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How to choose a shower

How to choose a shower

By Benjamin Clarke | Published on 8th February 2022

Are you trying to decide on the best shower for your home? If you're completely redesigning, or even just simply updating, your bathroom or ensuite, then making sure you get the right shower is a critical decision that you need to get right. Taking a shower should absolutely be one of life's pleasures, so it's important that you end up with a shower that's pleasurable and satisfying rather than one that dribbles out water and leaves you feeling frustrated.

In this article, we'll go through the important things to consider when selecting a new shower so you can ensure you're getting the right fit for your needs and your central heating system.

Your type of heating system

A White Convector Radiator

Before you get carried away with shower heads, screens, enclosures and other typical shower-related fittings, its important that you understand what type of central heating system you have in your home. Not all showers are compatible with every type of system so it's well worth establishing what you've got before making any further decisions.

Low pressure systems

Once the most popular type of heating system in the UK, low-pressure systems are characterised by having a cold water tank up in the loft and a hot water cylinder elsewhere in the house, usually in an airing cupboard. This type of system is often called a gravity-fed system and you aren't restricted to the type of shoer you can install. Many people opt for a power shower and sometimes an accompanying pump, which helps to give a high pressure showering experience, despite the low-pressure system.

High pressure systems

High pressure heating systems are now the default in new build homes and many people choose to upgrade to this system due to its increased efficiency and instantaneously hot water provision. If you have a combination (combi boiler) with no other water tanks in your home, then you likely have a high-pressure system. Power showers are not compatible with combi boilers (as there's no hot water tank to connect them to) so should be avoided.

If you have a hot water cylinder in your home but no cold water tank in the loft, you may have an unvented high-pressure system, which should not be confused with the similar-in-appearance low pressure system.

Cold water systems

You can identify if you have a cold water system if you've got a cold water or feed and expansion cistern in your loft. Water comes through the rising main pipe out from the street and is delivered into your tank in the loft. In this case, you will probably be best-suited to having an electric shower installed. Assuming there's enough pressure from the water supply, a straightforward electric shower would be ideal. If pressure is a problem then an electric shower equipped with a pump and fed from a tank should give you an enjoyable showering experience.

The different types of shower

An electric shower

Once you've got yourself familiar with the type of system you have in your home, you can turn your attention onto the different types of showers that there are available. You may want to replace what you already have with the same shower system, or you might change to something different - your central heating system type permitting, of course.

Mixer showers

Doing exactly what it sounds like, 'mixer' showers take water from the hot and cold water supplies and then mix them together before sending the water out of the shower head at the desired temperature. This is a very common shower type as they're simple to install and usually deliver water at a pleasingly high pressure. If you have a high-pressure, combi boiler system then a mixer shower is a fantastic option as they work particularly well with the instantaneous supply of hot water. If you have a system with a large water cylinder then a mixer shower will also probably be suitable.

Thermostatic showers

An increasingly popular type of shower, thermostatic showers take water from the hot and cold water supplies just like mixer showers. However, the main difference is that you can set a specific temperature and the thermostatic shower valve will ensure the water stays at this temperature for the duration of your shower. The temperature is maintained regardless of what goes on elsewhere in your home, such as someone turning on a tap. Thermostatic showers are especially popular with the elderly and for those with young children as the constant temperature avoids the possibilities of very cold (shocking) or very hot (scalding) water suddenly flowing out of the shower.

Electric showers

Electric showers are popular because they are easy to install regardless of the type of central heating system you have in your home. They're also popular for ensuite or second showers away from the shower located on the main family bathroom. No water tank is needed as the water is heated up as and when it's needed by an electric element inside the shower system. This means instantaneous hot water, making electric showers a very efficient and cost-effective way of showering.

Digital showers

If you want to be on the cutting edge of technology then choosing a digital shower would be a great way of doing that. Rather than twisting taps or a valve on the wall, digital showers come with a sleek flat panel that you press to switch the flow on/off and to set the temperature. Digital showers are available in electric and mixer variety and also tend to hid any pipework so they look great in a modern, minimalist bathroom.

Types of shower head

Fixed shower head

Getting the right shower head is not something to be overlooked as it can make a big difference to the functionality and quality of your shower. We explore the main types of shower head below.

Handheld shower head

These types of shower head are very common because they offer such great flexibility. You'll normally see them attached to the wall on a vertical bar that enables you to adjust the height of the head according to your needs. You can also normally remove the shower head and hose from the wall completely, which is great for washing young children and pets or for rinsing down the bath or shower cubicle when cleaning. With many of these types of shower head, you can adjust the spray setting to affect the way the water flows out. Handhelds are the most popular type of shower head and work with most showers.

Fixed shower heads

You'll often see these coming out of the wall or ceiling and they are not normally adjustable. The pipework is often hidden behind a wall so fixed shower heads can look really stylish, particularly when used in wetroom-style bathrooms. Though you lose the flexibility of a handheld shower, many fixed shower heads also come with a secondary handheld attachment allowing you to really get the best of both worlds. The water flow and sense of water cascading down you is a typical feature of a fixed shower, hence why they're increasingly popular.

Bath tap - shower combo

The most rudimentary version of this type of shower is the rubbery attachment that suction over bath taps and offer a showering option where no shower is present. However, these have become more sophisticated and you'll often see a bath-shower combo where you can switch between the taps and the shower. These work particularly well in grand, freestanding baths where a traditional handheld shower attachment can sit on a stand at the end of the bath, ready to be used as necessary in a sitting down position.

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