Simple to install with family safe controls, bar showers are a simply brilliant choice for any bathroom. In this article Maria Howley, Technical Product Trainer at Bristan, asks the On Tap installer community why a bar shower does the job:
Our On Tap community made up of thousands of installers from across the UK provides an invaluable source of product design inspiration.
Andy Steer is a sole trader who operates in Seaford and has been an On Tap member since 2018. When asked about what he looks for in a shower, he said “ease of maintenance and servicing for any bathroom type is key, which is why a bar shower is a great fit”.
1. Time is money
Our On Tap community tells us a plumbing job completed quickly and efficiently saves time and money. Just as a delayed job can play havoc with your work and cash flow. We understand products that can be installed in stages help customers plan their projects and help installers manage multiple jobs that keep work flowing. Bristan’s Buzz (as pictured) and Craze feature the innovative Wallmount 12 fixing kit, making fitting a bar shower quick and easy. The customer inspired fixing solution means you can install the Wallmount 12 on first fix, isolate it from the front of wall using the built-in ball valve, turn the water supply back on and then add the bar itself on second fix.
When you’re ready, all you need to do is push the shroud onto the back of the wall outlet, lining up the access hole with the isolation screw, then fit your bar shower and turn the screws again to open the water inlets. This brilliantly simple fixing technology will change the way you install bar valves for good. It also allows for easier off-wall servicing of the valve if required.
2. Keeping cool
For installers and consumers alike, safety is a key priority. Water temperature that exceeds 44° in the shower can significantly increase the risk of scalding – a risk more likely to occur in showers without a thermostatic mixing valve (TMV).
Every Bristan bar shower features TMV technology, meaning the hot and cold-water supply are mixed to create a safe temperature before it reaches the shower head. This regulates the temperature to prevent any sudden spikes, creating a safer showering experience for your customer and giving you complete confidence in your install, every time.
For added peace of mind, Bristan’s ‘Safe Touch’ technology is available in both the Buzz and Craze (as pictured) design. Encasing the hot water supply within the cold in the valve and shower body, the technology keeps the exterior of the shower valve cool to the touch, even when the shower water is hot, reducing the risk of scalding for a safe shower experience. This feature is particularly popular with families and older customers.
3. When size matters
Whatever the size of a customer’s bathroom, a sleek bar shower can offer a brilliant solution. Minimising installation damage can be particularly tough when working in small spaces, which is why we have developed our built-in isolation so that the water supply can be turned back on after the fixing kit is installed – with the bar shower not needing to be fit until a later stage. This makes tiling and finishing easier, and means the bar shower itself doesn’t get damaged. It also means that servicing or replacing the bar shower is made brilliantly simple too. For added peace of mind, the Wallmount 12 includes durable rubber seals to reduce water ingress back into the wall cavity.
4. Style made simple
There are 14 bar showers in the Bristan range to choose from, in a variety of designs, to suit all budgets. The Frenzy (as pictured) offers great value for money. The popular thermostatic bar shower features a multi-function handset and comes with the Wallmount 12 fixing kit.
For customers seeking a more luxurious, contemporary option, the Buzz contrasts a large, round shower head with a streamlined body for timeless appeal. While the Craze offers a contemporary design with a striking rectangular shower head.
Bristan has been producing products that fit perfectly into our customers’ needs and lifestyles that are consistently easy to choose, install and use since 1977. From smart design features to dedicated technical support, we’re always working hard to make life easier.
To find out more about Bristan’s bar showers and for the chance to win, take a look at our bar shower flipbook here. You can also sign up to our On Tap community here.
