How To Add Inhibitor To Your Heating System Via A Heated Towel Rail

Jimmy the plumber takes you through the process of adding inhibitor to your system. There are several ways to do it and this is the most simple method, whereby the inhibitor is added via a heated towel rail.
Plumbers will always look first for a heated towel rail in a house when adding inhibitor as this is the easiest method. If your house does not have a heated towel rail, see link below.
Central heating inhibitor is a liquid you add to your heating system to help stop the build up of limescale and corrosion inside the radiators and towel rails.
Without adding inhibitor, you are prone to small pieces of metal breaking off inside your heating system.
This can lead to the problems of narrowed pipework (causing your pump to work harder to push water around your system) and also radiator sludge building up at the bottom of rads (which causes radiators with hot and cold patches).
➜ Learn more with our quick and easy guide to chemical inhibitor:
www.traderadiators.com/blog/a...
To watch a video on how to add inhibitor via the tank in your loft, go here • How To Add Inhibitor T...
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[@matteaton3674]

Rather than drain from the bottom - grab a shower gel or shampoo bottle with a pump action. Take off the pump action bit, clean it then stick it in the top of the towel rail and pump out the water you need to make space for the inhibitor. You're welcome.

[@Napoleon-Blownapart]

Genius 👌

[@marek6820]

And remove bit more water than needed, then add inhibitor, then top up with water again to the top cap - no need to bleed / vent the radiator if you do it that way

[@Chris-vv9ey]

Just used this technique. Worked perfectly! Absolute genius and thank you for sharing!

[@mpat01]

You should do a KZbin on this method.. absolutely brilliant- thanks 😊

[@davidLinLondon]

Fantastic hint, much easier, and neater, than doing it from the bottom.

[@iaindouglas2428]

Cheers fella, literally JUST done this and for someone who is the LEAST diy orientated person...EVER...found this so easy, excellent instructional video👍👍

[@johnmofBristol3623]

Been wondering how to do this and there is a really easy way. You'll be putting plumbers out of business. Thank you!

[@johnboyginger]

Just used and even easier and cleaner way. Close valves, bleed, then Siphon off the water (a bit more than the vol of inhibitor) via the top opening into a measuring jug, Chuck the inhibitor in, top up with the water in the jug. Hey presto.

[@AlfredLillaMania]

You're a genius Jimmy the plumber!

[@John-hl6er]

Thank you. I followed these instructions today and completed the task at hand without any issues. 👍

[@NickHowes]

I've just done this with no mess and in no time after watching your video. Now I can feel smug for the rest of the bank holiday weekend, cheers!

[@SudAshra]

Hi Jimmy. Thanks for this "How to ..." . I just added inhibitor back into the heating sytem after changing all my old lockshield valves to TRVs in preparation for Wifi automation. The only thing I would add to your guide is that there may be some water that'll come out of the bleed valve even after you have isolated the rad by closing both of the valves at either end of the rad. This is probably because the water inside the radiator is at system pressure (that's higher than atmospheric pressure). Water came out of my bleed valve for a good 10-15 seconds. At one point I was worried that either one of the valves wasn't shutting off properly, or your advise was pants :-) . It all went smoothly once the bleed valve went dry. Thanks again for some great plumbing guides that helped me swap my rad valves out. Saved me a bundle and gave me a great sense of satisfaction.

[@williamjohnson6287]

Thank you, very helpful. I have a Worcester Bosch Combi water heater and I had a radiator leak that drained the heating system. I got someone out to fix it but no inhibitor was put in the system. This got me worried so I scanned the Combi manual. It said to use a loop pipe which I did not have or understand so thank you so much for this very helpful video.

[@neilgraves5069]

Brilliant , looks quite easy for a diyer . Thanks very much buddy 👌

[@spruggins]

Thanks! Very easy to follow, it took me about 10 mins to do this job after watching this.

[@MeawGarage]

Thanks you for the clear video. I just added Inhibitor to my system.

[@waynewinky2754]

Careful with new modern TRV's on towel rads, even when closed to their OFF setting (frost symbol) they don't shut the water off to the radiator as they dont push the little pin in the TRV carcass all the way that stops the water so there's pressure continually getting into the radiator. Always best with the new TRV's to unscrew the securing ring to release and take off the thermostatic head from the TRV base, find or borrow the plastic blanking cap that came with the unit, and screw that on firmly in it's place so it pushes the pin and stops the water/pressure. Then after checking the other side valve is fully closed, then the towel rad can be bled with a bleed key and top sealed nuts loosened.

[@topbanana188]

Thanks, just used this to add some system cleaner, worked a treat

[@geoffreysaville2439]

Thanks mate. Great vid, well explained. Helped me sense check myself before starting this job at home!

[@MJ-YT-USR]

Great video, I just topped up our system. Just two things. I had to loosen the wall brackets securing the radiator against the wall to give me a bit of wriggle room to get the water to drain out the bottom of the radiator. Without doing that no water was coming out, even after loosen the nuts. I also had to check and top up the system pressure after doing this. Other that that, all went well! Thank you!

[@nathanpears5498]

Great Video, Will give this a go later.

[@theproghorn]

Jimmy, you are great!

[@dhiruparmar8908]

Fantasy video. Thank you so much.

[@mikeonfreeserve2926]

Easier to syphon 500ml out of the top. Just saying. Serioulsy, very helpful vids. Cheers

[@joec8914]

Could you not siphon water out the top then less mess and then pour your inhibitor in the top as well Job done.👍

[@ladyecommerceChannel]

Thanks that has really helped!

[@TheWalterKirk]

This guy is awesome!

[@andyr4611]

Thanks for that instruction. Just thinking, once the valves are closed is it possible to just siphon out a bit of water to make space for inhibitor? Thanks.

[@cosmalas7742]

Then towel rail it is! Thanks

[@SomebodyUUseToKnow]

Hi, I have a sealed system which I want to have inhibited using this method. I have a TRV at one end, and closing both valves would isolate the towel rail, right? Then drain some water out and replace with inhibiter (I plan to a syphon pump). The other question is: do I fully open the valves when done or would the towel rail need to be balanced again using the lockshield? Obviously fully re-opening the valves would be the preference without having to re-balance. Thanks

[@maryaylward216]

Brill thankyou

[@JayKay-ht8rg]

Does it matter which side of the towel rail the bottom Nut is loosened on? ie.. Does it matter if your loosening the nut from the flow side or drain side (of the Radiator)? Thanks.

[@beergibbs]

Can you add a system cleaner like x400 using this method?

[@stephenporter5796]

Should you open the tvr's on all radiators so the inhibitor is circulated throughout the whole system?

[@karenmayes4970]

Hi Jimmy, I need your help. I have purchased two electrict towel rails but they need filling but they havent come with very good instructions....only that you need to fill them 80% ( 90% of which is ionised water and 10% inhibitor) leaving 20% for expansion.....but how do you calculate what is 80% of the radiators capacity ?

[@jambolynn]

Can I do this with a sealer fluid? I have a small leak somewhere in the system, which is not visible. Love your vids!

[@bacianradu9537]

Do i still need to add inhibitor in my other radiators in the house ? I have like 9

[@GavinSmithHorusMenes]

How much should you use in a 11 rad system?

[@ImNotADeeJay]

how long do those inhibitors last? in other words.... how often should I flush and re-apply? thanks

[@deepwinter77]

how often should inhibitor be added or is a once off, my system is about 10 to 12 years old would it be worth adding it to my system now?

[@nsoper19]

My towel radiator is connected to the hot water circuit and not the heating circuit (regular system boiler). Will this method still work?

[@Chris156GTA]

Hi, where can I get the drain tub from that you was using in the video? Looks like a nifty tool, cheers, Chris ;-)

[@traderadiators]

Hi Chris! Those drain tubs are so useful, aren't they?!! If you go onto Amazon and search for "Plumbtubs", you'll find them on there. :)

[@louiselindsay2296]

At least it is explained, that it is necessary to make space for inhibitor, but loosening just top nut of the valve is most unlikely to work.

[@djderek1971]

My towel rail only has a valve at one side. Shut it off, open bleed valve and the water sprays out. Stuck now

[@ArksE8]

Do u have to drain the whole system before??

[@traderadiators]

No, no need, that's an advantage of doing it this way.

[@robertclayton8278]

HELP!!!

[@robertclayton8278]

I followed the video exactly but goofed at the end by ... snapping off the copper lockshield spindle when trying to turn it back on ... arrrgghh! Also the steel towel radiator is microbore fed - PLEASE HELP URGENTLY!!!

[@joz119]

DIY cowboy lol

[@vooveks]

Legend has it he’s still waiting for the urgent help to this day.

[@pollycollins7292]

I am sure its great but l am a northerner and l struggle to understand. Had to watch it 3 times to realise that 'taarl' wasnt some special plumbing tool but was 'towel' . Otherwise excellant . Too fast for my poor shirt term memory so will be calling a plumber For fellow Northerners venaart means 'vent out '