A new bathroom remodel is an exciting time in your home. Once you make the decision to remodel your bathroom and you decide on a bathroom design, it’s time to consider how your new shower installation is going to work. A new shower can be the centerpiece of your bathroom remodel, but it’s important to understand that installing a new shower should be done by a professional that has the experience to do the work right. If you try installing a new shower on your own, a small mistake here can lead to huge water damage problems down the road. You might notice a leak in your plumbing until after a new wall has been built. If you have a water leak after your remodel is complete, you will have to pay for repairs to be made. At Lutz Plumbing, we know that you want your new shower to be installed in such a way that it looks beautiful and works perfectly without any leaks. A new bathroom remodel can greatly increase the value of your home, and it is often a wise investment to spend money on a new bathroom. As professional plumbers, here are 7 key factors we always consider to ensure a perfect, leak-free installation.
1. The Drain Location and Size
The drain location and size has a direct impact on how long it might take to get your shower installed in the first place. When measuring for your shower installation, the drain has to be in the right spot, and it has to be the right size to remove the water from your shower in a timely manner. If a drain has to be moved, it is a major job that involves cutting into the floor of your bathroom. Take into consideration the size of your bathroom itself, and where the shower is going to be replaced. Consider where the existing plumbing is, or if you are going to have to install a new drain for the newly designed bathroom.
2. The Condition of the Existing Plumbing
During a bathroom remodel is the perfect time to check all the pipes that exist behind your bathroom walls. Your pipes could be old galvanized or copper pipes that need to be replaced, or there could be damage to your pipes that are going to lead to a leak in the near future. The plumbing for your shower may need to be done over, and this is something to take into consideration as you figure out how your new shower is going to be installed. The cost of new pipes is worth it when you consider how damaged the existing plumbing might be. You may find plumbing that is old, corroded, and already causing damage to the inside of the walls.
3. The Type of Shower Valve
The type of shower valve you have installed in your bathroom remodel should be discussed before your bathroom is complete. Although you can have a simple valve installed in your new shower, you can also invest in a thermostatic/pressure-balancing valve that prevents scalding. At Lutz Plumbing, your safety is important to us, and we recommend the more complicated valve to protect you from getting burned while showering. Take the time to look over the difference between a simple valve installation vs. a thermostatic valve that can prevent a child from scalding while taking a shower.
4. Waterproofing the Walls and Pan
The most critical step in installing a new shower during a bathroom remodel is to ensure that the shower pan, liner, and waterproof backer board are installed correctly. As a professional plumbing company, this is where we see the most DIY failures occur. When the shower pan, liner or backer board are installed poorly, you are going to have leaks once you try to use your new shower. Waterproofing the walls and pan should always be done by a professional to save you both time and money because of mistakes. Although you might want to do some of your bathroom remodel on your own, it is not a good plan to do the waterproofing on your own. Mistakes during this process can lead to water damage in your walls and floor, causing you more money in repairs in the long run.
5. Water Pressure Requirements
There are times when the water pressure and pipe size must be assessed, especially when a homeowner wants to install a fancy, multi-head shower system. If the bathroom currently has low water pressure, the pipe size and water pressure might not be sufficient to install a complex shower head system. We can take a look at the requirements of the system you want to use, and look to upgrade some of your plumbing if needed to give you the shower experience you want.
6. Ventilation
A good bathroom fan is needed to keep your bathroom free from mold and mildew. Bathroom fans remove moisture, and help to prevent humidity in your home. The bathroom fan is more than a luxury, it is a necessity to help control the steam coming from your new shower. Invest in a bathroom fan that is large enough to take care of the size of the bathroom. A bathroom fan that is too small for the space won’t be effective at removing the humidity from your bathroom. Ventilation is the key to a clean bathroom with healthy air quality. Look for a bathroom fan that is big enough to handle the moisture in the bathroom so that you don’t have to worry about humidity.
7. Your Long-Term Plan
Take into consideration the long-term plan as you go about designing your bathroom remodel. When your kids are little, you might want a deeper bathtub that makes it easier to give your children a bath. Maybe you want a bathtub that is suitable for a larger person to take a warm bath comfortably. If you are thinking about aging in place, a curbless, walk-in shower may be a better long-term investment for the bathroom. A bathroom remodel can last for decades, and it is always a good idea to think about who is going to be using the bathroom for years to come.
Your Successful Shower Installation
There are seven points to consider when installing a new bathroom during your bathroom remodel. The drain location and size, and the condition of the existing plumbing have to be considered when looking at how your new shower is going to be installed. The type of shower head system being used must work with the water pressure and pipe size, or changes will have to be made. The shower valve can be simple, or more complex, depending on your needs. Waterproofing the walls and pan need to be done by a professional, as this step is often done poorly by those trying to do the project on their own. A successful shower installation is about all that happens behind the tiles. Although you might want to do some of the bathroom remodel yourself, invest in professional services to get the job done right. Mistakes you might make in waterproofing or plumbing are not worth the risk.
Create the Bathroom of Your Dreams Today
Your dream bathroom deserves a flawless foundation. For professional shower and bathroom plumbing installations in the Johnson County area, trust the team with a century of craftsmanship behind them. Call Lutz Plumbing to discuss your project.