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1. First things first. Is your water pressure high enough for you to successfully run one of these luxury showers? Certain models will only work with high-pressure systems, so check with the manufacturer.
2. Before buying a shower, check what kind of system you have. Traditionally in Britain, water has been supplied via a storage system, whereas elsewhere it is supplied directly from the mains and so is under mains pressure. With this system, known as a gravity fed system, the hot water feed comes from either a hot water cylinder or a combination boiler. For a shower to work, the cold water tank should be positioned at least one metre above the shower head, although three to four metres is necessary for a really good shower. If the distance is any less than this, then water pressure and flow will be distinctly underwhelming.
3. Thankfully, many of us are now able to wave goodbye to feeble showers either by installing a pump or converting to a direct mains supply. If you are hoping to fit a pump to your shower but have a combination boiler and no hot water cylinder, then you are likely to be disappointed, as this will not work. Power showers generally use more hot water than a combination boiler alone can produce.
4. The term power shower is used quite loosely these days and few people actually really understand the term. A power shower is in fact exactly the same as a gravity-fed shower but has an electric pump concealed within, which gives the pressure going to the shower head a big boost and results in a more invigorating spray.
5. Although relatively unpopular these days, electric showers still have their part to play. They can be fitted wherever you like in the house no matter where your header tank is. Plus, they are cheap and easier to install. They are fed by high-pressure mains water through a pipe from a copper cylinder located in the wall unit. When turned on, the electric heater, located in the cylinder, is activated to heat the water, the temperature of which is regulated by controls on the front. The main downside of these showers is that they generally lack power and no pump can be fitted to rectify the problem.
6. Temperature control is key to your enjoyment of your new shower one that consistently switches between scalding hot and freezing cold will certainly not do. Thermostatic shower mixers regulate the temperature of the water, so that if another tap is used elsewhere in the house, the thermostatic mixer adjusts the water flow so that the temperature remains constant. They are a little more expensive than other mixers but well worth it.
7. Once you have determined the type of shower that will be compatible with your plumbing system, the fun bit begins choosing the model of shower. Shower heads come in all sizes, shapes and finishes: from enormous rose heads designed to give the showerer a thorough drenching, to smaller heads offering a selection of spray options. Shower heads can be either fixed or flexible. Fixed heads are either secured to the wall at a set height or, as is often the case with many contemporary designs, fixed to the ceiling above in some way some rain showers are designed to be set into the ceiling for a seamless effect. The pipework is generally concealed within the wall with this style of shower, with just the head and controls on view.
8. Flexible showers are fitted to a flexible hose and come with a riser rail: a sliding bar on which the most convenient height for the shower head can be selected by the user. Flexible shower heads often have a variety of sprays to choose from, ranging from frothy champagne sprays to invigorating jet sprays. They are the best choice for family bathrooms.
9. At the very top end of the luxury shower market are models which combine both fixed and flexible heads, featuring both within one showering unit, often complete with your choice of enclosure. It is not unusual for these showers to also be available with a selection of rain bars — poles located at the side of the shower emitting powerful sprays of water — mood lighting and sound systems some even double up as steam cabins.
10. Although showering is often thought of as a means of saving water when compared to bathing, bear in mind that a power shower uses much more water than a conventional model. In households where power showers are used several times a day, the water used could well exceed several bathfuls.
Source: Homebuilding&renovation
Bathroom Plumbing
1. There are radiators available to fit any position in a room, from squat, low models for beneath windows and tall, thin designs for narrow spaces. They can be plain and functional, or unique pieces of art. They can also be invisible: trench radiators, sunk under the floor with a grille cover, or skirting radiators, which run within the skirting board profile at floor level, are great when there is insufficient wall space. For a simple but attractive look in any style, column radiators are a classic choice for added interest choose models that are much taller than they are wide, or vice versa. In the bathroom, stainless steel towel rails are near compulsory, but don t worry about not having warm towels in the summer: some models have a supplementary electric heater for when the central heating is off.
2. Radiators are given a temperature value which is calculated and recorded as BTUs (British Thermal Units) per hour, a standard used throughout the industry. It is important that you find out how many BTUs/hr you will require from your radiators before selecting a style, so you will know whether a radiators/">radiator will be suitable for your requirements or not. You can easily work this out yourself by using the online calculator at www.theradiatorcompany.co.uk.
3. Single- or double-panel pressed-steel radiators are the cheapest option and are readily available off the shelf. Steel in general tends to be the most cost-effective material and is also lightweight, a good heat conductor and very versatile. Cast-iron-style column designs are available — as steel is far cheaper — and the metal is also the preferred choice for many unusual and designer radiators, because it is easy to bend, cut, weld and shape.
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4. Cast iron column radiators are perfectly suited — though not ”restricted — to traditional homes, and many manufacturers produce accurate period reproductions. Cast iron radiators are an expensive choice and take a long time to heat up, so you need to set the timer carefully so they come on well in advance of when the room is used though cast iron will retain its warmth when the radiators are switched off for a lot longer than other materials.
5. Reclaimed cast iron radiators are often cheaper than new models, and possess unique character; however, it is difficult to spot problems in a salvage yard, such as hairline cracks or sludge , which can damage a new heating system. Ensure that any radiators/">radiator you purchase is well flushed out and pressure-tested for leaks. Ideally, it should also be shot-blasted clean. Bear in mind that old radiators are likely to be made for imperial-size plumbing fittings and rarely come with original valves, which can complicate the installation.
6. Another popular radiators/">radiator material is aluminium, which is lightweight and an excellent heat conductor. Other available —though less common — metals are copper and brass. If you want something ultra-modern and sleek, glass and mirror radiators are increasingly in demand; or for something altogether different, consider a flat stone radiators/">radiator in smooth marble or granite.
7. You can specify pre-finished radiators in almost any colour, usually powder-coated. You can also specify metallic finishes in stainless steel or chrome (though chrome finishes are known to slightly reduce heat output). However, many less-expensive radiators come primed ready for painting. You can buy radiators/">radiator paint at DIY stores, but ensure you do buy paint specifically intended for this job. 8. Most radiators come in standard sizes, typically between 300mm and 700mm high and from 500mm to 3,000mm long. Manufacturers tend to produce three or four height options, each available in lengths which increase in 100mm steps. Column radiators are often ordered and priced in sections.
9. You may have heard that positioning radiators beneath windows aids their performance. This does have some truth to it, but means you can t have long curtains at the window. With today s high standards of insulation, you can easily get away with putting radiators elsewhere. Large rooms may require more than a single radiators/">radiator one for every four metres is a good guide to work to.
10. You could pick up a standard pressed-steel radiators/">radiator for as little as £25; for £100-300 you could buy a good-looking designer radiators/">radiator; but for particularly sleek or unique designs, £400-1,000 or more isn t uncommon. Cast iron column radiators cost between £2050 per section. You may want to consider just buying one or two feature radiators, with budget installations in less-important rooms. Source: Homebuilding&renovation
Plumbing
Day 1. Abbey Boilers arrive with 2 huge boxes. After a quick chat to talk through placement they start unwrapping. The unvented cylinder, a 1751 lt Megaflo, is huge and the boiler, a vaillant EcoTech Plus 624, looked like a car engine when opened. They installed the cylinder and boiler to the wall and started running the copper piping. Where before, we had a lame looking granny heater, we now have a room filled with piping, spagettiing over the wall and looking like it could heat Hampton court.
Day 2. The piping is complete and, how ever sad it may sound, I find myself standing in front of the newly installed system with a massive grin on my face. The electrics are installed which include the control panel, thermostat receiver and flow controls and the gas has been connected. Tempory piping has been laid in the loft space which should allow the builders the work around them for as long as possible.
DAY 3. Hot water and heating are on. The old water heater and water tank have been removed and the pipes have been insulated. The soak away is dug and the flue is steaming away.
Diary Plumbing
Now that our system is dead I’ve been forced to look into the world of heating 3 months early. When broken down, heating systems are fairly uncomplicated. There are 3 main types; free standing, wall mounted and back boilers.
Free standing:
These are slim boilers that are situated on the floor and usually installed between kitchen units.
Wall mounted:
Smaller, more compact heat exchangers. These boilers don’t require the room to be vented.
Back boilers:
These are the first central heating systems that were on offer. They do require the room to be vented. They were installed in the fireplace and thus are treated as open flued models. When these boilers break down they tend to omit poisonous flumes. This is the system we are replacing and I can confirm that when ours started to go, the room stank.
Other systems are condensing boilers and combination boilers (combi)
Condensing boilers have been around for some time and as more efficient designs are bought out, more savings on fuel costs can be found. Easy to install, care must be taken when considering the placement of the flue as ‘pluming’ (steam like omissions that, although are non toxic, would annoy if placed by a window or door) Also this system needs to be able to drain the result of the condensation away to a drain.
Combination boilers are popular as they remove the need to have a hot water tank and thus save space. They are typically installed in flats and small houses. They allow hot water on demand but are limited if the hot water is required for multiple sources (tap in the kitchen and the shower running at the same time)
Warm air systems are also available and are usually found in small houses and flats. These work by heating the air using burning gas and then pumping the hot air around the house. These systems are very economical to run and are quick to warm up from cold. It’s also possible to get electrostatic air filters to eliminate odours and 95% of airborne particles. (good for asthma sufferers)
You are also restricted to what can be installed where. These are the places where certain boilers can or can’t be installed.
- Kitchen – all types, preferably on an external wall for the flue.
- Living Room – Back boilers are not permitted.
- Bedrooms – only fanned to room sealed boilers can be fitted. Boilers that draw air from the room must not be fitted in bedrooms.
- Bathrooms - only fanned to room sealed boilers can be fitted. Boilers that draw air from the room must not be fitted in bathrooms.
- Under stairs – as long as adequate fire protection is installed giving 30 minutes or more protection all can be installed.
- Garage – all boilers but frost protection is required.
- Roof space – all can be installed but secure access, permanent lighting and boards between hatch and boiler are required to be installed as well.
- Cellar – as external walls aren’t available, only fanned flue and conventional flue boilers can be fitted.
Choosing a boiler will depend on your personal needs, size of house and location you wish to install the boiler. We spoke to Abbey boilers who were very helpful. This article is only a guide and further information and advice should be sort from a corgi registered engineer.
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Facts Plumbing
When we bought the house we negotiated £10,000 off the price to pay for the new heating system. We knew it wouldn’t last - The survey said so, the plumber we got to check it over said so and, to the sellers credit, he said so. But we thought it would last until we started the renovation so that we could plan the installation into the build plan and prevent extra costs of multiple visits from the plumbers.
Unfortunately the boiler died yesterday. No heating, no hot water and to add salt to the wound – it started to snow. We called in our trusted plumbers, Abbey Boilers, and they gave it the final rights. We’ve used Abbey Boilers in the past to sort leaks and replacements of hot water tanks etc. You know you are on to a winning company when they advise you on ways to get things done cheaper without compromising quality or safety and advised us not to throw money after bad hardware.
We have been quoted £2300 to install the new boiler, emersion heater and pumps. The boss is paying a visit on Thursday to talk through the possibility of installing the entire system before the renovation starts. Luckily we know the new layout of the house and the configuration of the first floor. This should make planning the new system easier. We can provisionary install the plumbing to the first floor ready for it to be plumbed in when the building starts and still have the new system working for the ground floor. We know where the new boiler can go as we know where the utility room will be.
So until the 12th of February we will live in a very cold house with no hot running water…joy.
Diary Plumbing
