Today, showering is the most popular bathing method for busy households. Soaking in a bathtub has become something of a luxury—both because of the time it takes to pour and enjoy a bath and because of the amount of water a full tub consumes. Just filling a whirlpool bath can take 10 minutes and require more than 60 gallons; a low-flow showerhead will deliver 7 to 10 gallons of water during a 4-minute shower.

Showers are also preferred over bathtubs because they clean the body more effectively and are easier to maintain. Dirt and bacteria are immediately washed down the drain. They are also easier and safer for the elderly and handicapped to climb into and out of.

The downside of a shower is that, because it sprays water, can regularly put more moisture into the air and onto the walls and floor than a bathtub. A properly built and enclosed shower is critical to the integrity of a bathroom. The heavy flow of water raining down on the interior surfaces of a shower must be shed by the walls and drained away by the floor pan to prevent mildew, mold, and moisture damage.

Showers may be custom built or installed as prefabricated integral units which may or may not include a bathtub. Many options are available. In this section of HomeTips, you will gain an overview of the many types and receive help with making informed design and buying decisions. You will also find important DIY tips for proper installation, care, and repair.

A very popular question submitted to chrome-tapshowers.co.uk is ” How can I stop my basin/shower gurgling when I pull the plug out?”. To solve this problem its a good idea to know what causes the problem.

The water leaves the basin and begins its run into the trap underneath. This trap has water in it which stops smells coming back up through the pipes into the room through the plughole. When the water from the basin passes through the trap, it begins its run to the main waste pipe and out into the external manholes and main sewers. Some of this journey is made through (inside the building) vertical pipes and sometimes through pipes which have rather more than the 1 in 40 slope which is recommended for foul water drainage. This encourages the water to run very quickly and sometimes this causes a vacuum behind the flow. This vacuum sucks at the water which remains in the trap. Most often this “sucking” causes the water in the trap to bubble and gurgle – hence the gurgling noise. Sometimes the water is sucked out of the trap completely and this is when foul gasses can get back into the room.

Fitting an air inlet valve is easy. The pipe from the trap can be cut (as near to the trap as possible) and a Tee piece inserted. The pipes in the image above have been solvent welded together put with pipes that push-fit together the principle is exactly the same. The air inlet valve is then fixed to the top of a vertical length of pipe from the Tee piece.

When the valve is fitted the water runs away as before but instead of the vacuum sucking water from the trap it just sucks air which is admitted through the valves. This allows the water to run away noiselessly from basin, bath and shower. See our major project on air admittance valves for details of larger valves for toilets.

How To Fix The Gurgling Sound Coming From The Shower, Bath, and Sink

The most common reason for leakages behind baths and shower trays is movement in the fitting itself (along with obvious broken tiles etc) and the first thing to check is that your fitting is secure…There should be an absolute minimum of movement in either fitting and with a shower tray it is advisable to fit a resin, rather than a plastic, one…Baths can be secured, while in place, by removing the bath panel and, (if it is a steel bath) securing through the under-hanging bath lip to the wall after making sure the feet are firmly screwed to the base and all connections on the frame are firm. Please see our project on replacing a bathroom suite at theReplacing a Bathroom Suite Project. If the bath is plastic, you will need to make up some timber “bearers” ( 2inch x 1inch treated timber) . Cut the timber to lengths of 400mm and plug and screw them firmly under the edge of the bath, between the main body of the bath and the end walls. There is just room to get in at either end but it is a struggle!!  Its is also sensible to apply a liberal amount of very strong construction adhesive to the back of each bearer…A bearer can be placed under the edge of the bath at both ends as well. You will not be able to drill, plug and screw these as there is no room, but if you use the adhesive above and find a way of wedging the bearers in place until the adhesive is dry, you will get on further movement.

When the bath is secure it will no doubt need re-sealing.  It rarely works for long to keep placing new sealant over the old. Strip off the old adhesive using a sealant remover. This comes in a tube, as does the sealant, and is applied by mastic gun. When you have removed the sealant, use a rag dipped in solvent thinners or white spirit to wipe all surfaces clean. (wear gloves for this operation and open the windows to allow the vapour to disperse) This will de-grease the top of the bath or shower tray and also the tiles. Leave to dry for a few hours and then apply a high modulas sealant. You can now be sure of good adhesion and hopefully a trouble free joint.

It is also worth checking the grout to your tiles at this point. The smallest pinhole in the grout will suck water in behind the tiles, where it will filter through the adhesive and onto the floor below the bath. This kind of leak is not even visible until it has done a fair bit of damage…if you find any grout that is suspect; use a grout rake to rake off the top few mm. You can then mix and apply a new filling and be sure the joints are full. See our bathroom project for grouting instructions.

How To Fix A Leaking Bath Or Shower

At our store we have a lot of accessories and fittings that you may like, want or need in your bathroom or kitchen all of which is chrome. From soap dispensers to towel rails and pull switches to Cistern levers all these products will suit your home at a money saving price. We sell the product as well as all the pieces so if you feel like experimenting and you want your tap to have different parts then you can.

Why not try our chrome bath/basin waste with unique designs, you wont have to worry about it clogging up anymore plus it gives your bathroom that little bit more. We also have a range of vanity mirrors that would match your bathroom, especially if you buy another product from our store because all goods are finished with chrome so will look beautiful in your home wherever there placed.

Our slick chrome radiators are flat and out of the way so they wont take up much space in your bathroom or kitchen, there’s a lot of different sizes to choose from so if your struggling to find 1 that suits you then contact our customer service team as we would be glad to help. Even if you already own a radiator but need a spare part for it, we have chrome valves and chrome angled valves to help replace the problem you have and add a spark to the appearance.

So if your having trouble with your bathroom or kitchen design or your looking for spares and parts to be replaced, then look no further because here at Chrome-tapshower.co.uk we have just what your looking for. All the little things that your bathroom or kitchen needs we hold in stock with a 10 year gurantee and 48 hour delivery from purchase.