Shower Heads
Introduction
Once you have decided on the siting of the shower, either in/over the bath or in it’s own shower enclosure, and on the type of shower mixer required to provide water to the shower head, the next decision is between a concealed or exposed shower head system.
Concealed shower
In a concealed shower all the plumbing is hidden in the wall with just the shower head and the control mixer on show.
Concealed showers have the advantage of providing a minimalist look to the bathroom, which is ideal if space is limited. They also allow the use of larger shower heads which provide a greater flow of water.
On the downside, the inability to lower the shower head may be considered restrictive if one is not wanting to get one’s hair wet. Fixed shower heads also make cleaning the bath or shower enclosure more tricky as the shower cannot be used to rinse the cleaning products away.
Exposed shower
Often found when the shower is located in/over the bath, exposed shower systems consist of a shower head handset, a water pipe between the handset and the mixer, and a riser rail to attach the handset to.
The ability to lower/remove the shower head handset is often a great advantage if family members are different sizes, or if one wants to keep one’s hair dry when showering. Also, when cleaning the bath or shower enclosure, it’s much easier to rinse away scum and cleaning products using the shower handset.
An exposed head system does mean that larger shower heads are not suitable as these will prove too unwieldy as a handset.
Shower head sizes
Shower heads are available in a huge range of sizes and shapes, varying from traditional roses to modern ‘microphone’ styles.
Further information and useful links
- Types of shower
- Mixer showers
- Shower location within a bathroom
- Introduction to showers
- More bathroom topics
- Find a Bathroom Showroom near to you
- Find a Bathroom Fitter near you
- Find a Bathroom Fixtures & Fittings supplier near you
- Find a Bathroom Taps & Shower supplier near you
- Find a Plumber near you
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