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Plumbing problems
When we had the bathroom renovated, we had a new towel heater fitted to replace the radiator. We chose one that could be heated up either by an electric element or as part of the central heating. We similarly replaced the towel heater in the shower room.
The fitter — electrician or plumber, I know not — fitted the electric elements into the top of the towel heaters. I remember from school that heat rises, so I knew this was bad. And so it was. The one time I used the electric element to heat up the bathroom heater, the top half got really hot, whereas the bottom half remained stone cold.
Our hot water tank can heat water either by using the boiler or by electricity. However the element broke, so we had to use the boiler, which used all the oil I’d rather have been keeping for the heating in the winter — including the towel rails. The plumber we got in failed to fix it, so we just left it.
Plumbing solutions
Earlier this year, we got a different plumber in to service the boiler. He also had a go at the hot water tank, but he couldn’t do anything then either. I ran into him at the blood-letting event at the local leisure centre recently. I asked him if he’d like to have another go at the hot water tank; he said he would.
He came round, and we asked him if he could move the towel rail elements while he was at it.
“Good grief,” he said when he saw the elements’ position.
He has now sorted out all the electrical water-heating elements that I know of in the house.
