North Leeds Plumbing & Heating – Home Improvement and DIY Advice

Archive for the ‘Bathroom Fittings’ Category

Most people tend to choose a rectangular or square shower tray, thus overlooking a strong new contender in the market. The quadrant shower tray and its close relative, the offset quadrant shower tray, are designed as two squares connected by a curve. The difference between the quadrant and the offset quadrant is that the offset shape is different, being longer than the quadrant tray, with one long curve in the front.

Shower trays form the base of a shower and are an ideal solution for a shower enclosure with odd angles or design. Quadrant and offset trays are widely available and fit in nicely with the minimalist or modern shower design. Another quality that makes them attractive is that they take up less floor space in comparison to regular shower trays, yet compare favourably in cost and quality.

There are other factors to consider with all shower trays. Make sure you choose one with a non-slippery surface. Take careful measurements of the bathroom floor and the height of the bathroom, so that you choose the right size. Quadrant and offset quadrant trays do require a higher drainage system, and if you have opted for a high pressure shower, you must consider the depth of the shower tray before making your purchase.

The quadrant and offset quadrant shower trays will certainly add a distinct and attractive flair to the look of your design. Bathroom suppliers like UK Bathrooms can help you choose the right shower tray for your bathroom.

For those who prefer a more solid option to the shower curtain, shower doors are ideal.  They come in a range of styles and fittings and there is one to suit every bathroom. 

There are numerous advantages to using a shower door instead of a curtain.  They are better designed to keep water away from the bathroom floor and last for a much longer period of time.  They range from a simple partition which can be fixed to the side of a bath in place of a curtain to a full shower enclosure.

Some shower enclosures will come as one unit with the door incorporated.  Some of these will swing open on a hinge while others will slide open or work on a pivot.  There are styles that are bi-fold, so moving neatly out of the way when you do not need to use them. 

If using a shower over a bath then it is a good idea to try a bi-fold partition, which can rest flat against the wall while the shower is not being used.  They are usually made from a toughened glass or plastic and are easy to clean and care for.  The traditional shower curtain easily sustains damage, and once dirty is difficult to keep clean. 

As with most other bathroom fixtures and fittings, you can choose from a basic budget brand or a designer name for your shower door, it is easy to choose a style that fits in well with the rest of your bathroom.

When considering bathroom accessories, items that are often overlooked include lighting and window dressings.  Both of these items can be easily chosen to fit in with your existing décor, and yet both are easily changed if need be.

There are several bathroom lighting options.  As the bathroom generally fills with steam when using the bath or shower cubicle, then a light fitting that has been specially designed for a bathroom is a good choice.  If the bathroom is fairly small then it is best to avoid large light fittings such as pendulum lights, which will look as though they are dominating the room.  Opt instead for spot lights which are set in to the ceiling or a modern style bar with several spot lights attached.  You can also opt for a bathroom mirror that has lighting included, though this may not be enough to light the whole room.

It is often difficult to know how best to dress the window in a bathroom. It is important to do so in order to protect your privacy, so most people will opt for a simple blind, either fitted directly in front of the window or to the wall above so it covers the window sill at the same time.   Blinds come in a variety of styles and many people choose the vertical blinds, which look stylish and are easily cleaned.  They also come in a variety of colours, so can be blended easily with your bathroom décor.  If you have chosen patterned bathroom tiles or flooring, then a plain blind will ensure that there is not too much clashing of colours. 

Before you install a new shower system, you will need to determine the type of shower system that works best in your situation. The available water system will play a key part in deciding which one is the right one.

*If water pressure is not an issue, the easiest and cheapest system is a mixer system. A mixer tap is connected to a hose and shower head. Water force and temperature is controlled by hot and cold taps. No additional plumbing is necessary; however available water pressure is a factor.

*A power shower relies on an electric pump to maintain adequate water flow. Power showers don’t work with well with water supplied by a combi-boiler under mains pressure and, due to the fast rate of water flow, they require an adequately-sized drain pipe to ensure water drains properly.

*Electric showers are fitted wall units that are plumbed into the cold water supply with an electrical element heating the water. Because electric showers require an electric circuit, a certified electrician must check your work to ensure it complies with appropriate wiring regulations.

*Manual and thermostatic mixer systems are wall units that use dials to mix hot and cold water and control the water flow.  The thermostatic system includes a built-in stabiliser to prevent too-cold or too-hot water.

*A shower tower combines a thermostatic mixer with adjustable jets. This type of system requires at least 2200 mm of ceiling height to work efficiently.

Bathroom remodelling can be a long, drawn out process that creates chaos in your home. However, there are a number of simple things you can do in just a weekend to improve your bathroom while avoiding the chaos.

It does not take a truck load of money to give your bathroom a new look. All it takes is a bit of organization, new accessories and some fresh colour.

1. Organize Yourself: Remove all items from your bathroom cabinets, ensuring that you throw away that year old make-up or unclaimed toothbrush. Before you begin putting things back have a look at your bathroom furniture and see if a new cabinet or shelf might help control the contents. Clear cosmetic bags and drawer dividers are other great organization assets.

2. New Accessories: Once you have all your bathroom items in their proper place have a look around the bathroom. What do you notice? Is there a particular shower tray or bathroom mirror that is on its last leg and your last nerve? You don’t have to replace everything. Just pick one item that could do with a renewed look and it will make a huge difference. Next year, you can look into replacing the other shower or bathroom accessory that is on the list.

3. Fresh Colour: One of the common reasons people think their bathroom needs a remodel is because they are so used to seeing it multiple times a day – every day. A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for the bathroom. Using bathroom tiles to decorate the walls or sink counters (that way you don’t have to redo the whole floor) is another option. Even a new, colourful shower curtain or bathroom rug can make a huge difference.

The shower cubicle can be as simple or as extravagant one wishes; choosing the correct shower enclosure to suit the bathroom can help to really make the bathroom the centrepiece of the whole house. The shower enclosures comprise of not only the enclosure walls, but also the shower tray, doors and of course the shower unit itself. Some shower enclosures can go from floor to ceiling, and can become almost like a steam room when being used.

Using a shower enclosure rather than shower curtains is preferable as an enclosure is completely waterproof, easier to clean and of course, solid. For added privacy the shower enclosure walls can be frosted and not just clear glass. For an already enclosed unit, for example, a shower in a recessed area, shower doors can be used to make the area waterproof. The shower doors can be one complete piece or bi-folding with hinges.

A shower enclosure with sliding doors can be an excellent space saver in a smaller sized bathroom. Another way to save space in a small bathroom is to add enclosure walls and a sliding door to a shower already situated over a bath.

When choosing a shower enclosure it is important to make sure that it is suitable for the whole family. High bases may not be suitable for those with mobility issues, and there must be plenty of space to turn around safely.  For those who have difficulty standing too long, there must be room to place a small chair or stool, so that they can shower in comfort.

Anyone who’s been kept awake by a dripping tap when they should have been sleeping will know just how maddening it can be. Dealing with it, happily, is a simple DIY job. Forget architects and building experts, just roll up your sleeves and get to work.

First, turn off the water supply to the tap. If you’re lucky, there’ll be a servicing valve near the tap, but in older properties you might have to turn off at the mains (the mains stop valve is usually in the kitchen). Then, just open the tap and let all the remaining water flow out (but make sure the immersion heater and/or boiler are turned off for hot taps, and close the valve on the cold water ‘feed’ pipe to the cylinder). If you’ve got an open vent system (with a tank in the loft), open all the taps in the bathroom to drain the cistern.

Place a plug in the basin and wrap a cloth around the tap’s stem to avoid damaging the finish.  Hold the tap in place through the cloth with one adjustable spanner and unscrew the top with another (with some taps, you’ll have to pry open a top cover before you can loosen it). Unscrew the tap’s collar with the wrench and remove it. Underneath the assembly you’ll see the worn rubber washer – the cause of the leak. Remove it, replace it with a new one, clean everything up with a cloth and screw the collar back into place. Turn on the water supply – and look forward to sweet dreams.

Do you dread taking a shower, because the shower head drips and dribbles water, never rinsing the shampoo from your hair completely? Do you keep turning the mixer taps, hoping they will magically deliver strong water pressure for once? If so, then you should consider installing a shower pump in your home.

The traditional water systems found in British homes are gravity-fed and rely on the height of the water tank to determine water pressure. The result: water pressure as low as 0.1 bar. When you add a shower pump to the system, you see improvements in water pressure, sometimes up to 3.0 bar depending on the pump.

You will need to hire a professional to install a shower pump. He will start by looking at your water system, as not all will work well with a shower pump. Small homes should have at least a 120 litre cylinder for hot water and 225 litre cold water storage. Larger homes should have a 166 litre cylinder and 450 litre capacity.

We found three different shower pumps available at betterbathrooms.com. The PR50D pump offers 1.5 bar, the BP65D delivers 2 bar, and the BP100D increases water pressure up to 3 bar. You can’t just choose the most powerful pump, though, and expect 3 bar throughout your home. Depending on the situation, it may deliver 2 bar water pressure. Your professional installer will help you pick out the right pump for your home’s needs.

Running a water pump does come with a bit of noise, but since you’ll be in the shower – taking longer than usual now that you have water pressure – you probably won’t be able to hear it.

Toilets are part of bathroom fittings in most households, although some have separate facilities. A toilet suite is made up of three parts and these consist of the actual toilet called the pan, the cistern and the seat.  These suites are normally supplied in white, but can be bought in several different colours, including floral designs to match the other bathroom fittings. There are a few technical terms associated with buying a toilet to match your bathroom suite.

Close coupled means that the toilet pan and cistern are connected when they are fitted. The term high or low level refers to traditional toilets which have the cistern fixed to the wall and connected by a long pipe to the pan. A ‘concealed’ cistern is hidden behind fixtures in the bathroom or even behind a wall so that it cannot be seen.

The most popular WC or toilet suite is the close coupled cistern type which can have a flushing lever on either side, or button flush on top. If space is at a premium there is a range of compact WC suites available that will allow installation in minimal space.

It is certainly not necessary to know anything about WC fittings when you are buying a new bathroom suite, but it can be interesting to know what some of the things on the packaging mean and it can also help in making a more informed choice. The easiest way of all is to ask the advice of an expert but with this small amount of information at least it will be easier to know what questions to ask.

The height of luxury when it comes to bathroom accessories is a TV and a model can easily be found to fit in with the design of the smallest, most traditional, or modern contemporary looking bathroom.

Special bathroom TV’s come with waterproof screens, remote controls and flat screens that can be viewed from almost any angle. These televisions fit into a tiled wall, flush with the surface and all the electrical wiring, connections etc are sealed in and hidden behind. They are suitable for a shower room, wet room, modern, or traditional bathroom.

A purpose built bathroom television would be a perfect touch to a modern tiled bathroom and it could make it a much more appealing place to relax. Imagine soaking in a warm tub and watching your favourite TV programme. Your bathroom television would certainly be a talking point among friends and family, and there is sure to be a queue of family members waiting for their turn in the bathroom.

When you think you have chosen all the bathroom accessories you might need, this one is certainly worth considering as it is something that all the family will enjoy.

However, it should be remembered that these are special televisions designed to deal with steam, damp air and water. They must be installed by a professional to ensure their safety. It is not just a case of plugging a bathroom TV in. So the cost of installation should be built into the equation when working out the budget for a new bathroom, or modernising an older one.