Q. What types of shower are available?
A. You can have electric, manual, pressured balance, power shower and Thermostatic Mixer.

Q. What’s the safest type of shower valve for my family to use?
A. A thermostatic mixer because the temperature and pressure is automatically controlled, preventing cold water shock or hot water scalding.

Q. I haven’t got a hot water tank, can I have a shower fitted?
A. Yes, either:- Instantaneous electric shower on a mains cold supply, or Manual, pressure balanced or thermostatic mixer shower on a fully modulating combination boiler (instantaneous water heater) or unvented system (mains fed storage).

Q. My cold water tank isn’t high enough to give any water pressure - what can I do?
A. Fit either an intergrated power shower or a mixer shower with a booster pump.

Q. I don’t want to have any additional plumbing or electric’s fitted - can I still have a shower?
A. If you have sufficient water pressure you can fit a bath/shower mixer tap along with a shower rail and spray head.

Q. What is the most economical shower to install and run?
A. An instantaneous electric shower has low running costs, but does require a qualified plumber and an electrician for installation.

Q. What shower can I fit with a combination boiler?
A. You should fit either a thermostatic mixer shower or a pressure balance mixer shower.

Q. What factors should I take into consideration when choosing a shower?
A. The type of water system in your home, the size of your tank and waste capacity, the location of the shower (over bath with separate enclosure or with curtain), height of the showerhead and safety should all be considered. If in doubt, contact a qualified plumber.

Types	Benefits
Instantaneous Electric - draws water from the mains cold supply and heats it as it passes through the unit. Various power ratings available.	No demand on stored hot water and low running costs. A higher power rating heats more water as it passes through to give better performance.
Thermostatic mixer valve - hot and cold inlet and mixed water outlet.	Automatically compensates for variations in water temperature and pressure safe for the whole family. Requires no electrical connection.
Manual mixer valve - hot and cold inlet and mixed water outlet. Does not compensate for variations in water temperature and pressure.	Lower purchase price than a thermostatic mixer. Requires no electrical connection.
Pressure balancing valve.	Maintains a fairly constant temperature even when water pressure fluctuates. Simple to install.
Mixer valve with pump (power shower) - thermostatic or manual. The pump can be separate or integrated in the unit.	Powerful flow rates.

Note: A variety of spray heads are available to suit individual requirements.

Cleaning your shower: Clean your shower using only a soft cloth and warm soapy water. Reuse and dry with a clean soft cloth. Follow the manufacturers instructions when descaling the showerhead. Chemicals other than those recommended by the manufacturer must not be used.

	Booster Pump An electric pump which provides higher water pressure to shower valves therefore increasing water flow.
	Sprayhead/Showerhead The outlet for the water spray, available in different designs and spray patterns.
	Slide Rail A vertical rail to allow height adjustment of the shower head.
	Showerhose The flexible connection between the mixer body and the sprayhead.
	Water Systems Gravity Water System Consists of a hot water cylinder (usually in an airing cupboard) and a cold water tank in the loft. The cold water tank needs to be at least 1 metre above the shower, or a booster pump may need to be added.
	Two hole taps As above but requiring two separate tap holes for the supply inlets.
	Combination Boiler Consists of a boiler attached to the wall, which ignites whenever hot water is required. There is no water storage tank in the loft or the airing cupboard.
	Four hole taps As previously but has a separate diverter mechanism which diverts the flow to a hand held shower unit.
	Mains Fed Storage Consists of a high pressure cylinder heated by a separate boiler or immersion heater. The cylinder is supplied directly by cold water mains to provide high volumes of hot water.