Understand the differences between concealed shower valve types and choose the right one for your bathroom with our expert guide.

Welcome to the minefield that is concealed shower valves!

From What Sort You Need To Why You Should Pick One Type Over Another. Heres our breakdown.

Above we have 2 of what appears to be the same shower, However these have a very different use. The first image is of a standard single outlet shower, one control working the on/off and pressure to the shower head and the second control setting the temperature.

The second image on the right is of a dual outlet shower, Meaning it can control 2 different shower heads, the top control on this is a divertor (left is head 1 on, Up for Off, Right for head 2 on)

 

Below to the left we have a standard dual outlet and a Tripple outlet on the right.

The left shower valve consist of a thermostatic temperature control in the middle with an on/off control above and below, this means 2 outlets both with pressure control and usually higher flow rates compared to the one on the right

The shower on the right consists of a thermostatic temperature control in the middle with an on/off at the bottom allowing pressure control to that outlet, And a 2 way divertor at the top, This allows the use of 3 outlets (Some make do 4 or 5) but you only have on/off control of these outlet No pressure control.

Then We have the Newer Designed Push Button Showers, These work in much the same way having a thermostatic temperature control on the bottom, the 1 or 2 (Or more) push buttons which turn outlets on / off at the click of a button

So, what's the right one for you? Well there is no right or wrong answer but there are some things to consider!

1-If you're on a low pressure water system (Immersion tank without any pumps) don't use the push button ones as they restrict the water flow considerably. the divertors also reduce flow but not as much as the push button valves.

2-If you have 2 or more outlets, do you want flow control? a standard on/off control works like your taps the more you turn it, the more water pressure you get. The divertor controls click from off to on with very little control in between, due to the type of cartridge they use, they also restrict the flow of water.

3-Do you want more than one head on at a time? some people like to have a fixed head on and body jets (For example), if you do these must be on seperate controls.

4-Are you filling your bath from it? This should be done via an On/Off control not a divertor as this would fill very slowly in comparrison.

5-What are you running on it? a 300mm fixed head uses approx 3 times more water than a standard handset on a hose

 

Final Thoughts.

On a personal note, If there is a choice I always recomend a shower with standard controls over divertors, as you can always turn it down!

Decide how many outlets / What type you want, they you'll have a better idea of how much flow you need, then you can decide what is right for your situation, If your still unsure ask a plumber, at the end of the day You are the customer, You know what you want, I'm a great beleiver in anything can be done, over the last 20 years I've come across plumbers that have told customers "No you can't do that" unfortunatley it's often the case that you can do that But it should have been done earlier, or the plumber hasn't priced for that, so now its going to take longer, this in turn will make the whole job last longer and cost you more, most plumbers will have a job booked in after yours any delays will push their next job back, So where possible try to make the decisions before the job starts and make sure the plumber knows what you "The Customer" wants.

One last note!

Are you in a hard water area?, We are!, I service seized shower thermostats around 5 a week locally. But if you are having a new shower installed, Do ensure you move the control from full cold to full hot and back everytime you have a shower, this under 5 second task can save you time, money and frustration over time, A plumber coming out turning off your water, removing the thermostat, bringing it to someone like us who are equiped to dismatle them, clean, rebuild, return, refit and then calibrate can cost anywhere from £50 - £300

 

Still stuck? Need advice? Give us a call or drop us an email, we are here to help.

customerservice@bubblegumbathrooms.co.uk

Technmical - 07845 195337

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