Your shower faucet is an essential aspect of your daily convenience and comfort. You use your shower to feel refreshed after or before a day’s hard work. It is important that your shower works like expected and is performing satisfactorily. When it comes to picking a shower, there are many things you need to think about. These include choosing the right shower valves, thinking about the configuration and type of showerhead, modifying the water pressure for optimum performance, and picking the right accessories.
Choosing the right shower valves
Shower valves are the plumbing part that controls the flow of water. Shower valves are controlled by a handle and an escutcheon or a wall plate. Usually, shower valves are not visible from the outside. The installation of a shower begins with the inserting of the valve into the wall. Then you need to put the shower stall or shower system into place before you install the faucet set or trim kit with the handle or control panel covering the valve. Shower valves have two kinds of options – manual and thermostatic. Many thermostatic options turn off the shower water if it rises above a certain temperature. With thermostatic shower valves, you no longer need to worry about losing water due to flushing of a toilet or alternate use of cold water.
Right configuration and type
There are many faucet options for your shower, right from the solo shower head to an all-in-one combination which encompasses both a shower head and a bathtub faucet. Shower heads are available in five categories – single head spray shower heads, double or dual head spray shower heads, rain showers, hand-held shower heads and body sprays. Single head sprays have individual nozzles that distribute water spray in patterns. Their nozzles are adjustable and you can also customize the flow of water spray. Rain showers are large and flat, and cover a large area with a straight water flow. Multiple shower heads have more than one shower head and are controlled by a single set of handles or a lever. Handheld shower heads can be held in hand and dispense water to reach different areas of the body.
Water pressure
The water pressure for most shower heads fluctuates between 40 and 60 pounds per square inch (psi). Before you buy a shower faucet, it is essential to check the water pressure. Make sure that you regard the clogs, leaks and old pipes that will be working in conjunction with your new faucet. All of these will affect the water pressure you will experience, as will the kind of faucet you pick.
Accessories
In addition to the basic parts of a shower faucet, you can also find a host of accessories available for your bathroom faucet. These include diverters, anti-scald valves, hand showers and pressure balancing valves.
If you need help choosing a shower faucet specific to your needs and taking into account your water supply, weather, etc., speak to Euro Bath and Kitchen for detailed guidance on bathroom fixtures, bathtub faucets, kitchen faucets, shower faucets and toilets for sale.