North Leeds Plumbing & Heating – Home Improvement and DIY Advice

Archive for June, 2009

Installing underfloor heating can be very beneficial to your health. Stepping onto a cold floor in winter can be very uncomfortable and cold feet can lead to colds. Having a warm floor will provide you with lots of comfort and help you to keep your feet nice and cosy.

Having cold or damp feet can lead to health problems such as fungal infections, so installing underfloor heating will allow your feet to dry much more quickly, leaving them much healthier. You can also ventilate your feet as you have the freedom to walk around barefoot on the warm floor. Underfloor heating is also thought to be good for people who are diabetic, as one of the warning signs of the disease is a loss of sensitivity to temperature.

Underfloor heating will provide you with a temperature that is comfortable and allow your room to be cosier. Heat is spread more evenly, and the room is much less stuffy than with radiators. Radiators can often produce a heat that is uncomfortable, which can lead to fatigue or headaches. The gentle heat produced by underfloor heating is much more comfortable and is better for your health.

Underfloor heating also prevents the build up of mould and mildew in rooms such as your bathroom, where there is more chance of bacteria growth. Installing underfloor heating in these types of rooms will allow you to have a cleaner and healthier room for you, your family and your guests. It also dries areas more quickly, leaving less chance of slipping on a wet floor and having an accident.

Bathroom lighting comes in a range of shapes, intensities, and colours. Manufacturers such as Catalano offer very simple forms – one round, one rectangular – as accoutrements for their rectangular mirrors. India and HIB, on the other hand, offer a staggering array of bathroom lighting solutions, one of which is certain to fit any bathroom design.

India offers no fewer than twenty three styles of bathroom lighting. They manufacture one circular light with a shade, but far more diverse is their line of wall lights. The India LIGHT comes in two rectangular, vertically-situated forms and in a tubular, horizontally-situated form. Less progressive and more timelessly elegant are their other various, rounded and bell-shaped wall lights. These come in chrome, glass, and acrylic bells. Similarly shaped is their line of mirror edge-fitting lights.

HIB bathroom lights are much more diverse and much more progressive. The Arezzo is a modern take on the medieval torch while the Epsilon looks like a water spigot: making it an appropriate addition to any bathroom. Their recessed Fire Rated and Glass shower lights are white, chrome, and glass while their chrome spotlights add an elegant, flexible edge to any bathroom. Certainly among the most progressive bathroom lights available, HIB’s LED Brick Light evokes Deco glass brick; and their convex, frosted glass light creates an elegant strip atop any bathroom mirror.

Also elegant and creative are HIB’s various other lines of bathroom lighting: the Duplex, Frascati, Hawaii, Illinois, Latina, Miami, Razorlight, Shavolite, Uniplex, and Vancouver to name just a few.

Imperial Bathrooms’ collection of mirrors takes an ordinary, necessary lavatory accoutrement like the mirror and makes it extraordinary and exciting. Amazingly well crafted and engagingly designed, Imperial Bathrooms mirrors are designed to complete, accentuate, coordinate, and complement the style of virtually any bathroom, especially those outfitted with other Imperial fixtures. As such, they harmonize perfectly well with Imperial’s other bathroom lines and allow homeowners to express their distinctive sense of style and individual forms of taste.

The Luxury wall-hung line includes six rather different styles. The rectangular Heidi has intricate, airy swirls making it the perfect accent for an otherwise conservative bathroom. The same could be said of the Isabel whose border evokes nothing so much as fine crown moulding. The luxurious swirls of the Katherine and the Vivien give these mirrors the feel of decadent frosting while the clean lines of the white Clare and metallic Felicity make them the perfect mirrors for complexly-patterned bathrooms.

The original wall hung collection offers consumers a diverse range of elegant mirrors including the wood-trimmed Raised and Fielded, the metallic Cuda, the creative and energetic North Shore, the minimal Lineas, and the cathedral-inspired Gothic. The light wood Westminister and black Esteem Shaker mirrors have shelving units attached.

The simple Edwardian, Albert, and George free-standing mirrors are composed of a decorative base and a clean, shimmering shaft atop which sits a round mirror. Depending on height preferences, one can choose the latter two for countertop use, the former for floor use.

When it comes to designer radiators, there are various designs and styles available ranging from the traditional to the contemporary. Bathroom radiators also come in various sizes including the space-saving radiators which, as the name suggests, take up the least amount of space possible while still doing an effective job.

One of the renowned names in the business of manufacturing bathroom radiators is Bisque. Bisque radiators have been around for more than two and a half decades. The firm has made a name for itself as a leading manufacturer of designer radiators. Designer radiators come in a variety of colours ranging from turquoise to blue to base metal to purple.

One of the models in the Bisque range of radiators is the Deco Therm Radiator which is superbly designed. The Bisque Deco Therm Radiator can be installed in a horizontal plane or a vertical one and comes in a variety of exciting colours. A towel hanging design is one of the exciting features of the Deco Therm Radiator.

The Bisque B2 radiator on the other hand has a contemporary appearance. It comes in various shapes ranging from slim horizontal to slim vertical. There is also a square shape as well. The Bisque B2 Radiator also serves as a towel drying radiator and thus has a towel holder.

The Petrus radiator is basically a central heating radiator that is beautifully designed and is available in various sleek metallic colours. Similarly designed is the Seta radiator. The country of origin for the Seta radiator is Italy. Then there is the Zanzibar radiator which is available in 2 metallic colours – chrome and argenta.

The Kudos luxury shower collection offers consumers an elegant array of shower enclosures. These shower enclosures are perfect for any home and apartment but work especially well where space is a concern as most take up far less than traditional tub/shower combinations. The Kudos collection of shower enclosures include the Original collection of shower doors and enclosures, the Infinite collection of semi frameless showers, the Ultimate collection of walk-in showers and wet room panels, and the Concept collection of shower trays.

Kudos’ Original collection offers consumers a value-oriented, impeccably-engineered range of shower enclosures, including straight, bowed, bi-fold, and curved pivot sliding doors and enclosures; curved and offset curved sliding enclosures; and bath screens.

The Kudos Infinite collection presents a group of semi-frameless shower enclosures that emphasize minimalism and practicality. This collection of shower enclosures includes straight, bowed, hinged, and centre-folding sliding doors and enclosures as well as curved sliding corner and curved sliding peninsula enclosures.

Kudos’ Ultimate collection of walk-in showers and wet room panels include both curved and flat panel walk-ins. Best integrated with the Kudos shower tower, the Ultimate collection merges style and function, ensuring the surrounding bathroom stays dry while   accommodating the collection’s sleek, door-less opening.

The Concept collection of shower trays integrates perfectly with Kudos’ line of luxury shower enclosures. The Concept 2 and Concept 3 shower trays all offer elegantly modern-looking lines and nature-inspired colours. And combined with the Concept Easy Fit Plinth, Kudos’ shower trays couldn’t be easier to install.

There are many things to take into account when deciding between electric underfloor heating and underfloor water heating systems.  Underfloor water heating systems consist of pipes and tubes that are placed into the floor.  With electric underfloor heating, mats and cables are used.  Underfloor water heating systems are more expensive than electric underfloor heating, particularly if your boiler needs to be replaced.

Underfloor water heating systems may be more difficult to install than electric underfloor heating and therefore may be more suitable for houses that have just been built rather than existing ones.  It may also take up more space than electric underfloor heating, as there are valves and other additional parts.  If you are looking for a product that is easy to install, then electric underfloor heating is your best option.  It is possible that both options may require the help of a specialist at some point during installation, but electric underfloor heating is generally less complicated as less equipment is needed.  There are also less likely to be blockages or similar problems with electric.

Whichever type you decide to use, both types are a much healthier and cheaper alternative to conventional heating.  Water heating systems can last for years, requiring hardly any maintenance and electric heating systems require no maintenance at all, so both options are good for this reason.  Both are efficient as you can lower the temperature without losing warmth.  If you are looking for plenty of comfort and the freedom of arranging your room without worrying about radiators getting in the way, then either option is suitable.

Bathroom remodelers with limited space to work in may be interested in corner basins. Smaller and more compact than other basins, they take up significantly less space than traditional sinks and fit in almost any bathroom space. And consumers need not sacrifice style for utility. Several brands make distinctively designed corner basins.

Roca’s Giralda Corner Unit & Corner Basin utilizes light oak to achieve a clean, Scandinavian look. The rectangular mirror, which is bordered top and bottom by oak, rests above a porcelain basin whose pipe-work is covered by an elegant towel bar and wooden cabinet. Roca also makes the Hall Corner Basin and Angular Corner Basin – simple porcelain basins with chrome taps and pipes – as well as the truly distinctive Senso Corner Basin. Its pipes totally disguised, the Senso basin seems to rest lightly atop a wooden shelving unit, making it a visually interesting design piece as well as a functioning sink.

Other brands make simpler, more basic bathroom basins composed of white porcelain and chrome taps.

Vitra’s Arkitekt floats above the bathroom floor with exposed pipes while their Round Corner Basin sits atop and elegant pedestal column. The Laufen Pro C corner hand basin has clean lines and seems almost impossibly small. It’s perfect for truly limited bathroom spaces. Similarly, the Jika Mio corner bathroom sink basin is incredibly compact.

Of these ultra compact corner basins, perhaps none is more compact than the Bauhaus Ninety corner hand washbasin. Shaped like a right triangle, this sink is, like the Laufen and Jika, perfect for tiny lavatories.

Imperial’s line of hand-crafted stone and marble sink bowls are truly unique bathroom pieces. Connecting you with the history and ancient peoples in Europe and America, these are among the most ancient materials one can use for home design in general and bathroom design in particular. Decadent, smooth, clean, and organic – the Imperial line of hand-crafted stone and marble sink bowls are exciting because of their simplicity, naturalness, and decadence. Each is handcrafted from solid pieces of stone and marble, allowing the unique grain to shine through and accent your one-of-a-kind bathroom with flair and elegance. A range of shapes and a wide range of tones also ensure you’ll find the right piece to capture the mood you prefer for your bathroom, as well as perfectly accent your other fixtures.

The round Agri bowl is ivory with pink accents while the shape and colour of the Denzi suggests nothing so much as fine terracotta pottery. The dark blue, square Attis Midnight pushes the eye toward the dark tones of a midnight ocean while its sister pieces – the Attis Twilight ad Attis Dawn – each move progressively toward white in the colour spectrum. The arresting slate-blue of the Twilight would be a sumptuous accent in an otherwise white bathroom while the ice-blue Dawn suggests the purity of an iceberg. The Seline Midnight, Twilight, and Dawn are very similar in colour to the Attis. Like the Attis, they move progressively from deep blue to ice-white. However, these pieces are shaped as shallow bowls instead of squares.

The above sink mounted bathroom mirror is, of course, a bathroom design standard. However, too often consumers feel as if their mirror has only one appeal: functionality. There are, however, several mirrors on the market that provide all the spacious reflection one expects from a bathroom mirror without sacrificing design innovation and appeal. Some are even illuminated and contain shelving options, increasing their functionality without sacrificing their aesthetic appeal.

Unlit, un-shelved mirrors that also contribute interesting aesthetics to the bathroom space would include the India Mirror. A straight black border wraps around a curving rectangle, creating the illusion of liquid movement. India’s Arial and Curved mirrors are shaped like an artist’s palette, directly linking their presence with fine art.

Progressively designed mirrors that double as shelving units include the Schneider Graceline illuminated mirror. Backlit with softly glowing florescence, this towering, vertically situated rectangular mirror is perfect for bathrooms composed of minimal lines and industrial materials. Roper Rhodes New England mirrors come in a variety of styles, all perfect for country homes. Oak-coloured, wooden cabinetry, hooks, and shelves give this mirror a distinctive look and everyday functionality.

Elegant illuminated mirrors that don’t include shelving options include the HIB lines: the Alicia, Barcoo, Cosmo, and Ellie. Each is rectangular in shape and situates light differently across the top edge. The Alicia has a single industrial-feeling globe flush left, the Ellie has the same centred, while the Barcoo has a dangling, elegant handlebar style with two bulbs on either end. The low profile lighting on the Cosmo makes it the perfect illuminated mirror for modern-lined bathroom designs.

The tiled floor heating system provides ideal comfort and convenient heating for the kitchen, bathroom, entranceways, and other tiled places in the house. This is installed underneath ceramic tiles and is matched with standard flooring materials, making it ideal for reconstruction as well.

Tiled floor heating consists of three basic types, namely cable kits, mat kits, and mat kits for conservatories. The cable kits come with a lay cable and tape used to repair cables below. These are multi-purposed cables, which can be used in several difficult patterns, only if the cable spacing is even. It also has three available application options, which are for timber subfloors, for concrete or marmox floors, and for conservatories on concrete. Marmox is highly suggested in conservatories where the heat temperature loss is very high.

These options are featured to provide the accurate power density for the subfloor type. If a room is to be heated, the Marmox insulation is placed on the surface. Mat Kits are composed of 120W per square metre mats and are appropriate for concrete or timber subfloors. Marmox insulation is also recommended for concrete. Mat Kits for Conservatories are composed of 175W per square metre mats and are appropriate for increased heat loss spots in garden rooms and conservatories. These 175W mat kits must not be placed directly on wood floors.

Tiled floor heating is able to improve the comfort and to sustain energy efficiency, because heating costs are an important part of household finances. By setting up this heating system, a small investment becomes real cost-savings.