Upgrade Your Bath with a Massage Showerhead
A Fast, Easy, and Inexpensive Bathroom Lift
Feb 10, 2009
Hot water --whether from a natural spring or a showerhead-- has a tranquilizing effect on the human body. It widens the blood vessels, relaxes sore, taut muscles and calms jangled nerves. For many, a hot shower releases stress and encourages them to drift off to sleep more easily. Even if you can't afford a full bathroom remodel, you can make your daily shower more spa-like and relaxing by adding a massaging showerhead.
How to Choose
All showerheads are not created equal. While the differences may seem minor, the showerhead is likely to be used every day by every member of your family. What feels good varies from person to person. So first you’ll need to decide which type of shower you like best.
Massage showerhead adjustments range from a soft, warm, aerated spray pattern ideal for children or the elderly to a strong, invigorating, pulsating downpour. The best option, particularly if several family members will use the same shower, is an adjustable showerhead that offers the widest range of pattern selections.
Keep Kids in Mind
If you live with children, look for a hand-held unit installed on an adjustable slide bar. While this will cost more, it also offers more flexibility. Because the showerhead moves it can grow with the kids. And the showerhead will be within reach when they're 4'6” or 6’4". A hand-held unit is also ideal for rinsing out shampoo and conditioners and for reaching into the corners of the whirlpool tub or shower stall for cleaning.
Temperature control features like a hot limit stop, that prevents the water temperature from being turned too hot, and pressure balance anti-scald valves, will add to the cost of a showerhead, but are worth it for the piece of mind.
Check the weight and/or heft of hand-held units. While a heavier unit might be fine for adults, kids or the elderly could have trouble operating it independently.
Looks and Finish Count Too
Choose a showerhead that suits the décor of the rest of the room. If all the existing fittings such as towel bars, robe hooks and sink faucets are chrome, then stick with chrome for your new showerhead. If existing fixtures have a traditional look, then opt for a traditional style showerhead.
Try Before You Buy
Many upscale plumbing showrooms now offer demo models of showerheads, so you can visit and feel the differences in spray patterns before you buy. Choose a showerhead with a full pattern with no voids. If you're shopping where there is no opportunity to try the product, read the packaging carefully for information about the number of patterns.
Do It Yourself, or NOT
If you are handy with tools and know your way around plumbing fittings, replacing your existing showerhead with a hand-held shower massage unit can cost as little as about $40 for the basic model.
Those with a bigger budget can spend more on the showerhead and hire a plumber to do the installation. Or you can take this idea one step further and create a custom shower with a combination of body sprays, a fixed showerhead and perhaps a separate hand-held shower. This type of multi-head system generally requires remodeling (at least the shower portion of the bath) to install a valve large enough to supply sufficient water to all the components. In this case, It’s wisest to seek the advice of a qualified bath designer or plumbing professional to help design a customized shower.
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