North Leeds Plumbing & Heating – Home Improvement and DIY Advice

Archive for the ‘Bathroom Fittings’ Category

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. 

Mirrored heaters are the epitome of style and elegance. It must therefore come as no surprise that Zehnder Radiators are at the forefront of this design evolution with their Yucca range. There are many colours, sizes and finishes within this range but their mirrored heater is by far one of the stand-out pieces.

Mirrors are always a staple feature of any bathroom. Obviously there is a practical necessity but they are also stylish and serve to reflect light in rooms that are often lacking in light sources.

Now, most people also want their bathroom to be warm, cosy and luxurious and it can sometimes be difficult to combine all of these factors…well, not any longer. The Yukka mirrored heater is stylish but practical too. This design-led radiator is made from extending stainless steel tubes. It can be installed through your existing central heating system so there is no need for any major upheaval to achieve such an elegant finish in your bathroom.

It is also worth mentioning some of the other products in the Zehnder Yucca range, in particular the Asymmetrical and Symmetrical radiators. Again, as we have all come to expect from Zehnder, the design is both aesthetically pleasing and practical. In fact, the options for use are so expansive that it is truly accessible to all; from an oil filled radiator to installation on an existing central heating system. If you want a white or chrome radiator to merge with your existing accessories then the Zehnder Yucca range has a radiator for you; and if you want a pop of colour you can achieve this with a stunning, design-led radiator.

It is perfectly within reason to hope for bathroom accessories which will fit seamlessly into your stunning bathroom. The new Roman at Home range has just the accessories to fit this bill. The accessories range from the everyday essentials required in every bathroom to those lavish, luscious extras to add that something special to your room.

It stands to reason that Roman has branched out into designing accessories since they have long been renowned for their expertise in designing bathrooms. You can now achieve a completely streamlined room by incorporating these luxury accessories into your Roman designed bathroom. However, even if your bathroom suite itself is not Roman, you can add that touch of class to this special room by the addition of this quality range.

So, what do they actually have on offer? Well, one of the stand-out features of this range is the wall art which is sure to provide a focal point within even the most basic of bathrooms. You could choose between Jane Claire’s ‘Splish Splash’ or ‘Tub-o-Fun’ which will add colour and brightness; however if you have a minimalist theme in your bathroom, you may wish to opt for the ‘Snail Shell’ sepia by Michael Mandolfo. Another focal point for bathroom walls is the Bevelled Pewter Frame Mirror which is bound to look right at home in any bathroom.

Roman At Home is also selling towels, bath mats and dressing gowns. Quite honestly there is very little that is not included in this range. Of course, sophisticated bathroom furniture plays a large part, with tidy units, black glass scales and for ultimate indulgence why not splash out on the corner champagne cooler with glasses – you are sure to never want to leave your bathroom ever again.

The very first thing that you need to do is to think about what you want to put on your bathroom shelves. That sounds fairly obvious but many people buy bathroom shelves because they match the décor, but do not give a thought to how practical they are.

For example, if you want to store towels on shelves, you need to make sure that they are wide enough for the job and that the shelves are not placed where they will get steamy and wet. However, if your idea is to store all your cosmetics neatly together, you might want something a bit more compact with a lip, or rail at the front to stop things sliding off.

Modern bathrooms tend to feature glass, or metal shelves on stainless steel, aluminium, or chrome tracking and these take up little space in a small bathroom and stop things looking cluttered.  Freestanding metal racks with moveable glass shelves can work well in a larger bathroom.

The choice is very wide when it comes to bathroom shelves and your final choice will depend on the style and design you prefer as well as the space available. Don’t forget about the practical things though because you only want to buy shelves for your new bathroom once.

It is also wise to be really honest and ask yourself whether you have the expertise to make a perfect job of fitting your chosen shelves. It is quite common to see bathroom shelves which are not quite straight, or tracking that is not properly lined up. This is a precision job if you want that ultra modern contemporary look with its clean lines.

Most baths need bath panels for one or two sides and for the ends. The purpose of these panels is to hide all the messy looking pipe work beneath the bath and give a neat, streamlined appearance. It also makes for easier cleaning. However if you have bought a bath with ornate decorated legs, or feet, you certainly won’t want to box these in with bath panels.

The first thing to do is to measure your bath because bath panels are not of a uniform size. You also need to look and see if you need matching end panels. When it comes to selecting material for your bath panels it all depends on how much you want to spend and how much time you are prepared to spend on maintenance.

Acrylic bath panels are usually at the cheaper end of the market and they come in a range of colours and designs. These are easy to maintain and only need to be wiped with a damp cloth. On the other hand, wooden bath panels are more expensive but they look good and really add something to a bathroom. The down side here is that they need to be waterproofed and maintained regularly or water will seep in and warp and rot the wood.

Which ever type of bath panel you choose make sure that you know how to handle the material and that you are aware of any special treatment it will need. Experts in your bathroom supplies shop will be able to help you.

Adding a shower pump to a shower that is fed by a gravity feed hot water tank will greatly improve its performance. If you want to fit a mixer shower that works from an ordinary gravity fed system it is essential to consider the rate of flow that you can get from your shower head. In other words you need to know how much water can get through it. You will need 0.5 bar of water pressure to make it work properly and even then if someone turns on the water in another part of the house the water can go scalding hot, or freezing cold because the balance will be lost.

If you turn on your bath taps as far as they will go you will be able to see if the rate of flow is equal between hot and cold water. If one is coming through at a higher pressure the shower will not work as well as it should.

The way to resolve this problem is to fit a shower pump that pushes the water to your shower head at a greater pressure and gives a much better shower. This sounds like a good solution but you will need to have a large hot water storage tank to use a shower pump because it will use up to 25 litres of hot water per minute and a normal sized tank will empty very fast. 

To judge how much hot water you can store in your hot water tank monitor it for a few days and see how full you can get the bath before the hot water runs out. You may need to replace your hot water tank with a larger one before you can fit a shower pump.