CHOOSING THE IDEAL SHOWER FOR YOUR HOME

If you are considering an upgrade to the shower installation in your bathroom, read our guide before you speak to your plumber.

A lot is dependent on the existing plumbing and electrical arrangements. This will help you narrow down on the kinds of installations your set-up/upgrade will accommodate.

The first thing you will need to know is the water pressure in your home.  Before you make a purchase, keep in mind that the different pressure points of water supply required for various shower heads and handsets will need to match your existing set-up or your upgrade.

Water pressure is the speed at which water is pushed through the pipes and to the shower. It is measured in bars with 0.1 considered low pressure and 1 and above being the higher range. Plumbers run tests to determine the actual water pressure available which can be modified depending on the upgrade you are going for.

The next thing you need to look at are the water systems needed to power these installations. A  gravity-fed system is an installation where the tank is kept on the loft with a cylinder below it. The water pressure from such an installation is good enough to power basic installations that do not require high pressure water to function. This is thus a very common  installation in many households.

The Unvented system consists of a hot water storage cylinder which receives cold water directly from the mains. There is an inbuilt coil which gets heated and in turn heats up the water in the cylinder.  The output is ideal for large shower heads.

The third type of system is a combi-boiler. Here the water gets heated on demand  when hot tap water is directly accessed from the mains. This is a high pressure system used for Jacuzzis and large tubs.

Shower heads and handsets have  labeling to describe the amount of water pressure needed for it to function properly. So make in purchase only in accordance to the water pressure available in your home.

Different types of showers

Electric Shower

Electric showers are highly convenient as these units heat water to showering temperature before flowing. Made for convenience, these installation will not generate a lot of force as compared to other similar technologies, although, you can purchase an installation with a built-in pump to improve the pressure it outputs. However, the devices do require a qualified expert to install them properly.

Mixer Shower

The Mixed Shower provides hot water on demand and operates on high as well as low pressure depending on what you require. Mixed showers can be installed with pressure pumps in case the water pressure in your home is on the lower side.  A shower mixer  that includes bath taps and a shower attachment is also part of the kit that helps regulate the hot and cold temperature of the water. The diverter present in the system will enable you to either utilize the shower head or the tap.

Digital Shower

This is the latest innovation in showers which is available in electric and mixer models. Digital showers combine wireless shower technology and thermostatically blend the hot and cold water temperatures and water pressure to the shower heads. These installations require very little plumbing and consistently maintain pre-set temperature and water pressure. The system dynamically distributes water across all the outlets in the house without dropping pressure which is controlled by pre-programmed settings.