How to Pick a Shower For Your New Bathroom
When installing a new bathroom there are a wide variety of choices to make, from styles of toilet, sink, ventilation and flooring, to the types of shower and their functionalities. When choosing a shower, it’s important to consider your water pressure, heating system and even shower design, to get the absolute most from your investment.
We understand the stress and time that goes into giving your home a revamp, so we’ll be discussing the different types of showers, their functionalities and benefits, to give you one less thing to think about during your bathroom renovation.
Electric Shower
Electric showers are a simple and efficient type of shower to install in most homes. Electric showers don’t need a hot water supply to be frequently used. Instead, they use a cold water supply and heat on use. This makes them ideal for most homes, and for rooms that could prove tricky to install a hot water supply.
Electric showers are reliable, as you don’t need to wait for your water to heat up and you won’t run out of hot water mid-shower – which can be tough on a winter’s day! They’re also much more energy efficient than showers that require a hot water source, as they only heat the water that is used rather than heating up an entire tank.
Manual Mixer Shower
Manual mixer showers require a source of water in order to work efficiently. Most manual mixer showers work manually, meaning they don’t require a source of electricity to work. This makes them a great option for areas that deal with a lot of power outages.
A manual mixer shower works by mixing the hot water source with cold water as you change the temperature of your shower using the dials. This means that the water comes out at a perfect temperature every time. Manual mixers have a stronger water pressure than electric showers which is a bonus, however, they do require both hot and cold water sources to work, so consult with a professional before buying.
Power Shower
Power showers are well known for their name and main functionality – being powerful little devices! Power showers are a great option for those who enjoy a stronger water pressure – there’s nothing quite like a strong shower to wake you up in the morning!
Power Showers are often confused with electric showers, as both can look quite similar, however, the functionality of a power shower is actually more similar to a manual mixer. Like a manual mixer shower, power showers require both hot and cold water sources in order to work efficiently. They do this slightly differently, by taking the hot water from a cylinder heated by your boiler, and cold water from your daily water supply. It then uses electricity to pump the water flow at a faster rate, allowing it to add the word ‘power’ to its title.
Although power showers do have their benefits, they also use a lot of electricity to pump the water and use more water per shower than other types of showers, making power shower costs on the more expensive side. Like a manual mixer, they also will run out of hot water if used for an extended period of time, and you will have to wait for the water to heat before using it again.
Thermostatic Mixer Shower
Thermostatic mixer showers are a great choice for families with young children, as they prevent the risk of scalding during use. This type of shower uses a thermostatic valve to keep the water at a constant temperature, which can be adjusted during use.
Both hot and cold water supplies are needed to install a thermostatic mixer shower.
Digital Shower
Digital showers are not commonly seen, however, may be found in luxury new-builds due to their tech nature. Digital showers are similar in functionality to thermostatic mixer showers, keeping the temperature at a consistent and reliable level. They need a supply of both hot and cold water to work efficiently.
Digital showers are definitely for the lovers of tech and convenience within the home, often coming with a separate remote control or usable from an iPhone so you can switch on your shower before even entering the bathroom.
Smart Shower
Smart showers are definitely a thing of the future. Smart showers are very similar to digital showers, with added bonuses of integrating fully with your smart devices such as Alexa and Google Home devices to fully customise your shower, and preventative safety measures for families with young children or elderly relatives.