townie
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Chaps

Towel rail in the bathroom heated by the central heating system that we’re thinking about having replaced by an electric one with a timer.

Is this a job for a spark because it involves (presumably) running a spur from a nearby plug (other side of a stud wall) or for a plumber because the water supply for the existing rail will need capping off? Or for a plumber who specialises in bathrooms?

Any guidance welcome, although correct answers do not include ‘do it yourself’. 

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1 minute ago, Konnie said:

A half tidy kitchen/bathroom fitter should have the skills to complete the job.

But you will still need a sparkie to 'test and terminate' to remain completely legal!

Do you want the job doing, or do you want the paperwork that the job was done correctly?

Frankly I've seen the poor excuses for both plumbing and electrics that 'kitchen/bathroom fitters' do and I'd trust neither as far as I could fling them.

The correct answer is 'do it yourself', but have a spark-farmer make the electrical connections and test.  If capping off a rad pipe or 2 is beyond your skillset, then yes, you will need a plumber/handyman/'bathroom fitter'

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part p as it is a total new connection - in a bathroom

or get it checked by the local council. Safer with sparky and part p as you will more than likely need to run in a new spare and fused switch. You council's website should have a list of companies that they approve to self certify

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2 hours ago, Townie said:

Towel rail in the bathroom heated by the central heating system that we’re thinking about having replaced by an electric one with a timer.

Just a thought; I have 4 towel rails in the 2 bathrooms heated by the central heating - but each also has an electric heater element fitted (simple addition of a T piece to the plumbing in many cases) which is controlled by a timer.

In winter - central heating works (it which is cheaper to run) and in summer, the electric element heats it at just a short programmed time.  Works very well both ways and a warm towel is a luxury no civilised person should be without!

6E115301-FFC9-4B37-9A97-1D562CE0C2B8_1_105_c.jpeg

Edited by JohnfromUK
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1 hour ago, JohnfromUK said:

Just a thought; I have 4 towel rails in the 2 bathrooms heated by the central heating - but each also has an electric heater element fitted (simple addition of a T piece to the plumbing in many cases) which is controlled by a timer.

In winter - central heating works (it which is cheaper to run) and in summer, the electric element heats it at just a short programmed time.  Works very well both ways and a warm towel is a luxury no civilised person should be without!

6E115301-FFC9-4B37-9A97-1D562CE0C2B8_1_105_c.jpeg

Brilliant idea. Thank you John.

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4 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

Just a thought; I have 4 towel rails in the 2 bathrooms heated by the central heating - but each also has an electric heater element fitted (simple addition of a T piece to the plumbing in many cases) which is controlled by a timer.

In winter - central heating works (it which is cheaper to run) and in summer, the electric element heats it at just a short programmed time.  Works very well both ways and a warm towel is a luxury no civilised person should be without!

6E115301-FFC9-4B37-9A97-1D562CE0C2B8_1_105_c.jpeg

Standard fitment on all the higher end builds I work on, and as you say gives the best of both worlds! 
100% do this, you’ll need an electrician for the element connection/supply if you want to comply as bathrooms are ‘special locations’ and the work is notifiable. 
Unless the spark is prepared to do the plumbing side of things you could get a plumber to refit the towel rail with the element in then get the sparks in 👍🏼

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It's a lot of work and expense for warm towels in summer.

Best one I done was run the hot water feed to bath and shower through a pipe made rail. As you shower or run the bath the hot water pipe warms your towels.  Simple with some copper pipe and fittings..

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