When you are purchasing a new towel rail, style and aesthetics are an important consideration. However it is just as important to choose a rail with sufficient heat output and with the correct dimensions.

Combination boilers (often known as combi boilers) are a type of condensing boiler and provide hot water to a sealed heating system along with a separate supply of instant hot water to taps, baths and showers.

Cutting copper pipe is not a difficult job, especially with the help of a tube cutter. When using these tools you are left with a much cleaner and more square cut than with alternatives such as a hacksaw.

Small diameter copper pipes can be bent by hand with the aid of a bending spring, but thicker piping is much more difficult to bend and a lever type tube bender is needed.

This section is written for first time plumbers and aims to give basic advice on how copper pipes may be connected.