Shower head: with filter, massage. Options and advice on choice

choice Ever since mankind began to closely monitor their own hygiene, the main way to maintainyour body was clean was taking a bath. However, with the advent of the central water supply, the shower became even more popular than the baths. Now most homes have either shower cabins or mixers with the possibility of connecting the shower. The shower allows you to shorten the time for taking water procedures, because, unlike a bath, you do not have to collect water for it in advance. An important choice is the choice of a suitable nozzle. In this article, we will tell you what kinds of nozzles for the shower are and how to choose the most optimal option.

It would seem that it can be difficult to choose a suitable shower head? This is just a standard accessory, the same in all mixers. So only those who do not go to the shops selling plumbing are thinking. At the moment there is such a rich choice of attachments and sometimes just run your eyes. Below are the main types of baits that you can find on sale.

Depending on the material of manufacture, the nozzles can be:

• Metal. Such models, as a rule, are more durable and do not lose their original appearance longer. Their main minus is weight. The metal nozzle can not hold for a long time in weight. In addition, if such a watering can falls into the bath from a sufficient height, it can not only split the enamel, but also create a crack in the bathroom, if you use a model of acrylic.
• Plastic. Most plastic nozzles are made for metal. This is the so-called metallized plastic. Such models have multi-layer chrome and at first glance are indistinguishable from metallic ones, however they are much lighter in weight. Since the plastic material is more flexible and pliable, the plastic nozzles can boast a wide variety of different intricate shapes.

In some models of metal attachments you can see a handle made of faience. However, such models are considered impractical. In addition, the use of faience significantly increases the weight of the nozzle.

Nozzles are of different shapes:

• are round;
• rectangular;
• are oval;
• square.

We are used to seeing in our bathtubs round and oval nozzles. Models with sharp corners, look good in the bathrooms, made in the style of high-tech. Again, to order, you can order the nozzle in the form of a triangle or any other geometric figure.

Nozzles are stationary, manual or a combined system.

• Manual models is the traditional and most popular type. They are attached to the main part of the mixer by means of a flexible hose. You can take a shower hand shower and direct the jet to wherever you need, at any angle and at any height.
• The stationary models are less powerful, but they generally provide a more powerful head of water. These nozzles have a larger diameter and are attached to the wall or to any other surface at a certain height and at a certain angle. However, in some models, the tilt angle can be adjusted.
• Combined systems are so-called shower racks. Their design includes a watering can on a flexible hose, a mixer and a top stationary watering can. The advantage of such systems is obvious. In addition, such models boast an unprecedented number of various additional functions, which we will discuss below.

Before, our parents, grandparents used the simplest nozzles, the jet of which could be compared to a jet from a conventional watering can. The volume and nature of the water supply depended only on the diameter of the shower head and the number of holes in it, as well as on the water pressure in the water pipe.

Modern models are far advanced in the choice of modes and modifications. Today you can buy attachments with a built-in special button, which allows you to choose the force of the head and a combination of jets of water. Some models of attachments are equipped with various additional functions: self-cleaning from lime scale, ionization of air, water enrichment with useful mineral elements for skin and others.

Most modern shower heads support several operating modes simultaneously, which are switched by rotating the shower head. Depending on your needs and mood, you can choose the pressure and water supply mode, which you at the moment will be most pleasant.

• The rain is the standard and most common type of jet. The water falls smoothly onto the body from small holes in the nozzle under low pressure.
• Soft dispersion is a mode in which water particles are mixed with air bubbles. Due to this mixing, you do not feel the water jet on the skin as such.
• Variostruya - a mode that is an average of the two types of jets described above.
• The is a dense water stream that is fed from a nozzle under high pressure. This mode is ideal for a contrast shower and dousing with cold water.
• The water fog is another, a private version of soft diffusion. Your body seems to envelop the dense water vapor.
• The waterfall is a kind of jet that is used most often in those nozzles that are attached to the ceiling. Water creates a dense veil, as if falling from a great height. This jet is very invigorating and helps to keep yourself toned.
• massage jet is used, as a rule, with a special massage nozzle. With this jet, you can follow the figure and maintain the tone of the muscles and tissues of your body.

These are just the main types of jets. Meanwhile, some manufacturers of elite sanitary ware meet their own, exclusive developments in this area. In some nozzles, a combined mode is provided in which the different jets follow each other at certain time intervals.

The main function of any shower head is the uniform supply of water in the form of several jets. However, here also lie their nuances. Functions supported by most attachments:

• switching between several types of jets;
• saturation of water with air in the "soft dispersion" mode;
• tuning of pulsating jets with great pressure for massage.

However, there are a number of additional functions:

• the presence of a thermostat allows you to monitor and maintain the required exact water temperature;
• pressure reducing valve will be useful for those who often change the water pressure in water pipes;
• water filter softens hard water coming from the central water supply;
• water flow limiter makes it possible to reduce water consumption and reduce waste to pay utility bills.

There are absolutely non-standard additional functions.

Once you turn on the water, the soothing, or, conversely, invigorating music will play in the bathroom. In addition, there are special attachments for children. They are made in the form of various fairy-tale characters or animals. These attachments help to distract the baby's attention directly from the washing process, which is far from appealing to all children.

Many mixers now have a so-called self-cleaning system from lime scale. It's not a secret for anyone that the tap water in our faucets is very stiff and contains a lot of impurities. Therefore, in due course, the holes in the nozzle are clogged.

Thanks to special small silicone tabs inside the holes, the plaque no longer fits into the nozzle and it is easy to remove, simply wiping the nozzle with a cloth with any detergent.

Another innovation is the development of high-tech and multi-functional shower panels. As a rule, they are supplied with premium showers. However, more recently, such panels have become possible to purchase separately and mount in the ordinary soul.

The main advantage of such panels is the presence of a control panel with which you can control various additional functions. How big the functionality of your shower panel will be, directly affects its cost.

There are so many design options for shower heads that it's impossible to list them all. First of all, it is worth noting the variety of colors. Although, as we have already mentioned, most of the nozzles today are made of metal, or from materials that mimic it, chroming on different models gives a different effect.

You can find models of nozzles with different coatings: bronze, brass, chrome, gold, copper, nickel and others. Some models have a colorful enamel or powder coating of various colors. As for the stylistic affiliation, the choice here is also great. There are models made in retro style, in the style of Art Nouveau, high-tech and others.

Summarizing all of the above, you can sum up the following:

• When choosing the suitable shower nozzle, you first need to decide whether manual, stationary or combined shower you will use.
• Then it is necessary to determine the material of manufacture: metal or plastic.
• Only after this you can proceed to the selection of a specific nozzle based on aesthetic and design considerations: what shape will the nozzle, what color, in what style should it be worn and whether this style will be combined with other bathroom fixtures.
• After you select several possible attachments for yourself, pay attention to the ratio of their additional features and quality with their price. Only carefully weighing all the pros and cons, you can pick up the shower head with which you will always be comfortable to take a shower and which will bring the maximum health benefits.