Shower Fittings

Like everything else associated with the bathroom, the choice of shower and shower fittings has grown enormously in Ireland in recent years. In simple terms, showers can be categorized as either electric or mixer types. Electric showers take a feed from the cold supply only and heat the water themselves; mixers take both hot and cold water supplies and mix the water to the desired temperature.

Once you have decided whether to locate the shower over the bath or in its own shower enclosure, and on the type of shower unit required to provide water to the showerhead, the next decision is to whether you want a concealed or exposed shower system.

Concealed shower

The discreet hiding of the plumbing in a concealed shower, with the plumbing in the wall and just the showerhead and the control mixer on show makes this type a very popular choice. 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 showerheads, which provide a greater flow of water.

However, they are restrictive in that they are fixed heads and make cleaning the bath or shower enclosure more awkward 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 showerhead handset, a water pipe between the handset and the mixer, and a riser rail to attach the handset.

The ability to lower/remove the showerhead 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 is much easier to rinse away scum and cleaning products using the shower handset.

Showerheads are available in a huge range of sizes and shapes, varying from traditional roses to modern ‘microphone’ styles. Most Irish hardware merchants and specialist bathroom suppliers will have a staggering choice and advices is best gained by visiting stores and see the variety of options in the flesh.