Showers

There are three main types of shower - conventional, electric and pumped ('power') showers. These all have different characteristics affecting their heating capacities, pressure and flow.

Conventional Showers are Low Pressure/High Flow. This type of shower is uncomplicated, but basic. Essentially, it mixes hot and cold water from the mains water supply. As a result, it is not of a high pressure, and tends to be affected whenever a toilet is flushed, or a tap turned on. If hot water comes directly from a boiler, the shower may start to run cold if the boiler cannot cope with demand. If the hot water comes from a tank, it tends to be of a low pressure. Combination boilers tend to be most effective for heating conventional showers, though they can still be susceptible to fluctuations in the temperature.

Electric Showers are High Pressure/Low Flow. The shower works by having a heating element which instantly heats water. The showers are easy for plumbers to install, and only require a cold water supply, as the shower heats its own water. Users can take continuous showers, though for safety reasons most showers have a cut-off (typically of about 30 minutes). The shower is usually controlled by a dial, which adjusts the power to the heating element. Some showers also allow you to adjust the flow rate. The main issue with this type of shower is that of heating - in winter, when water pumped into the shower is colder, the flow may be reduced to allow the heating element to heat the water to the correct temperature. Alternatively, the water may be cooler as the heating element cannot heat as effectively. This can usually be alleviated by turning up the heating element, though on some older models, the temperature is not selectable; instead, you have to select a flow, which determines the efficiency and effectiveness of the heating element. In this case, where water is cooler, the shower will provide a lower flow rate. The main disadvantage of electric showers is that they add to your electricity bill every time they are used. Though to offset this, an electric shower doesn't require the constant storage of hot water, and leaves hot water from the boiler to be used elsewhere.

Pumped (or 'Power') Showers are High Pressure/High Flow. These are pressurised by a pump which boosts pressure, and can improve the flow rate. They are fairly simple to wire, as the pump has a low current. However, they cannot be fed directly from a boiler for electrical purposes (there would be too much resistance) and also as it is against the law to pump directly from the mains. Thus a pumped shower must be cistern fed. This has advantages, however, in that the pressure in the shower is constant, and unlike electric showers, they are not susceptible to the same temperature variations. However, a downside is that power showers tend to be much more wasteful of water. They can also be quite noisy, though if installed professionally, this should not be a problem.

Many showers are now plated in chromium, which not only looks nice, but protects the shower, giving a hard and durable finish. It also requires very little attention, though in some atmospheres (particularly salty atmospheres) the chrome can start to corrode unless well looked after. If green spots appear, indicating corrosion, you should immediately prevent the iron spreading by using a cleaner recommended for enamelled and cast iron fixtures.

If the shower head starts spraying unevenly, this does not indicate that you need a new shower head. Typically, it means the nozzles are just clogged. This is a frequent occurrence, particularly in hard water areas, where mineral deposits can build up behind the head. To clean the head, and restore an even spray, remove the face of the shower head and clean the inside face, using a needle to poke through the holes and clear them.