![\"Shower](\"https:\/\/scottsbathrooms.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/shower-parts-names-diagram-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nMost Common Shower Parts<\/h2>\nShowerhead<\/h3>\n
This is the part most people think of when someone mentions the word \u201cshower\u201d. It\u2019s the most visible segment and one that is typically made out of copper, brass, chrome, or rubber. The showerhead\u2019s role is a simple one – to release a stream of cold or hot water over the person who is, well, taking a shower.<\/p>\n Every showerhead has a number of small holes, which allows it to spread water in an equal manner. Some showerheads allow users to change the flow as they wish, i.e. they allow bathers to alter the stream\u2019s strength and speed.<\/p>\n A steel hose connects the showerhead to the water pipes. Showerheads are available in many sizes and shapes, such as circular and square-shaped. Due to the recent water management regulations, it\u2019s pretty safe to say that the overall design of these simple yet vital components has improved a lot.<\/p>\n Every showerhead consists of an arm and an escutcheon. The former part is a tube through which the water flows and which stretches from the piping to the showerhead itself. The area at which the arm slides into the wall is covered by an escutcheon, which is also called a flange. Truth be told, the flange is mostly decorative and its main role is to conceal the hole where the showerhead\u2019s arm connects with the pipes.<\/p>\n If you are not sure what kind of showerhead you want, read this post on the best high-pressure shower head<\/a> as well as these best dual shower head<\/a> reviews.<\/p>\n Here we have yet another very visible shower component – the pan. The shower pan is the section of the shower\u2019s base on which you\u2019re standing whenever you\u2019re letting the water spray all over your body.<\/p>\n One very important thing to mention here is that shower pan leaks can be quite inconvenient and need to be prevented at all costs. When this component leaks, it can easily lead to rusting on the bathroom floor. Problems of this type have to be taken care of as soon as possible.<\/p>\n Like most other shower parts, the pans are manufactured from various materials. However, most of them are made out of a material called Chloraloy, which is a rubber layer that is bound together with a special type of concrete. See our guide to standard shower pan sizes<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n The next important shower component is the shower valve. As its name suggests, the purpose of this part is to control the flow of water from the handheld sprayer, spout, or showerhead. What is more, these valves also have the job of controlling the temperature in the shower.<\/p>\n When they\u2019re installed correctly, the newest shower valves can turn every showering session into a genuinely relaxing experience, as they reduce water pressure fluctuations and sudden temperature changes. This component is typically situated behind the wall, and is available in two versions:<\/p>\n Have you ever found yourself in an unpleasant situation due to somebody flushing the toilet while you were showering? The person who flushed the toilet caused a sudden decrease in water pressure, leaving you without water in the middle of your showering session.<\/p>\n The role of pressure-balancing shower valves is to prevent these kinds of situations from taking place. What is more, they can also protect the user from very high water temperatures. Both of these functions are performed via just one control.<\/p>\n There are two controls on a thermostatic shower valve. The first one controls the water temperature, while the second one controls the water pressure. A thermostatic shower valve is usually found in luxurious, high-end bathrooms.<\/p>\n You might want to read this post on installing an anti-scald shower valve<\/a> as well.<\/p>\n As its name suggests, the water supply pipe is the part that transfers cold and hot water from the supply to the shower itself. There are two pipping systems in most showers – the drainpipe system and the pressurized water supply pipe system. While the former removes waste by pulling dirty water into the drain, the latter carries hot and cold water for showering.<\/p>\n In older homes, water supply pipes are often made out of galvanized steel. If you live in an older house that was renovated, however, chances are that your water supply pipes are made out of copper. A buildup of sediment in both galvanized steel and copper pipes can lead to major water level drops over the years – make sure to have the pipes replaced if you\u2019re experiencing such issues.<\/p>\n While it\u2019s true that most homes still have copper pipes, PEX and CPVC plastic pipes are getting more and more popular with each passing year. This is because they\u2019re quite inexpensive and also much easier to install. The last thing that should be mentioned here is that the water supply pipes are often more compact than the drain pipes.<\/p>\n The enclosure is a component that is just as visible as the shower pan or the showerhead. In most cases, shower enclosures will be made out of economical tiles, but they can also be manufactured from materials such as natural stones, manufactured stones, glass blocks, or glass tiles.<\/p>\n Most enclosures have the aforementioned shower pans at the bottom, although some simply use floor tiles. And while it\u2019s true that they often restrict the showering area with panels, some enclosures have no doors and sport a much more open design. Moreover, there are a lot of different types of enclosures one can choose from: framed, frameless, rectangle, square, quadrant, and many others.<\/p>\n For more information, check out our post on the best shower wall options<\/a>.<\/p>\n Something needs to remove the wastewater inside the shower, and that something is the drain system. In older houses, these are made out of galvanized steel – just like the water supply pipes. In newer houses, on the other hand, shower drains are made out of PVC plastic.<\/p>\n Most shower drains consist of the following components:<\/p>\n To get into the drain system, wastewater needs to flow through the drain cover first. So, if there\u2019s a starting point of the drain system, it\u2019s definitely the drain cover. It is typically made out of materials such as metal or plastic and it\u2019s located in the middle of the shower pan.<\/p>\n The role of this part is to protect one\u2019s bathroom from the horrible sewage gases. It\u2019s a component of the shower strainer that traps lingering water and which can, in the case of a drain blockage, be opened and emptied.<\/p>\n Usually made out of plastic or chromed brass, this is a simple pipe that seals another pipe – the one that\u2019s right below the drain hole. Drain tailpieces are completely watertight.<\/p>\n The trap arm is typically located right at the end of the aforementioned drain p-trap. It\u2019s a pipe that slopes downwards and which often has a very short length.<\/p>\n This would be a part of the shower\u2019s plumbing system that moves forward and backward whenever the user pulls the shower handle – its role is to control the volume\/temperature by opening the hot and cold water inlets.<\/p>\n Since it\u2019s possible to adjust the shower\u2019s temperature, every time you use the hot water setting by sliding the handle, this component will open the hot water inlet more and the cold one less, and vice-versa.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nShower Pan<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nShower Valve<\/h3>\n
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Pressure-balancing Shower Valve<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Thermostatic Shower Valve<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Water Supply Pipe<\/h3>\n
Enclosure<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nShower Strainer \/ Shower Drain<\/h3>\n
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Drain Cover<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Drain P-trap<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Drain Tailpiece<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Trap Arm<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Shower Cartridge<\/h3>\n
Shut-off Valves<\/h3>\n