The Shower A Must For All Bathrooms

By Author: Terry Metcalfe
Total Articles: 12
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The shower has been possibly one of the most innovative features ever created for the bathroom. Not only does a shower session reinvigorate the body but they are far more economical than baths, also people favour the speed in which you can take a shower. However, there is nothing exhilarating about turning one on and having water trickle down onto your neck particularly if it veers from being an icy trickle one minute to a scalding one the next. The installation of a good water pump is essential for most showers, but if you have a combination boiler you may not be able to fit one. You must have about a metre (yard) between the bottom of your water storage cold tank and the top of the showerhead if you are not using a pump the greater the distance (fall), the better the pressure.

Take advice from your plumber about whether you require a water pump and, if you do, whether it needs to pump the whole bathroom (unlikely unless it's a bathroom in an attic) or just the shower. If your bathroom takes hot water from the tank and cold water direct from the mains, the water pump may not be able to handle the difference in pressure ...
... between the two.

Of course, no shower is half-way decent without a good shower head. These range from hand-held hose ones (very good for washing hair in the bath and rinsing down animals), to those on slider bars, to types fixed to the ceiling or wall. They come in styles to suit every type of bathroom. Also for those more adventurous you can purchase shower towers which feature strategically placed body jets that can actually massage your body in much the same way as a whirlpool bath does. Then of course for those with a little more budget you have the steam shower which features a vast array of options to make you thoroughly enjoy your washing and bathing experience.

Shower controls also offer a bewildering choice, but the important thing is to have a thermostatic control to maintain the water temperature no matter what other appliances are being used in the house.
If you have the space, install a separate shower cubicle rather than having one over the bath. If you have no choice but to combine the two, choose a bath that is as wide and flat-bottomed as possible. This will enable a much more emphatic shower experience.

Shower cubicles come in a vast range of styles and materials, some with accessories such as seats and towel rails, but they can be difficult to integrate well into an existing bathroom. If you are wishing to integrate a shower cubicle in to your bathroom first take a look at your plan and see whether there is a niche that could be utilised for a shower.

Terry Metcalfe writes for Whirlpool Bathrooms specialists in steam showers, whirlpool baths, vanity units, designer radiators and many more luxury accessories for the bathroom.