Whether you finished your office work or just came home after playing a hard basketball game, the first thing you’re going to do is take a peaceful shower. That’ll wipe out all the stress and tension as it flows down on your body, right? Getting more into depth, your morning shower is your chance to perform a personal rain dance and I’m quite sure you make the most of that chance. That’s the importance of a shower.
But what happens when the water doesn’t come out of it and you zoom in to the holes and start looking at the problem? Do you see why this is one of the most important parts to a shower? Some people think that we need plumbers for certain issues. Well, they’re right! But there are simple plumbing hacks that you can learn yourself.
With that being said, there are a lot of things that you can do by yourself. Of course we aren’t talking about installing a whole sentry. But some simple tasks like unclogging the valves or changing shower heads can be done without professional assistance. So, in this guide, we’ll explore the different parts to a shower so that you better understand how it works. In the long run, identifying the parts can help you fix the most common problems and issues.
Parts to a shower
While a shower may seem like a straightforward appliance, there are several parts or you can say components that work together to make that rainy dance happen for you. So let’s break down the parts to a shower with the uses and proper workings as well.
Shower head
The first and most important part is the shower head. That’s where the water comes out and makes your mood. It doesn’t stop there, it comes in different styles, designs and also in different spray patterns such as rain, mist, massage jets, and the list never ends. Just go to Amazon and you’ll see some modern and unique heads that are really cool and believe me you’ll wish to get all of them in your bath.
Shower heads are one of the most important parts to a shower. They are usually made of brass, chrome, or stainless steel. There are some other materials also but these are quite durable and better than others. Depending on the style and working there are 5 main shower heads.
Fixed, Rainfall, handheld, low pressure, LED, and high pressure are the different styles. I think I don’t need to explain in detail as the name suggests everything. There is a trend of getting LED shower heads so it’ll be a good option to have that in your bathroom.
Now, let’s talk about the main issues and problems that can happen with heads. Starting with the clog and low water pressure. This one is really a mess for homeowners, as your shower doesn’t get the pressure that you love.
The main reason for that is going to be the minerals in hard water, they can cause the head to clog and start uneven spray patterns. Here is the solution, fill a plastic bag with 50% vinegar and %50 water and put the head in it for at least 8 hours. Take it out and scrub it with the toothbrush, and rinse it with water.
Shower arm
Another one of the parts to a shower is the shower arm that connects the water supply with the head. Its duty is to get the water from a plumbing unit all the way to the shower head. You can have the shower arm either sticking at the ceiling or coming from the wall. It totally depends on you and the overall design of your bathroom. You can also call it a straw.
It’s as simple as a plate of spaghetti, just kidding. It‘s not a complicated one but still can get some issues like leaking water, becoming loose, and sometimes it even droops. So it’s important to take care of that and inspect it regularly.
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Now there are two simple steps to fix a leaking shower arm, First, make sure the nuts are tight enough, Don’t try too hard as it might get loose and that’s going to make the situation even worse. If that doesn’t work change the small rubber also called an O-ring which is present inside the connection of a shower arm.
Moving to a drooping and wobbling shower arm, it’s also not a big deal and you can fix it easily too. Tight it at the right spot and use thread seal tape which is especially used in plumbing.
Shower valve
This is not the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear about the parts to a shower, but it’s the most technical and most useful out of all of the parts to a shower in terms of it’s features. I said technical, but that doesn’t mean it’s hard to fix what I mean by that is that it has a lot to offer and there are many things in it.
The shower valve is always located behind the wall hiding from you. Its main purpose is to control the water supply, temperature, and pressure which is very similar to the water supply. Coming to its issue, there are also a few with it. Sometimes, you’ll experience sudden temperature fluctuations which can be very stressful, in this case, check the water heater and if it’s working correctly the valve’s thermostatic cartridge may be faulty.
The other one is a stuck valve handle, That’s where you need to do some power show because it gets very difficult to turn. Most of the time it happens because of corrosion and hard water minerals again use vinegar and if the valve is too old, It’ll be a good move to replace it and get a brand new shower valve.
Diverter
The diverter valve is one of the most complicated parts to a shower. Unlike the previous parts, it needs a more detailed explanation. It is definitely one of the most unique parts of a shower. You can also call it a shower diverter a valve but it’s more likely a mechanism that controls the water through the different fixtures of a shower.
Let’s say you have a shower and a bathtub faucet, at the moment you want to take a bath so you turn it on, and the water starts coming from both. So in this case there will be no shower diverter in your plumbing unit. It means that Its primary use is to control the water and provide you with the control. There is nothing wrong to call it a water switch.
It generally comes with the same issues as the shower valve.
Shower Base
One of the most overlooked parts to a shower is the point where you stand. Plumbers also call the base a shower tray as it controls and provides channels to the water for easy drainage and it helps so much in preventing damages to your bathroom floor. It’s not just about preventing water issue but it also provides an elegant look and enhance the overall beauty of your bathroom.
Have you seen those beautiful shower pans with nice pattern designs? Oh, that’s so cool. You should check them out. Anyways, As other parts of a shower may get you in trouble, the shower pan is not going to disappoint you as well.
If the slope is not correct, the water will stay and it might lead to cracks no matter what kind of material you have used on the surface of your bathroom. One thing you’ll notice is that with the passage of time, the shower pan starts losing its colors because of the soap and hard water. If that happens, there will be no issue in getting a new one.
Water supply pipes
There are a number of pipes used in your bathroom but here we’ll discuss two of them such as the water supply pipe and the drainage pipe. As the name says, the water supply pipe is used to get the hot and cold water flowing through the system while the drainage pipe takes care of wastes and is actually bigger in size than the normal water supply pipes.
The most common type of water pipes are Rigid pipes. These are often made of copper or galvanized steel. Copper pipes are known for their durability and resistance to corrosion which makes them a reliable option for homeowners whereas Galvanized steel pipes are not commonly used today due to their rusty properties.
Corrosion and PVC pipe damage are the issues you have to be ready for. This is why this is one of the most important parts to a shower.
Shower hose
The shower hose is not the most interesting parts to a shower. With that being said, it can be understood it in a simple way. A shower hose is a small flexible tube that is used to control the flow of the water from the plumbing unit to the head.
Now don’t say it’s similar to a shower arm because that one provides a connection between heads and water supply.
The shower hose is still one of the most important parts, as it is used in handheld systems and makes it easy for you to get the water through every part of your body. Moreover, it becomes so handy while cleaning your bathroom such as tubs and walls. Oh, what about pets? It’s also a good application for that.
Kinking can be a problem with your shower hose. Try to avoid bending the hose and keep it in a good posture. I don’t think there is too much you can do about it.
Cartridge
This is one of the smallest parts to a shower. However it is a very useful main element. Its purpose is to control the flow of hot and cold water accordingly. It provides you with the desired water temperature during. A shower cartridge is also known as a mixing valve cartridge. It is installed in the shower’s valve and can be controlled easily with the temperature control handle.
It also has two inlet ports, one for the hot water and the other for the cold water. There is no such issue with shower cartridges except leakages and from time to time you’ve to replace them.
Enclosure
If you have a very nice and modern shower with perfect floor tiles and everything looks good but your shower enclosure is not on the level then it’s not going to make a scene. The real beauty is enclosed in the enclosure.
It has different sizes and styles like low iron and black glass. That’s the part that never going to mess, it just needs a little maintenance and that’s it.
Faucet trim kit.
If you want an aesthetic and appealing look then you can look towards this parts to a shower. The faucet trim kit has knobs and levels that you can use to control the temperature and flow with some cool stuff. The trim kit is the visible part of it where all the controls are available.
Conclusion
In this guide, I have covered the top ten and most important parts to a shower. Now it will be easier for you to deal with some of the most common problems and fix them. There are a number of other elements as well but these are enough for a DIY fixing. Now if you look at your shower you may think how cool and really a masterpiece it is.
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