Shower heads play a big role in your overall bathing experience. Your shower head should provide comfort and ease of flow - it’s a fine line between saving water and having enough water to wash you. No one likes a low pressure shower that trickles water out!
There are many shower heads to choose from and all differ in terms of function, design and energy efficiency. Essentially, there are two main types of shower heads: Fixed and hand-held. They come in high and low pressure jets, single or multiple flow types, and a variety of styles including massage, rain, waterfall and multi-head shower heads.
An example of a shower head which is fixed and handheld.
However, your choices will be restricted by the pressure of your hot and cold water, particularly your hot water. If you have low pressure hot water then you must select shower heads that are marked suitable for low pressure. These shower heads have larger bores than heads suitable for mains pressure and are usually single flow, that is, you can’t twist the head to change the way the water flows. If you buy shower heads marked suitable for mains pressure then you will be very disappointed with the performance.
Your shower head choices will be restricted by the pressure of your hot and cold water.
At the end of the day, your choice of shower head will depend on what your needs are … to simply wash yourself every morning or, if it’s your favourite part of the day, to enjoy a full experience of relaxing and unwinding?
When to choose your shower head
The best time to choose your shower head is during the designing and planning stage. During this time consider where your shower is located and what kind of plumbing your shower head will require. Who will be using the shower? For example, a family with young children may find a handheld shower head more useful.
Choose performance over appearance
Ideally your chosen shower head will enhance your shower experience. It’s a fine line between achieving the right amount of pressure whilst not wasting water. Check the Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS) rating of shower heads, because a water efficient one will save you thousands of litres a year, which in turn, translates into long-term savings.
Shower effects … so many options!
How your shower head feels will probably be the deciding factor in which type you go for. Remember though, regardless of what shower head you like, your water pressure will dictate what shower head you can use!
Here are some shower effects well worth considering:
Waterfall and rain-effect shower heads will create a gentle and natural shower experience
Massage shower heads are therapeutic and come in pre-arranged patterns from low to high pressure (great for relieving stress and strain)
Multi-head shower heads are a luxurious option.
Feature image: Methven
