Whether you’re saving for a family vacation, or just trying to make ends meet this month, the chances are that you’re constantly searching for ways to cut costs and save more cash. Unfortunately, in a bid to be more frugal, many of us make mistakes with our home investments that can be dangerous and even pricier in the long-term.
If you’re installing a new electric shower into your bathroom, you might tell yourself that you can handle it on your own. After all, in the age of YouTube, there are video guides out there to teach you almost anything. However, just because you can find guides on how to fit a shower everywhere, doesn’t mean you should do it.
More often than not, you’ll be better off handing the job to a professional who can get the task don’t quickly, without any dangers.
How to Fit an Electric Shower
If you decide that you do have the skills to go it alone and fit your own electric shower, then the first thing you’ll need to do is choose the right model. Just like any other home accessory or tool, some showers are easier to install than others.
Usually, the best option will be to go for a shower that has a bottom, top, side, and rear entry points for your pipes as this will make routing your water system as simple as possible. Many of the cable systems for showers are rather inflexible, so the more room you have to work, the better off you’ll be. It’s worth looking for swivelling water connections too. The easier your job is, the less likely it is that you’ll have an accident.
Read the Instructions Carefully
Once you have your easy-to-install shower, make sure that you understand exactly what you’ll need to do to install it. During this time, it might be a good idea to invest in some additional tools like systems that allow you to check for pipes and wires in the wall of your bathroom before you start cutting. The manufacturer’s instructions also will give you some tips to stay safe.
Before you start connecting your new electric shower, it’s a good idea to turn on the water and flush out any debris that might have been standing in your water inlet pipe. Small particles in this pipe can have a big impact on the health of your new shower. You can then turn the water off and drain the pipe completely before you begin work.
Draining the pipes will stop water from dripping into the wiring below, which could cause a short or even an electrical fire in the home.
Installing Your Electric Shower
Because the shower that you’re going to install is electric, you will also need to drill a hole into the wall for the electric cable. The size of the cable you need will depend on the length of the run as well as the rating of the shower unit. Once again, you can check the manufacturer’s instructions for more information here. When you have access to both your power and water supply, installing a shower is as simple as following the manufacturer’s instructions.
The most important thing you can do at this stage is to make sure that all of the electricity in your home is switched off. You should never drill into a wall with the electric switched on, even if you think you know where all the wiring is. There will always be a chance that you could take a wrong turn somewhere and electrocute yourself.
Making Shower Installation Simple
Installing an electric shower isn’t an easy thing for people with no plumbing or electrical experience. There’s more to this process than just attaching the shower unit to the wall wherever you want it to go. Because both electrics and water are involved, you can cause a lot of damage to both yourself and your house if you make a mistake. If you have a combi boiler there are other considerations you must think about too.
If you’re not 100% confident in your ability to install an electric shower, call on a professional to do it for you. This is the best way to keep yourself and your family safe. Professionals have the training required to install your shower safely.