Posted on: December 12, 2007

Minds of Their Own

Today’s showerheads are experience-oriented, preference-based, eco-responsible devices that aim to please. The choice is yours

By Gretchen Roberts
CTW Features

Just one trip to your local home improvement store will clue you in: Since you last remodeled the bathroom, showerheads have gone beyond the standard single-function spray nozzle. If you’re looking to upgrade, the best way to choose from the hundreds of options is to decide what kind of experience you want to have in the shower first.

If you want on-the-go luxury …

“Time-crunched consumers increasingly want to turn their master baths into a retreat from the hectic outside world,” says Michael Wandschneider, senior product manager for Kohler, the Wisconsin plumbing fixtures company.

“They’re looking for a time-efficient luxury they can slip into for a few minutes every day, and that means showering.”

Multiple showerheads and shower tiles mimic the whirlpool experience without having to soak in the whirlpool, says Araya Jensen, CKD, a designer for Crystal Kitchen Center and Design-Build in Crystal, Minn. “You can install multiple showerheads or shower tiles, which are essentially shaped like a tile square and blend into the tile itself, in the walls and ceiling.

“The showerheads and tiles are directional, so you can move them around to hit just the right spots on your body, and you can place them at hip height, back height, upper-back height, or wherever you want a jet of water.”

Many high-end multispray systems use digital technology to set customized shower preferences for each user, from the direction of the spray to the amount of pressure and temperature.

Wandschneider compares the technology to automobiles that save seat settings for different drivers. Most systems also feature a thermostatic valve, which keeps the water at a preset temperature from the moment you turn the shower on (no more waiting for the shower to warm up), through flushes, washing machine cycles and other household water uses. Thermostatic valves are also useful for families with children, to avoid scalding.

If you want the spa without the plumbing expense …

As relaxing as multiple showerheads are, they can be expensive to plumb, says Lisa Sten, an award-winning senior designer at Harrell Remodeling in Mountain View, Calif. “Each head requires a separate plumbing line,” she explains. “If you want that same kind of luxury without having to replumb the bathroom, try a shower panel instead.”

A shower panel, similar to custom showering systems, uses multiple heads, but they’re arranged in one panel that requires only one plumbing line.

If you want the gentle downpour of a warm summer rain …

A rain-can shower, installed overhead or on the wall, has a large diameter so the water covers more of your body than a standard showerhead. Many custom systems and shower panels use rain-can showers, or you can install one solo.

Just remember that as the diameter gets bigger, water pressure will decrease, Sten says. Globe Union makes a 3-spray rain-can that allows you to change the rain pattern from hard to soft, plus a motor that helps increase water pressure, says Abby Buford, a spokesperson for Lowe’s Home Improvement.

If you want extreme flexibility …

Try an adjustable-arm showerhead, which usually comes on a sliding bar to go up or down for family members of varying heights, and a removable showerhead for added convenience.

“Ideally, you should have a handheld in every shower,” Jensen says. “They’re incredibly flexible no matter what you’re doing - showering, cleaning the tub, washing your pets or bathing children.” Install one on its own or as a complement to another type of showerhead.

If you want to rejuvenate …

Consider a steam shower, which can be installed in the same space as a regular shower, Jensen says.

“Many of my clients love steam showers, especially if they travel a lot,” Sten says. “It’s a nice revitalizing experience when you’ve got jet lag.”

If you want to conserve as much water as possible …

Government regulations dictate that the maximum water flow out of a showerhead can only be 2.5 gallons per minute, but low-flow showerheads often go much lower, down to 1.5 gallons per minute. But saving water doesn’t mean giving up the relaxing shower experience. Newer versions of low-flow showerheads basically add air to the stream, which helps force out water at a faster rate to increase pressure.

Buford advises looking for a high-end low-flow showerhead that uses technology to make the water pressure seem higher than it really is. “Some cities require low-flow showerheads when you do a remodel, but if you look for a higher-end one you can save water and get the same amount of pressure coming out as a normal showerhead,” she says.

Sten says newer low-flow showerheads are great for people who like the idea of saving water, but not actually giving up their water pressure. “A plumber I work with says it’s amazing how people say they want to be green, and they drive a Prius, but when it comes to the shower, people love water and they aren’t willing to compromise,” Sten says.

If you want just the basics …

“In my experience, many people just want a good-quality shower that works well, is easy to clean and looks good. I do a lot of work for dual-income working families who talk about spas, but in the end, the bathroom is just a utilitarian place where they shower and get ready for work,” Sten says. “For them, it’s perfectly appropriate to look for an easy-to-install classic showerhead.”

But are all basic showerheads the same? Yes and no.

Quality usually increases with the price point, Buford says. Also, she advises, “look for a showerhead with holes in the center as well as the perimeter for the best spray pattern.”

Both Sten and Jensen say choosing a showerhead is simple once you narrow down your goals. With so many options, it helps to know, first, what you want to get out of it.

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