Archive for the ‘Bathroom’ Category

Walk In Shower – Prefab vs. Tile

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

When it comes time for a new bathroom shower to be installed whether it is a replacement or if you are doing a complete remodel you will be faced with a few choices. The first choice will be the enclosure. Do you get a prefabricated enclosure or do you want to start from scratch and have a tile covered enclosure built. There are some disadvantages with both as well as advantages.

If you pick a prefab it will be fairly easy to install. If you are an experienced DIY type of person you can probably do the installation your self. One of the things that you must look out for however is getting the shower enclosure to the bathroom in the first place. They are pretty big and hard to maneuver and there must be enough room to get them through all of the doors and hallways leading to the bathroom. Stalls built from tile on the other hand require much more specialized labor to get them built, usually calling for a professional. First the framework needs to be built and then it needs to have a totally water proof barrier installed before the tiles are put up.

In most cases people consider a prefab to be a less desirable alternative because of limited preset designs. Now days however with advancement in the designs and materials available, they have become more desirable. The ones built from tempered glass are the latest trend in a walk in shower.

From a design point of view a tiled shower that is built in place gives you much more leeway. For one thing it can be built to conform to the available space, so that there is less wasted space. You can also have it built to the design that you want with the added features that you desire.

Why American Standard Toilets Stand Out

Saturday, July 31st, 2010

American Standard toilets have become synonymous to quality and durability. Through the years, millions of households have relied on American Standard for their toilets. American Standard toilets are not only stylishly designed but also built to last.

American Standard toilets are the prime choice in all bathrooms, whether for basement toilet installation, or when replacing a worn out toilet. These toilets come in three shapes – compact elongated, elongated, and round front. American Standard toilets are produced in different sizes to effectively cater the varying needs of homeowners.

These toilets are also widely sold in assorted colors like black, white, silver, beige, and linen all designed to match any bathroom décor. Likewise, American Standard toilets come in different price ranges. Some can go for as low as $200, thus, providing homeowners with a cheaper option. Performance is also not compromised as toilets made by American Standard use innovative flushing systems, like its trademark the Champion 4 system. Toilets with this kind of flushing mechanism are efficient and clog resistant, while using less water compared to other flush toilet models. Moreover, there is no need for a plunger because an American Standard Champion 4 toilet has a large trap-way – about 2 3/8 inches in width. Hence, it is very unlikely for waster to clog up.

Another distinct feature of an American Standard toilet is its EverClean surface. So, whether you are planning of to do a basement toilet installation or a standard bathroom installation, choosing an American Standard model is practical given its clean and shiny surface. Its EverClean surface feature likewise resists bacteria and mold growth, ensuring not only a clean but also a disease-free bathroom space.

American Standard toilets are also designed to consume less water with its trademarked systems, the Cadet 3 Flow Wise and H2Option Dual Flush. These distinct systems allow American Standard toilets to utilize lesser water without sacrificing their flushing power.

With the many great features of American Standard toilets, it is not surprising why the company has remained the most trusted name among toilet manufacturers not just in the US but also around the globe.

Installation Steps for a Bathroom Extractor Fan

Saturday, July 24th, 2010

It’s a great idea to install a bathroom extractor fan, even though your bathroom might not require one. If for no other reason, at least the fan will pull excess moisture from the bathroom so your mirror won’t be covered by steam after a hot shower.

You can fit your extractor fan into a wall, or you can purchase one that can be fit in a window. These steps will detail how you can install the fan into a wall. Keep in mind that whether you are choosing a fan that can be installed into a wall or a window, it’s always best to consult the manufacturer’s instructions before you begin your installation.

If you are installing your bathroom extractor fan into a wall, you can being by cutting a hole into the wall. You might find it’s easier to drill a circular hole in the wall first, and then cut the rest of the hole outwards and knock away any excess masonry – if you are installing the fan in an exterior wall to your home. If you are installing the fan into an interior wall, after making the hole to mount the fan against, you’ll want to plan, prepare, and construct duct-work that will lead to an exterior wall of the house. In any case, with the hole completed, install some piping into the hole and cover the ends with some netting to prevent insects from entering the pipe from either end.

Next you’ll fit the extractor fan against the hole and run wiring to a wall switch. If you don’t have a lot of experience with wiring, it might be a good idea to leave this part of the installation to a professional electrician. An electrician can make sure that the wiring is good and can install a wall switch for the bathroom extractor fan.

A Simple Guide to Showers

Saturday, July 17th, 2010

Nothing could be more annoying than spending upwards of $1000 on the wrong shower system for your bathroom remodeling project. Unlike simple projects like choosing living room or bedroom furniture, the choices you make now will have to last you for years to come. This quick guide will lead you through the different types of showers available and give you a basic understanding of what you need to know.

Electric Showers

An electric shower simply takes cold water from your mains supply and heats it before it passes through the shower head to you. An internal thermostat mixes the heated water with cold straight for the mains also and creates the temperature according to how you have set it. You will need a professional to install the shower for you as to heat water like this requires a high wattage and a thick electricity cable. You will also need to make sure that your electricity supply is sufficient for the job. The good news is that an electric shower doesn’t need cold or hot water tanks to be in place so you can have one in most apartments or small buildings.

Mixer Showers

Mixer showers use the hot and cold water tanks in your home to supply the water. It is then mixed to give you the desired temperature. Manual mixer showers are the most simple type of shower. They simply consist of a shower head and two hot and cold taps that you adjust as you wish. The most complex units adjust the temperature and flow according to your settings and a thermostat compensates for pressure changes in the flow caused by a tap being run in the kitchen for example. If you have a combination boiler or a non-vented system, mixer showers work with these too.

Power Showers

The power shower runs on electricity as well but instead of heating the water, it mixes hot and cold like a mixer shower and uses the electricity for a pump that pushes the water to flow much more forcefully. For this reason you must have a cold tank in the loft and a hot water tank as well. Non-vented and combination boiler systems are not suitable for power showers.

Armed with this basic understanding you can now go and talk with some shower installation experts to get the perfect shower for your bathroom.

Bathroom Extractor Fans

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

When you start doing a major renovation for your master or guest bathroom replace old technology circulating fan, with one of the available bathroom extractor fans, as it will actually remove the damp nasty smells that are not welcomed in such a confined area. Yes, these fans are more expensive than the old do nothing models, but the extractor actually work, and do what the promise in their paperwork. There is a little bit more to installation than a circulator or what they call a fart fan. The fan will require a contractor to install it, if you want one added to a completed bathroom.

These units have some really smart safety technology built-in, as some will have a thermostat built in to monitor air temperature, when it reaches a certain point it will shut down and seal itself off, so it will not allow fire to travel through the evacuation hose and help the fire grow into the attic or roof line. This will also help you get the moist air out while taking a piping hot shower, and prevent too much moisture from building up into the bath area. This will prevent your bathroom curtains, and area rugs from holding a lot of  dampness, which causes a stale odor after a while.

Be prepared to unleash your spending budget to the tune of two hundred and on up to a couple of thousand dollars depending on how advanced of a system that you would like to purchase. The same unit is also used to assist range hoods in kitchen to evacuate smoke, and is set up on a slightly different platform since they are around heat.

The greatest feature of these units are that they are much quieter, and actually do pull “personal fumes” form the room. So when Dad goes in their with a magazine for a half hour, as long as the as the bathroom extractor fan is on you will not be suffer an assault on your olfactory senses.

A Corner Shower Enclosure For Small Bathrooms

Saturday, June 26th, 2010

Corner Shower Assembly

For less than a thousand dollars, you can have a contemporary shower system in place, and working by yourself in a day’s time. Once you see this product in action you will instantly see the genius in how the sliding doors are integrated into the walls and one corner of the cubed assembly. You literally slide two panels in opposing directions to create an entry path for showering. No doors swing out into the cramped bathroom area, so even two people can get ready in the mornings without getting in each other’s way. This new technology that allows for a corner shower enclosure is genius in design flare, and practicality.

Another great use for this product is to install one in your garage to clean up after work if you have a particularly dirty job that would track mud, grease, or dirt into your home upon returning from work.

Trim and Design

The interior walls are stark white and the corner opposing the opening has a convenient built-in corner shelving system to hold soap, razors, and shampoo. The trim is silver or chrome like and will easily blend with the rest of the bathroom’s trim design or theme. The exterior walls are made of a molded polypropylene or semi-transparent acrylic looking glass.

Installation

Of course, if you are not handy with roughing in plumping pipes for hot and cold water taps, then be ready to get your wallet out for a licensed plumbing company to come to your aide. You may want to call your local city hall to ensure that you will not need a building permit for such a project.

Ordering and Shipping is a breeze as you can get your credit card out and place the order online with just a few point and clicks. Having it delivered directly to your home will take on average five to ten working days. It may save time to have it delivered to your neighborhood home depot and pick it up when it arrives.

corner shower enclosure

Corner Shower Enclosure

Creative Commons License photo credit: ?? ryuuji