Starting the day with fresh, invigorating shower is one of the the best ways to start your day off, but if you choose the wrong shower or your current shower is of poor quality then you might find this article helpful in choosing the correct shower to suit your home. Showers are convenient, space-saving, and also energy efficient, using on average only a fraction of the water it takes to fill a bath. Before choosing a shower for your bathroom, you will need to check your water pressure, you will also need to make a choice between a mixer shower, electric shower or power shower.

Check your water pressure.
Find out what sort of hot water supply you have, as this can have an effect on your choice of shower. Combination boilers offer the highest water pressure, but do not work well with power showers or shower booster pumps as the combination boiler does not allow for dragging of water feeds, but work well with mixer showers where the hot and cold water supplies must be at equal pressure for effective showering. If your home has a low-pressure gravity fed water system where hot water is stored in a tank in the airing cupboard and the cold water is supplied from a tank in the loft, then you will enjoy a reasonably powerful shower as long as there is at least a one metre drop from the bottom of the cold water storage tank to the top of the shower head, add a shower booster pump or a power shower to get the most from your shower. If the drop is less than 1 meter and you don’t want to install a booster pump or pumped shower it may be possible to raise the cold water tank by placing it on a platform giving you a greater gravity drop. If you need further assistance with assessing water pressure, a qualified plumber or professional bathroom installer will be able to help. For homes with high-pressure systems, a mixer shower will perform best taking water from both the hot and cold water supplies and mixing them to accurately via the shower valve to reach the desired temperature, making mixer showers ideal for homes with a plentiful supply of pressurised hot water. Choose from exposed shower valves, rigid riser showers where the pipe work is easily installed to your tiles, or concealed shower valves where the valve is seen, but the pipe work is hidden behind the wall.

Thermostatic mixer shower
The addition of thermostatic mixer control gives added convenience as an inbuilt thermostat ensures water temperature is constant and may also include a locked max temputure switch to prevent scaulding, which can be overided. A safe option for young children, or the elderly, this is also a good choice for busy family homes as the inbuilt control also ensures that the water temperature will not be affected by water being used elsewhere in the house.

Shower Panel Towers.
For a luxurious variation on the mixer shower. Why not try the full body shower experience, offered by the shower panel towers with built in shower body jets. Unlike the traditional mixer shower with just one fixed head, these stylish showers feature directional jets which massage and clean the whole body. This type of shower requires fairly high pressure to perform well.

Power Showers.
Ideal for homes with low water pressure, but are a heavy drain on water rescources as power showers use a lot more water than any traditional shower, sometimes more than having a bath. a power shower will take water feeds from the hot and cold storage tanks, mix them together to reach the ideal temperature and then boost water flow with a small built in electric pump. It’s easy to operate and there is greater control over both the pressure and temperature of water than with a mixer shower, resulting in an exhilarating shower experience.

Electric Showers.
Suitable for any domestic water system, an electric shower will only take water from the mains cold water supply, heating up only the amount used each time, making it an economical choice, and also suitable for busy family bathrooms where showers are in frequent use. The greater the KW rating, the higher the flow of water at desired temperature. Look for models featuring a stabiliser as this will ensure the temperature and water supply remain unaffected by other water usage elsewhere in the house.

Special features to look for.
Multi-spray showerheads offer a choice of spray patterns usually selected by rotating the outer-ring on the spray head. Also look for large ceiling mounted showerheads offering a rain-style shower.

Accessories.
Look for soap dishes or hanging hooks, often supplied with electric showers and rigid riser showers.
Easy-grip controls
Look for dials that are easy to grip, turn and clearly labelled.

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Looking to the year ahead we shall be updating our product listings, introducing more relevent products for our customers and making a better use of our resources. Another product that we have launched this year is our Led kitchen spray tap this product is proving to be a fantastic seller, far better than we 1st thought it would be, but if this what the customer wants then this is what the customer shall have, we do try to seek out new and fresh products all the time so our customers can enjoy our website being updated rather than the same old boaring look day after day week after week.

We are currently looking for builders/plumbers & bathroom fitters to be listed on our site working in different parts of the country so we can give our customers a little help finding good plumbers or bathroom fitters around the UK. The chosen people must have an up to date website that we can link to.

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In the past, installing an electric shower was considered a job suitable for a home handyman. However, under the new IEE Wiring regulations, only minor electrical works are permitted – for example the addition of a lighting point, or adding a socket to an existing circuit.

Any job involving electricity in areas where there is also water (e.g. bathroom or kitchen) must be carried out by someone with a suitable level of competency. In this case competency means a full, qualified knowledge of electrical installations. You will need to have the ability to thoroughly check a circuit for safety and to issue a minor works certificate as a self certified “competent person”.

Any electrical installation of this kind will require that the completed job is tested by a fully qualified electrician who will issue a minor works certificate. Failure to do this may render your house insurance invalid, and could cause problems when you come to sell your house.

It is thus no longer within the remit of a site such as this to advise you on installing an electric shower in your home.

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.

There’s nothing more relaxing then having a shower after a hard days work, but what happens if the shower heads shooting water out everywhere. This problem is a common one found in most households and can be fixed by removing the shower head from the shower arm, but what if your unable to take the shower head off. If you include yourself in this category and own a wall-mounted shower then no need to worry, as there’s a way to get around it and solve this problem.

Grab a plastic bag making sure there is no holes, and pour a mixture of vinegar and water inside it. Check that there is enough in there to completely cover the wall-mounted shower head, but so much that the mix wont overflow out the bag. Now tie an elastic band between 2 or 3 times at the top of the bag, as tying the elastic band around the top of the bag with the shower head in the vinegar and water can be a burden. Fasten the bag containing the mixture to the arm of the shower using either some string or your elastic band, but make sure that the string you use is strong enough to hold the bag around the shower head for several hours.

When you have secured the shower head in the bag, allow the mixture to work by letting it soak for 3-24 hours depending on the thickness of the limescale. Once your happy with the amount of time you have left it for, separate the shower head from the bag containing the vinegar and water mix and turn the shower on to test the flow of the water. If there’s any excess limescale found around the shower head, then use a toothbrush to get rid of it as the thistles will catch the majority of the limescale left. You are now able to have a relaxing shower once again.

At Chrome-tapshower.co.uk we hold are large amount of shower heads, all include a 48 hour delivery from purchase and a 10 year guarantee.

If you enjoy showers and your shower head is sending water everywhere through the holes, then you have a case of limescale build up. It can be very frustrating when some nozzles shoot the water out properly, while others trickle or squirt it out in another direction. This can be be a problem, but 1 that can be solved with a few simple DIY tricks.

First you will need to remove your shower head because after, you will have to put it in a bowl of water mixed with vinegar. This is because limescale is soap residue and hard water merged together producing a weak alkaline substance, while vinegar is weak acidic liquid for that reason cancelling the alkaline reaction therefore removing the limescale. The water it’s mixed with is used to clean the nozzles as well. Depending on how thick your limescale is, you should soak the shower head in the bowl for at minimum of 3 hours for it to work.

Now separate the shower head from the bowl and using clean water, wash the shower head making sure you get rid of any excess limescale left. Then with a needle or toothpick,  stab through the holes on the shower head to remove the limescale trapped inside them. To take off the limescale that develops on the surface of the shower head use a toothbrush so it catches the hard places, finally reconnect the shower head back on the arm of the shower and try it out to see if the water flows out correctly again. If the problem still exists then repeat the procedure, altering the amount of vinegar and water in the bowl.

Have a look at our range of showers and shower heads designed to match your bathroom, products come with a 10 year guarantee and a 48 hour delivery from purchase.

Most importantly make your mind up on the type of shower your fitting. Once you have chosen the shower you want in your bathroom, start planning out where you would like to put the shower and control. Use something to mark where you would put it also to work out the pipework included and the drainage system. Where the shower switch and cable route is situated must also be acknowledged if your thinking of setting up an electric shower.

Now follow the instructions given on your manual to fit your shower control, you must cut off the water supply previous from fitting the pipes as they allow water to flow to the system. If you can, use isolating valves and a waterproof layer to wrap around the pipes for protection. The pipes can now be built into the wall and plastered over for an elegant look. Next fit in the base tray along with the shower head and fittings, when completed attach the water supplying pipes to the main shower control. Switch on the supply for flowing water and analysis the pipes in case of leaks, because some may require tightening. If its an electrical shower you wish to use in your bathroom then make sure the electricity supply for the shower is switched off and that its not switched back on until the electrical connections are properly fixed. Your shower is now ready to use.

Remember that the head of the shower you wish to set up should be fitted so that the water in the bath below does not touch it, also make sure it has a check valve. Check out our money saving range of showers and shower valves to make your bathroom designed to suit you. All our products come with a 10 year guarantee and 48 hour delivery from purchase.

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

Showers are the quicker option to get washed rather then running a bath, but either way you still would want it to be a calming, hassle-free quicker option. At our store we have many different shower types, all which satisfy your bathroom needs.

For instance have you ever been in the shower when the kitchen taps on downstairs or when the toilet flushes and the temperature starts to have a mind of it’s own? Well fear no more as all you need is one of our Thermostatic showers. Thermostatic showers maintain a consistent temperature without adjusting the hot and cold taps, thiscan then be preset meaning it wont drop or rise in tempreature which is ideal for a family home as the worry of scalding a child would be low.

And what about our range of LED shower heads, you can’t be more relaxed then showering in soothing light effects. LED shower heads are battery free as the energy for LEDs is produced by water flowing over an internal turbine which means you will never lose the comforting light show as long as you have water.

We have a variety of Monsoon shower heads which will make you feel like your washing in the amazon rainforest, you also can save money on water aswell as the product since the Monsoon shower head uses less water then the average shower head.

We also hold Traditional showers that may look classic but are very modern in performance, these showers are all about symmetry, simplicity and comfort and help to give your bathroom that vintage look. Adjustable showers are also available and help those homes that have height differential.

These showers have a 10 year gurantee and from purchase our product will be delivered to your door in 48 hours.