Nothing beats a shower for an efficient and invigorating wash. A quick dunk in a jet of water is an essential pick-me-up for those with busy lives but which shower is the right shower for your bathroom.
Which shower type
If you are fitting a shower take time to choose which shower you need to fit your plumbing system. Most DIY stores will have a guide to help you choose which shower type.
- If you can only get cold water to the shower then it must be an electric shower (check you can get an electricity supply to the shower).
- If you have hot and cold supplies to the shower then you can have a mixer shower.
- If there is plenty of pressure in both the hot and cold water, an ordinary mixer is needed.
- If the pressure in either hot or cold or both is low then a pumped shower may be necessary.
Shower over bath or a separate shower cubicle?
Which shower is often a question of space and really a choice of what is practical for your family's needs. The complete shower cubicle can have extra jets to give you an all rounded shower. Showers over a bath can be closed off, either with a shower curtain, with glass folding panels or a single large panel hinged to the wall.
Which shower tray
Shower trays can be square, rectangular (provides more room for manoeuvre) round or quadrant. A quadrant has three squared corners but the fourth corner is cut off in an arc. As well as presenting an attractive curved glass front, the quadrant is a useful shape for fitting into a corner, the interior space for the person showering is still perfectly adequate.
Which shower head
Shower heads are either fixed head or hand held. Both of these shower heads work differently and have both shower types have their pros and cons:
| Fixed head shower |
Screwed to the wall or ceiling, these shower heads give a designer look and, as the spray is fixed, there's no danger of accidentally soaking the rest of the room. It's not the handiest for cleaning though (or washing a squirming child). Also, it can be costly to install and repair as the pipe-work should be hidden in the wall. |
| Hand held shower |
Slots into a bracket that's either fixed to the wall or on a riser rail so you can adjust its height, connected by a flexible hose. These don't look as sleek or streamlined as fixed heads, but the great advantage is that you can detach them for focussed rinsing and easy cleaning of the shower enclosure. |
Some shower heads are more water-efficient than others:
| Rose shower head |
Stylish option with a wide head and lots of small holes, giving a raindrop pattern spray - perfect for those who like a gentle shower. |
| Ceiling shower head |
Similar spray to a rose head, but requires more water pressure than usual and is the most complicated head to fit. A good choice for wet rooms though. |
| Double shower head |
Either two sprays on one unit, an overhead spray plus a side-spray, or a fixed head and a hand-held. Very luxurious, but not water efficient.
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| Single mode shower head |
The most common type, this one is smaller than a rose head and doesn't have an adjustable spray, but it's cheaper and more water-efficient. Single mode heads are the best options due to the smaller size of the head and the more economical champagne spray pattern.
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| Multifunction shower head |
Twist the head to alter the flow rate and pattern of the spray. Try out the twist action in the shop, remembering that you'll have to move it with wet, soapy hands. |
Not all systems are compatible with every type of shower head. Generally, gravity-fed and combi-boiler systems work best with single mode or multifunction heads; mains pressure systems suit all types if shower heads.
Even if you have a stand-alone shower cubicle or wet room, a shower head on a flexible hose is useful in the bath for rinsing hair and washing the bath out after use.
Shower head spray options
A raindrop spray shower head gives a gentle draining effect with large droplets; a jet spray gives a strong, invigorating stream. Mist patterns (fine drops) and champagne sprays (small drops, the standard type) give a relaxing shower.
Which shower taps and heads
Shower taps offer the same variety as bath taps. Many mixer taps are thermostatically controlled so that the water is always on the right temperature when you turn on the shower.
Which shower to choose - top tips
- Shower surrounds - prevent shower spray from wetting the bathroom with an effective shower screen door or curtain. Sliding glass screen panels are chic and practical but also expensive. Even if the shower is fitted over the bath some sort of screen will be necessary.
- If the water pressure is low, you may need to install a pumped electric shower that uses water from the storage tank rather than directly from the mains.
- If your hot water supply comes from a combination boiler there will not be sufficient stored hot water so you will need an instant electric shower which heats water from the mains as it is used. This is also the most economic type of shower.
- If you have sufficient stored water (a hot water cylinder) then you can choose between a mixer showers which takes water from both the hot and cold supply, and power showers which work in the same way but incorporate a pump to provide greater force.
- The water system fitted in your house will decide the type of shower you can install.
You can fit a shower anywhere. Showers don't have to fit in bathrooms. Manufacturers now make watertight, self contained units that are able to fit under redundant hall cupboards or stairwells. So there's a lot of flexibility when it comes to which shower you choose and planning for your shower unit.