Introduction To Shower Parts

Admittedly not very glamorous or romantic, shower parts number among those life essentials you take for granted until they force you to pay attention. You will have little trouble with repair or replacement of the parts you can see-the shower head, the faucet and diverter handles, and the tub-spout. Like icebergs and termites, however, the hidden shower parts pose the greatest dangers.

Cosmetic changes in shower parts are easy.

Shower parts wear out, and fashions change. Changing-out parts simultaneously can save water, improve water pressure, and enhance your bathroom's appearance. Most cosmetic replacements require only common household tools-a decent crescent wrench, some channel locks, a screwdriver, and working knowledge of clockwise and counter-clockwise.

Start with the biggest, best, and simplest among shower part changes:

Replace your old-fashioned shower-head with a handheld shower massage. Like all contemporary parts, the best massaging shower heads restrict water flow for conservation, but the restricting action paradoxically increases the water's pressure so you get an invigorating, satisfying massage. You may experience a little difficulty removing the old shower head if you have hard water that has caked and corroded the threads on the arm extending from the wall. Your local home improvement retailer happily will advise you about which lubricant works best in your area, and he will hook you up with a roll of Teflon tape so your new shower parts screw on easily and securely. One roll of Teflon tape ought to last a lifetime.

Continue with equally easy but dramatic upgrades in your shower parts, changing the handles on your faucets. Update the fashion or upgrade the quality of your shower. Those ugly old plastic handles on the faucets and diverter may disintegrate the next time you touch them. Replace them with brushed satin-nickel beauties designed and engineered to last as long as you will own your house. Or add a beautiful antique touch with art-deco ceramic handles, also as durable as the art that inspired them.

Major shower repairs are just plain scary.

Among the myriad plumbing perplexes a home can throw at its owner, shower repair or replacement probably tops the list of the ten most difficult, because the shower's most important working parts live inside your fibreglass or tile enclosure, encased deep in your walls, out of sight and usually out of mind. Unless you have developed exceptional skills and a very high tolerance for your own fragrance, you probably should call a professional for a complete shower replacement. A pro will have the right shower parts and the high-powered tools a full replacement requires.

Most in-wall shower parts come with lifetime guarantees, so that they seldom fail. When they do fail, the manufacturer will replace them with this year's comparable model, but the makers will not replace your drywall, baseboards, and carpet; nor will they check for dry-rot in your wall-frame or mould in your insulation. Find a plumbing contractor who knows the pipes and everything that encloses them. And, before your plumber goes to work, take a trip to your local home improvement retailer, learning all about the faucets, pipes, angles and elbows that run your hot water from the downspout to the shower head. Shower parts are not complicated, but their assembly does require some sophisticated skills. Learn so that you can watch your plumber work his magic.