Jun 01 2010
A Shower of Choices
The modern bathroom is no longer just a room with a toilet, basin, bath and/or shower of long ago. With the advent of technology it is a highly functional room that has many options available with respect to its shower accessories. Some of these trimmings include: showerheads, rail kits, slider brackets, shower hoses and wall outlets. With the enormous variety of products available on the market, there is bound to be one that suits any bathroom decor.
Showerheads
A showerhead is the apparatus that the water flows through before it reaches the body. The pressure of the water that flows to you is controlled by the resistance of the tap along with the resistance offered by the showerhead. Some showerheads are water efficient, meaning that it restricts the flow rate to reduce water wastage and hence water cost; others allow strong freedom of flow for a more powerful shower. Others can be found anywhere along this spectrum. It is the number, size of the holes and indirectly head size, in the accessory’s design that governs this property.
Showerheads can be fixed, meaning that they will stay in the one place for the duration of the installation, or hand held, meaning they can be taken off their mount and controlled in their direction flow by hand. The benefits of the hand held option is that patients can use it after surgery when wounds cannot be wet or by older people who may need to be showered in chairs.
Showerheads can range in shape from large plate like circular designs through to elongated nozzle-like structures. They can be purchased in a variety of colours, materials and finishes.
Rail kits and slider brackets
A rail is the part of the shower, which the showerhead is attached to, if it is not joined directly to the wall. If sliding, it can allow the height of the shower to be adjusted. The slider bracket fastens the showerhead to the rail. Soap dishes can also be attached to the rail enabling soap to always be within easy reach. The head can rotate about the rail enabling direction flow to be easily manipulated. Like showerheads these also come in a myriad of designs, colours and finishes.
Shower hoses
A shower hose is a conduit that links the showerhead to the water supply and works in conjunction with hand held showerheads for maximum human control of water direction. They are available in a variety of lengths, diameters and flexibility. The most common ones are made from metal or plastic.
Wall outlets
These as the name suggests are the accessories that enable the water to flow out of the wall. Similarly to all shower accessories these are available in a mixture of designs, colours and finishes.
The products mentioned above are sold through many different companies. Each company may differ in style, colour, finish and cost. It is the customer’s personal partiality, shower and bathroom design and budget, which will determine which one they will give their business to.
The Shower Doctor is a leading supplier for shower repair parts and showers. Visit the website to see our range of shower accessories.