Choosing The Perfect Shower – A Handy Guide

Showers. Believe it or not they can be quite confusing unless you have all the facts – what type should you choose for your new bathroom design, Electric? Power? Thermostatic? What type of boiler do you need? There are so many things to consider!

But don’t worry, though. My Beautiful Bathroom is here to help! Take a look at this handy guide and you’ll find your perfect shower in no time.

 

 Which Shower To Choose For Your New Bathroom?

Ok, let’s keep things simple. When it comes to the king of showers there are three main contenders; thermostatic, power and electric.

A thermostatic shower is the safest of all showers. The clue is in the name, as this type of shower has an inbuilt thermostat for excellent temperature control. Have you ever been in the shower and then someone flushes a toilet or does the washing up and you either jump out of your skin from the cold or get burnt from the hot?

Well, a thermostatic shower eliminates this, as the water temperature of the shower is not affected by any other water usage in your home. The power shower is really easy to operate and provides greater control than the other contenders, plus it’s the perfect choice if your home has lower water pressure.

A power shower will mix both hot and cold water together until an ideal temperature is reached and increases the speed of the water flow with an electric pump. The popularity of this type of shower is ever increasing as the powerful ‘jet-wash’ is so much more refreshing than alternatives.

An electric shower is probably the most common shower, as it is suitable for any type of water system you have in your home. This type of shower heats up the cold water for each shower individually so there is less wasted water – making it the ideal choice for big families trying to keep bills down!

 

 Let’s Talk Showers and Boilers

Ok, we won’t bore you – we know boilers aren’t everyone’s first choice of entertainment, yet you really need to consider the best type of shower for the boiler you have. We’re keeping it simple again– take a peek below:

• Electric showers – If you have a combination boiler (combi) opt for an electric shower, as this type of boiler heats water on demand it goes hand in hand with the way the electric shower works.
• Thermostatic showers – Another great option for combi-boiler owners with the added comfort of consistent water temperature.
• Power showers – They run off a ‘gravity fed’ water system. Wait…it gets interesting, we promise! The water comes into your house into two pipes; one takes water from the mains to the sink (for drinking water etc) and the other into a water storage tank which runs into a hot water cylinder (you might have a big tank in your airing cupboard – this is what this is!).

Just a side note. A 10.8kw shower runs of a 10m cable, so if this is the spec of the shower you are looking at then you might need to upgrade your electrics and mainboard. An 8.5kw shower runs off an 8m cable, which should be standard if your house already has a shower.

Remember that the accredited installation teams at My Beautiful Bathroom know everything about this subject, so we will make sure that you get the perfect shower to match your water system.

 Choosing a Shower Style

The look and type of shower you go for comes down to three things; what boiler you have, what space you have and what will look nice in your home. We’ve covered the boiler and your space cannot be changed, which leaves us with how it looks. This is where the look you want to achieve in your bathroom comes in to play!

Plastic showers are generally cheaper and can do the same job as others – water comes out and you get clean! They are practical, of course, but are not the best looking compared to others. However, the ultimate in style is a chrome shower – they look beautiful and really can complement your bathroom taps.

Also, chrome is really easy to simply wipe clean and keep looking as shiny as the day you bought it.

 Shower Safety – Make Sure Your Shower Complies

And one last word – all showers need to be RCD (Residual Current Device) protected – this is a simple fitting which prevents electric shock and other accidents due to faulty electrical appliances or wiring. We, of course, comply with this safety regulation – keeping our customers both safe and happy. We hope you have enjoyed our handy shower guide.

If you have any more questions please get in touch – we’d love to help you find the shower of your dreams!

For more bathroom design help and advice, call My Beautiful Bathroom on 0141 771 3640