Bathroom Design Ideas

Choosing a pump to power your shower or water system, may not seem like a big issue. Perhaps not, but you need to find a pump which best meets your needs.  So you need one which suits your budget and your system.

If you have a water system which has poor water pressure, then you may need a pump to boost the water pressure between the shower head and the water system. Or it may be that you want to have more than one shower head, in which case you will possibly need a dual pump.

Pumps can vary in quality, size and noise levels, so try to acquire the best possible pump you can afford.  Whilst the initial cost may be slightly higher, you will find that you reap the benefits over time, with increased performance and the pump lasting for a long time. Cheaper pumps can soon burn out; can be noisy or even let air into the shower system, which affects the temperature of the water.

Stuart Turner pumps are generally regarded as efficient and they have been in existence for over one hundred years, enabling the company to enjoy an enviable position as one of the leading forces in the shower pump industry and one which deals with both domestic and commercial premises.

Pumps are available for a wide variety of applications and with Stuart Turner’s extensive experience their products have been designed to overcome most problems associated with either reduced water pressure or simply householders’ demands for increased pressure.

When you decide to install a shower, you need to carefully consider two issues.  First of all there is the issue of whether the water pressure will cope with the addition of a shower. Secondly, you need to think about drainage for the unit and its associated piping. It is always worth checking these points out before you buy the shower and if you have any doubts consult a professional.

If your water pressure is low and your water supply is often quite weak in terms of flow, then you need to think about how things can be improved. First of all you could lift the cold water cistern at least 150mm to see if this makes any difference, (it usually does).

If this does not help, you may have to fit a pump, which acts as a booster. This usually does the trick and you will find that your new shower will work perfectly.

Once you have addressed any water pressure concerns, you need to think about pipes and drainage. There is one golden rule when thinking about drains and pipes, ‘the shorter and straighter, the better’. Basically, you do not want unnecessarily long pipes and drains fitted, so always try to make sure that you can link into nearby existing services, which will also minimise the cost. Short and straight pipes will also give you the maximum water pressure available, so it is worth making sure that you carefully plan the route they will take. 

A good pump can create a really powerful shower, even if you live in a very large house where water pressure may be affected by the size of the house and usage at peak times.  One of the best types of pumps which you can fit is known as a salamander pump.  This pump will actually give the water pressure a real boost, so that you find your shower suddenly is a real deluge of water, whereas before it was a very gentle experience!

One of the benefits of the salamander pump is that it is very ‘plumber friendly’ and is marketed with the strap line ‘fit and forget’.  This means that it is easy for a plumber to install, making it quite a straightforward process and reducing plumbing bills and also it is so reliable that it will perform its function simply, without you having to keep calling a plumber back to rectify any problems. 

Whichever type of shower pump you choose, salamander or another type, make sure that it will reduce any possibility of aeration. Aeration is a term used to describe air getting into a system when you fit a pump to the cylinder or storage tank.  If aeration occurs you may find that the temperature of your shower can fluctuate or find the pump somewhat noisy.  Salamander pumps will usually remedy this problem as part of their design, so they may be worth the extra cost, but be sure to check out the risk of aeration prior to choosing a pump.