Types of Shower Head – Choosing the right option for your shower
Choosing the best types of shower head
for your shower
There are many types of shower and shower head available nowadays from the traditional fixed shower head to rain drenchers, rail showers, hand showers, twin showers. Choosing one of these shower types that is best for your shower can be confusing and can result in a less than effective experience if you choose the wrong type.
One of the most important things to consider is the water pressure you have and what power you can expect from the types of shower. Spending a lot of money that only provides a less than adequate water flow would not be money well spent.
The suitability of the types of shower head for your project will be determined by whether you are simply replacing a shower head or renovating. Replacing will more than likely limit you to a like for like replacement while a renovation will probably mean you can choose from everything that is available.
The other thing to consider is who is going to use the shower and therefore what you need the shower to do. A fixed drench shower head for example may not be the best fit in a shower room for kids. A hand shower maybe better especially to clean children, dogs, the shower glass, gum boots etc.
For economic and environmental issues you should also consider the WELS rating for the shower types. The WELS rating is based on the flow per minute and therefore how much water is used. The use of aerators fitted to tapware spouts restricts the flow of water contributing to the WELS rating
Fixed Shower Head – Wall Mounted
This one of the most popular types of shower head for the budget conscious. Simple and in most cases the cheapest type of shower head. Built to produce a steady flow due to a small diameter. You can spend a bit more on multi-function shower heads and get a variety of spray patterns usually from a strong jet spray to a gentle wider spray.
Fixed shower heads are perfect for people who just want a quick, no-fuss, efficient shower.
The downside is the lack of flexibility in terms of movement and controlling the direction of the water flow. You can overcome this by attaching a fixed shower head to an arm that provides multi-directional movement. There are also heads that have
Fixed Shower Head – Ceiling Mounted
Of all the shower types these have become very popular in the hospitality industry in hotels and gyms. Commonly known as drench or rain showers they produce a luxurious look and feel with a large shower coverage area. A few things to consider with these:
The larger the head the less powerful the spray – so if your water supply is not the most powerful then you may need to get a smaller head and so decide if it is the best choice.
A ceiling mounted shower invariably means that your head/hair is going to get wet whatever you do, so a shower cap is required if you are not washing your hair. Some people realise this and decide to have 2 shower heads in the shower space.
The luxurious ceiling drencher and then a second wall mounted shower for when they need just a body shower or a more controlled and directional flow.
Hand Shower
By far the most versatile and popular type of shower. The hand shower comes with a hose (detachable for easy replacement) and a wall-mounted holder. In the holder, the head acts as a fixed shower head but you also have the added functionality of removing it from the holder to spray parts of the body, clean the shower walls and floor, hose down the dog, clean muddy soccer boots or gumboots, fill a bucket……..
The versatility of a hand shower is its strongest asset. When combined in a shower space with a rain shower you have the best of both worlds.
Hand Shower on a rail
All the versatility and functionality of a standard hand shower but on a rail. This provides the extra dimension of controlling the height of the shower head. Extremely useful when you have kids, as well as adults, using the same shower. The added flexible height means everyone is catered for.
The Twin Shower
How about an overhead shower and a hand shower as one unit! Enter the twin shower. These types of shower head are a cost-effective way of having multiple functionalities from a single water source. This means just one piece of plumbing. The downside is that when you run both together you are sharing the water pressure.
If you don’t want the cost of the extra plumbing to run the styles independently this is a very useful way to maximise the options you have in your shower space.
Mixers, Taps and Sets
You can use either traditional taps or mixers to control your shower. There are Shower sets available that include the shower taps, arm and head for a complete matching look. You can also build your own set with either shower mixer tapware or shower taps, the arm of your choice and a suitable shower head. At MYTAP we stock all the individual elements for you to create your own look as well as shower sets.
If you are replacing an existing shower system and not doing any new plumbing work then you need to match the exising setup i.e if your existing shower system has two taps rather than a mixer then you will need to replace like for like with taps.
Summary
To decide from all the types of shower head available you need to work out who is going to be using the space and what you want to be able to do in the shower. Make sure you have enough pressure to run your choice or try a HydroSense product that is extremely powerful and will be effective with low pressure water supply. Looking great is not always the best shower head for your water pressure or the size and height of your shower space. MyTap provide a variety of shower options with complete solutions or separate arms and heads to choose from.
We provide helpful advise about shower systems with no obligation. Simply contact us with your questions and the team will provide you with the best advise free of charge..
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