Shower Pumps Under Pressure

Our love affair with showers in the UK started quite recently in fact it was really only when electric wall mounted shower units became available in the 1970s that the demand for electric showers started to gain any momentum within a domestic setting.

Even then they were seen as an optional extra – something that could be added over a bath without changing the basic architecture of the bathroom.

Since that time showers have very quickly become an established part not only of the bathing experience, but also of peoples expectation. This in turn led in the 80s and 90s to shower cubicles being included as a regular fixture in new homes, when bedrooms with en-suite facilities became the norm.

Some of the reasons for the rise in popularity of the shower versus taking a bath have been that showers became associated with speed, immediacy, cleanliness and convenience.

In addition, they were seen as wasting less water, however, today some power shower pump out between 10 and 50 litres a minute. Add to that an average shower time of seven to eight minutes and water consumption soon exceeds the two or three baths a week average that they have superseded.

Industry forecasts also anticipate a five fold increase in the number of litres used for showering between 1991 and 2021 coupled with the fact that people are showering ever more frequently than before with increasingly powerful showers. what this all adds up to is that selecting and installing the right shower that will match all the requirement is even more vital.

Whether the requirement is to select a new shower pump or to replace an existing shower pump, the first action should be to work out the requirements by ascenaining the demand by establishing the number of people who will be using the shower as well as the frequency of use.

Using the manufacturers Shower pump selector guide is the best way to make sure that you choose the correct pump for the correct application

Shower pumps are available for use in the following plumbing systems:

Gravity systems and water storage: When selecting a mixer shower for use on a gravity system, the most important thing to consider is the flow rate that is achievable from the shower rose. Unless you have water pressure of at least as 0.5 bar, which is equivalent to a gap of 5 metres between the bottom of the cold water storage tank and the shower rose you will need to select a ‘Low Pressure‘ shower valve, capable of supplying a satisfactory shower at water pressures as low as 0.1 bar. (which is approximately one metre difference)

You will be able to get a rough idea simply by observing the flow rate of water that you receive from the bath taps. Remember that you will be mixing hot and cold water but if the flow appears slow then the chances are that the showers performance will also be disappointing Modern shower pump: To overcome the problems that can be experienced with a gravity system, the solution is to fit a shower pump that pushes the water to your shower mixer thus creating an invigorating powerful showering experience.

If you opt for the pumped solution you must ensure that you have plenty of hot water storage capacity, for standard pumped showers can deliver anything between 11,25 litres of blended water per minute and this can drain the average sized cylinder very quickly.

You will have an idea of the amount of hot water that you have available by looking at the physical size of your cylinder and monitoring your every day usage. For example, the depth of hot water that you are able to achieve when running a bath before the hot water runs out. If you do not have large volumes of stored water you will need to upgrade your storage capacity.

Modern shower pumps are available in a variety of models and sizes. variants can pump both hot and cold water or from an individual water source and other various pressures ranging from 1.0 bar up to 4 bar. They come in both composite and brass bodied Shower Pumps. The use of connection surrey flanges on hot water cylinders is paramount to ensure hassle-free showering.

There are certain manufacturers that specialise in shower pumps, and by purchasing a well known branded shower pump, you are much more likely to not only have a user-friendly pump, but also one that will come with a robust guarantee, that will give the peace of mind that it will stand the test of time.

One thing is certain the British love affair with showers shows no sign of slowing down and with an ageing population we cannot see the situation changing so showers are here to stay. Making sure that any shower pump you recommend will be fit for purpose and continue to deliver – will take the pressure off you.

We have a wide range of shower pumps available from the like of Grundfos Watermill, Salamander and Stuart Turner