Bathroom heating advice from the Turnbull team

One of the first questions to come up when planning a new bathroom is how to heat it?  After all, there’s no point in creating a sophisticated, sleek space that’s chilly and unwelcoming, or installing a system that’s more expensive to run than you'd like. You'll also want bathroom heating that's responsive and that suits your lifestyle.

The benefits of underfloor heating

Underfloor heating has three significant advantages.  Because there’s no wall space required, you’ll have more freedom creating bathroom design and layout options - room for extra cabinets and furniture when space is at a premium.  Secondly, you’ll get even, virtually silent heat distribution throughout the bathroom.  And thirdly, underfloor heating operates at a lower temperature than a conventional radiator system, meaning greater fuel efficiency and lower running costs.

But (and there are some buts!) underfloor heating is more expensive to install, it requires careful planning to get optimum efficiency from a system, and it takes longer to heat up a room than a radiator.

Underfloor Heating Packs can be purchased as complete kits suitable for rooms 20m² and larger.   They're designed for connection to an existing boiler and come with a programmable room thermostat.  Our JG Speedfit Underfloor Heating Packs are popular bestsellers and extremely reliable.

Radiators still rock!

Lots of our customers choose radiators to heat their bathrooms, and here’s why.  They increase heat output very quickly when it’s needed, they're cheaper to install, and they’re easy to install without too much disruption.  Plus, and it’s a big one, there are so many innovative designs and colours available that choosing a bathroom radiator is now a interior design decision, not a chore any more!

There are, however, a few disadvantages to installing radiators: they are less efficient, they cool down quickly and they take up valuable space in small bathrooms.

Designer radiators

No longer do you have to put up with a large white oblong in your bathroom to make it warm!  Consider a stylish narrow column radiator.  Its flat vertical panels have superb heat efficiency and complement contemporary bathroom suites and fittings.  Finishes are matt or coloured.  The Turnbull Cornhill Double Panel Designer Radiator is available in chic Anthracite and its 1800mm x 236mm option creates a real style statement without taking up huge amounts of valuable wall space.  You might love the look of our Turnbull Whitton Designer Flat Profile Chrome Radiator with its wide flat horizontal chrome bars.

Towel radiators and heated towel rails

Explore the wide range of handsome chrome ladder radiators linked to your home’s heating system that function as heated towel  rails.  Choose a 1800mm Turnbull Ladder Straight Towel Rail and  you'll have room for a family’s worth of towels!  Or install a dual fuel electric towel rail to give you an instant precise source of heat whenever you need it.  A Zehnder Pro Klaro Towel Rail can be connected to your mains electricity and immersion heater so you’ll have an essential heat source in your bathroom through the year when the central heating is not in use.  You can also buy a dual fuel element conversion kit [the Turnbull Towel Rail Electric Heating Element with Temperature Control is an economic, practical solution] to make a bathroom towel radiator output heat independently.

Bathroom heating FAQs

What’s the difference between Type 21 and Type 22 radiators?  A Type 21 radiator is a slimmer radiator designed for smaller spaces. Type 22 radiators give higher heat output but their increased depth makes them suitable for larger rooms.

What size radiator do I need in my bathroom?  You’ll need a radiator or heated towel radiator with an output of at least 1975 BTU.

What does BTU mean?  BTU stands for British Thermal Unit. Use a BTU Calculator to work out the size of radiator needed in your bathroom to keep it at a comfortable heat.