Installing a shower used to be a very simple process – attach a hose and a shower rose to your taps and cross your fingers! Well, not any more. Installing a shower is a far more complex process in the 21st century, and each individual aspect demands some thought and a bit of knowledge. The shower pump is one of these

So, what is a shower pump and why should you have one?
Water pressure to homes in the UK can vary greatly, and within the same home can be different at different times. A shower pump will solve this by ensuring that the water pressure is constant so that you can enjoy your shower.

A shower pump will simply take normal ground water and pump it to your shower at a much higher (and constant) pressure. The temperature of water will make no difference to the water pressure, and you will have the same water pressure with hot or cold water.

How do you know which shower pump is best for you?
The capacity of a shower pump is measure in bars, and the more bars the higher the pressure.

The single impeller pump features one driving blade pumping the water to the showerhead as it is mixed. This means the pump must be installed between the mixer vale and the showerhead, the ideal place of installation being the loft, as such installation allows it to be above the mixer valve. However, should you have a cold loft, you can often find that the water cools down before it reaches the showerhead, or even freezes in colder months of the year, blocking flow completely.

The twin impeller pump was invented to overcome the problems of a single impeller pump. Twin impeller pumps can be installed and connected to the hot and cold water before they reach the mixer valve. This basically means that you can install it in more convenient places like the airing cupboard, although manufacturers will state that it needs to be within four meters of the hot water cylinder and at least 30mm beneath the cold tank.

Durability
You might think that because the pump will not affect the look or feel of your bathroom, you should spend less time on deciding on the pump that is right for you. But a faulty pump can result in impeded water flow, meaning your beautiful, well designed bathroom loses any practical uses it might have had. And there’s no point in having a beautiful bathroom if no one is using it. Also, do consider how often the shower is going to be used. If everyone in the family is showering regularly it might be worth considering a shower pump that offers variable pressure, because not everyone will want the same pressure. Installing a shower pump will involve some plumbing, so be sure to choose a durable pump that is going to last you and your family a long time, as replacing it can be costly.
As energy becomes more expensive and we become more eco friendly, showering will become more and more popular, making your shower pump a worthwhile investment.