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How Easy is it to Install a Shower Enclosure?

Category : Home Management

You'd probably handle more of your bathroom's renovation yourself if you thought it was easy enough, right? Well, you might be surprised at how easy certain tasks are, when designing or making improvements to your bathroom. One of the major sections of a “full” bathroom is the shower enclosure. You might be pleasantly surprised at how relatively easy it is to install one in your bathroom. Here are some tips to make the process go as smoothly as possible:

1. Select a shower tray.

Not just any shower tray will do! Verify that it fits where your shower will be located, and that it's within your budget. You'll have a wide variety of sizes, shapes, styles and materials from which to choose. Regarding the size, make sure that the tray supplies you with a sufficient amount of standing room. For safety purposes, it's also advisable that you choose a tray with a base that's skid-resistant. One of the most crucial matters to consider is the lifestyle of you and your family. This should have a significant impact on the model that you choose.

2. Choose a shower enclosure that matches up with the shower tray.

For instance, verify that the shower enclosure's measurements include the shower tray's height and provide enough clearance for the bathroom's ceiling. You could also consider an enclosure that contains frameless glass. That makes it easier to clean, as no water or lime deposits will form in tough-to-reach areas.

3. Check the shower tray's drain.

It's crucial that the drain is lower than the actual tray, to allow enough drainage. To make the installation process as smooth as possible, you may need a professional installer to make the tray's drain recessed.

4. Don't skimp on the sealant.

It's important to use the right quality and quantity, when using a sealant. Use a high-quality sealant, to prevent possible leaks, and damage to the floor and walls surrounding the shower. Also, it's crucial to use a sufficient amount of sealant around the tray.

5. Look for trays with a “tile trim” lip.

Today's shower trays typically include a “tile trim” lip, located on the tray's wall edge. The function of the lip is to keep the shower's water from seeping out behind the shower and between the bathroom tiles. Water leakage can cause various problems.

6. Make the measurements before you install.

This is the utmost importance, to ensure that the tray and enclosure fit in the shower area.

7. Install the tray first.

The reason is that the shower enclosure and bathroom riles can alter the tray's size. This could become a problem if you choose to install the tray lastly.

8. Use a level to ensure that the enclosure's wall is level.

A level is a simple yet effective tool. While using it, mark three holes for drilling. This is where you'll mount the profile, which will support the doors of the shower.

So there you have it! Installing a shower enclosure can be a fairly easy task. These tips will make the entire process as automatic as taking a daily shower.

About the Author: Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who writes for a number of UK businesses. For <a href="http://www.clickbathrooms.co.uk/showerenclosures.php” rel=”nofollow”>shower enclosures and other bathroom fittings he recommends Click bathrooms.


How to Decide Between an Electric, Mixer, Thermostatic or Power Shower

Category : Home Management

A nice, relaxing shower with the perfect amount of water pressure and temperature is a great comfort to be thoroughly enjoyed. But to experience this luxury you will need just the right type of shower unit and if you've never bought one before, you may be a bit confused by the different types available and the pros and cons of each.

Here's the information you need to know first to best decide between an electric, mixer, thermostatic, or power shower for your bathroom.

- Electric Shower: With an electric shower, as you might expect, the more elaborate the unit, the more expensive it will be; however, with this type of shower, the more features it offers the better it will perform regardless of the outdoor temperature. With this choice, water pressure coming from the main must be at a certain level (at least 0.7kilogram per square centimetre or 10lb per square inch) for the unit to work correctly.

An electric shower with a temperature stabiliser is a better choice as it won't affect the shower's water when other taps in the house are being used. But the downside of the electric shower is that their control knobs only allow for a high water temperature with lower water pressure, or alternately, lower temperature with more pressure, which can quite problematic in the winter months when the water coming from the main is colder. Some models of electric showers are equipped with a setting for either winter or summer as a solution to this problem.

- Mixer Shower: With a mixer shower, both the spray and the hose are combined together with a bath mixer tap. The bath/shower mixer is perhaps the least expensive of all the shower head options as no extra type of plumbing is involved. However, there are some drawbacks to this choice as its temperature control option can be inconvenient since water temperature is adjusted through the bath's tap.

- Thermostatic Mixer Shower: Perhaps the most attractive feature of the thermostatic mixer shower is its convenient temperature controls, which adds to the price as this type is one of the most expensive of all the mixer unit options. With this particular type of shower, the spray and hose are both a part of the shower's wall unit with the cold and hot water supplies being connected with one single valve. A stabiliser then completes the unit that contains a self-adjuster to keep the water's temperature from becoming too hot or too cold.

- Power Shower: This type of shower is one single unit comprised of an electric pump whose purpose is to regulate both the water's temperature and pressure. But, note that the convenience of dual capability for adjusting both temperature and pressure is unsuitable for water supplies that are heated by a boiler or by the shower itself and instead must be used with a water supply coming from a hot water cylinder and cold water cistern.

Whichever option you ultimately decide upon for your bathroom, first make absolutely certain that your water supply is the right kind for the unit to avoid returning to the store or shipping your purchase back for another type.

About the Author: Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who writes for a number of UK businesses. For electric and <a href="http://www.clickbathrooms.co.uk/power_showers.php” rel=”nofollow”>power showers, he recommends Click bathrooms.