| A successful shower installation requires careful | | | | models which are available with a winter/summer |
| planning and a lot of work. In most cases, you will | | | | setting. |
| need to do three types of tasks: framing walls, | | | | Method |
| installing the plumbing, and finishing walls. | | | | Depending on the type of shower you wish to |
| Preparation | | | | install, the shower head must either be fitted in |
| Firstly, you must decide on the type of shower | | | | order to avoid its contact with the water in the |
| that you wish to install. It is important to ascertain | | | | bath below or the base tray, or it must have a |
| whether the chosen shower is capable of coping | | | | check valve. |
| with certain systems and can regulate a safe level | | | | Before starting, it is advisable to mark the |
| of water through the boiler. Most shower units | | | | positions of the shower head and control, and to |
| nowadays are designed to be flexible to different | | | | plan the pipe-work involved. Additionally, the |
| water pressures (such as stored hot water and | | | | drainage system to remove the waste water will |
| cold mains). | | | | need to be planned. Both positions of the cable |
| It is also important to take into account the | | | | route and the shower switch will also need to be |
| water pressure and the planning of the piping and | | | | considered if an instantaneous or electric shower |
| drainage for the shower | | | | unit is being installed. |
| Different Types of Shower Units | | | | Use the instruction guide provided with the |
| Push-on Mixer: The hose and spray parts of the | | | | shower unit to fit the shower control. |
| push-on mixer shower unit can be connected to | | | | Before fitting the pipes that will supply the water |
| the bath tap as per your requirement, and the | | | | to the shower system, it is important to cut off |
| water temperature can be adjusted via the taps. | | | | the water supply. In order to protect the pipes, |
| Push-on mixers are cheap and extremely simple | | | | they should be given a waterproof covering and |
| to install. However, although the hose connection | | | | also fitted with isolating valves. The pipes can then |
| is simple, it is easily dislodged. Additionally, it is | | | | be buried into the wall and plastered over to |
| inconvenient to adjust the temperature. | | | | neaten the overall look. |
| Bath/Shower Mixer: The hose and spray of this | | | | Fit the base tray, shower head, and fittings. |
| type of shower are combined with a bath mixer | | | | Connect the main shower control to the pipes |
| tap, and the temperature can be adjusted | | | | that will be supplying the water (This may require |
| through the bath taps. It is a very cheap option | | | | a female screw thread adapter). |
| and no extra plumbing is involved. However, the | | | | Reconnect the water supply and test the pipes |
| bath/shower mixers also suffer from inconvenient | | | | for any leaks, as some may need tightening. |
| temperature control options. | | | | If you are installing an electrical shower, |
| Manual Mixer: The hose and spray of a manual | | | | remember to switch off the electricity supply |
| mixer shower unit are a part of the wall unit and | | | | before making any electrical connections. Once |
| the hot and cold water supplies are connected to | | | | these connections have been made (there should |
| a single valve The temperature and pressure of | | | | be guidance within the instruction manual), the |
| the water are controlled through either one or a | | | | power supply can be switched back on. |
| variety of knobs (in more expensive showers). | | | | Adjusting Water Pressure to Suit Your Shower |
| Although temperature control is much easier in | | | | The cold water reservoir can be lifted to a |
| manual mixer types, they are more expensive | | | | greater height (sometimes as little as 150mm |
| than the previously mentioned mixers. They also | | | | (6inches)) by fitting a strong wooden support |
| require additional plumbing of hot and cold water | | | | beneath it - possibly composed of struts and |
| supply pipes. | | | | blockboards. If you choose this option, the main |
| Thermostatic Mixer: The hose and spray of this | | | | and distribution pipes will also have to be raised to |
| shower type are a part of the wall unit and the | | | | meet the new height of the reservoir. |
| hot and cold water supplies are connected to a | | | | Alternatively, a booster pump (a single pump or a |
| single valve here too. It is complete with a built-in | | | | dual/twin pump) can be fitted. Whichever type is |
| stabiliser to self-adjust the water temperature | | | | chosen, it must be connected into the power |
| and to prevent it from becoming too hot. One of | | | | supply in order to operate. |
| the biggest advantages of a thermostatic mixer | | | | Piping and Drainage |
| shower type includes convenient temperature | | | | It is best to use 15mm diameter supply pipes, and |
| control. However, it is the most expensive of the | | | | make the runs to the shower as short and |
| different mixer options. | | | | straight as possible so as to maintain maximum |
| Power Shower: A power shower is a single unit | | | | pressure and minimise heat loss. Additionally, by |
| containing a powerful electric pump that is capable | | | | minimising the use of elbows for pipe corners, you |
| of altering both the water pressure and | | | | can decrease the resistance in the flow of the |
| temperature. This type of shower can be fitted if | | | | water supply. You can achieve this by bending the |
| there is water supply from a cold water cistern | | | | pipes instead. |
| and a hot water cylinder. A power shower makes | | | | Most Common Mistakes |
| the adjustment of both pressure and | | | | # Violating or ignoring local code restrictions. |
| temperature easy. On the other hand, it is | | | | # Using pipes that are too small. |
| unsuitable for water heated directly by the | | | | # Attaching copper to galvanized without using a |
| shower or where the water is supplied by a | | | | brass or dielectric fitting between the two. |
| combination boiler under mains pressure. | | | | # Not using tape or pipe compound at threaded |
| Electric Shower: An electric shower is plumbed | | | | joints. |
| into a mains cold water supply and it heats the | | | | # Not leveling your fixtures when installing them. |
| water electrically. It is important to note that for | | | | # Not installing an air gap filling for fixtures. |
| this shower type to be installed, the mains | | | | # Cutting supply stub outs too short to install the |
| pressure needs to be at least 0.7kg/sq cm (10lb | | | | shutoff valves onto after the finished wall is in |
| sq in). The unit allows the temperature and | | | | place. |
| pressure to be adjusted via a knob. Models with | | | | # Not properly aligning tubing into fittings or stop |
| temperature stabilisers are better as they remain | | | | valves. (Forcing the nut onto the compression ring |
| unaffected by other taps elsewhere in use within | | | | at an angle when the tubing is at an angle will |
| the household. A major drawback of electric | | | | cause a leak.) |
| showers is that the control knob only allows for | | | | # When turning the water back on in your home, |
| the option of high temperatures at less pressure, | | | | always run the outside hose valve or flush your |
| or lower temperatures at a greater pressure. This | | | | toilets to bleed dirt and air from the lines. This |
| is problematic in the winter season when the | | | | debris can cause problems in your sink faucets |
| spray is often weak and the mains water is | | | | and other plumbing trim. |
| colder. However, this problem is tackled in some | | | | |