Shower heads and systems?

[simpsongal]

Anyone have insights on these? Trying to decide if I want just a rain shower head and valve or if I want that plus the hand shower and bar.

Here’s two examples I’m eying (finish is polished nickel)
www.build.com/pfister-lg89-7tb/s1323820?uid=3156206

www.build.com/kohler-artifacts-hydrorail-custom-shower-system/s1133237?uid=2720787

FWIW, I’m planning to do accent tile on the shower faucet wall. So just the shower head and valve would look cleaner/simpler. If you like having both do you like the bar too? Can both run at once? Is the handshower mostly for cleaning?

Eta sounds like I’ll want both. Musings on the sliding bar?

ETA2 - A reminder why I actually need to consult w/DH before shopping and soliciting input.  Apparently he doesn't think much of rain showers (or the 2-3 he's used while on travel).  So we might just go w/a good old fashioned showerhead and valve...

I'm sorry y'all, I was waiting to ask bathroom questions until I had a good one for the board and it looks like I picked the wrong topic....

[aprilsails]

We put a rain shower and shower head on bar set from Moen in the master bath of our new build. I would never do a rain shower head alone since my hair is long and thick and the pressure is never strong enough. My shower would last twice as long. I also like having a massage head option for when I need it since DH is an incompetent masseuse.

I really like having the bar so that I can lower the height of the shower head. It makes my shower much faster. It’s also useful for DD.

With the type of valve we have you can’t do the rain shower and normal shower head at the same time.

[laterz]

Rain showers look pretty, but like the previous poster, I don't find them practical bc of the lack of water pressure (and it's one more thing to clean/maintain.)

[k3am]

Agreed with both. We put in a rain shower and a handheld with a bar. I use the handheld most of the time, DH prefers the rain.

ETA: our valve by default allows only one shower head to be on at a time, but there is a diverter pin that we had removed and now we can do both. Highly recommended.

[lolalolalola]

I personally dislike rain shower heads; I will never not have a handheld though. I would hate living without it.

[simpsongal]

Feb 9, 2020 12:45:05 GMT -5 lolalolalola said:

I personally dislike rain shower heads; I will never not have a handheld though. I would hate living without it.

i don’t think I like them either though dh likes to just stand in the water so I think he will. Sounds like I’ll need both for my showers (I tend to take baths).

So the sliding bar is just for height changes? It doesn’t double as a grab bar does it? I see some set ups with the bar right below the shower head, off to the side, or on a different wall. Thinking I’ll go right below...

[tcu2003]

We have both in our master bath. I love the rain head, and DH likes the handheld (mostly because it wastes less water). We can have both on at the same time, which comes in handy when the toddler takes a shower with me as she uses the handheld.

[k3am]

We mounted ours on separate walls so that when we shower together, we can each have shower head.

[hbomdiggity]

Our house came with a rain shower (and fixed wall head). Never been used in the almost 4 years we’ve lived here. No way could I live with that as the only option.

[atarianna]

I am going to be a dissenter and say how much I hate the look of the handheld on the bar. Practically speaking, you can put it at a comfortable height for you when you install and have no need to use the up/down of the bar after that.

We had a shower with the rain head, handheld (no bar) and body jets Which we could use two of the three simultaneously. When we built, we opted for two staitionary showerheads and no handheld, but could always change one to a handheld later if needed.

[mrsukyankee]

I like the handheld for cleaning the shower and love a rain head for showering (we had great water pressure). I'd have both a fixed shower head (whatever sort) and a handheld.

[dr.girlfriend]

We just have the fixed shower head and handheld. One thing I HIGHLY recommend though is the thermostatic shower. We have the controls on the wall right by the door, perpendicular to the shower head. It's amazing to just turn it on in the morning and come back a minute later to find it's the perfect temperature without adjusting. There are some very specific ones where the handheld bar is also a grab bar but they are uncommon, plus it's not really a great position for a grab bar. We have a separate horizontal grab bar in our shower.

[k3am]

dr.girlfriend, I think we also have a thermostatic shower. I had no idea what that was without googling. It doesn't help much since DH likes to burn his skin off and DD prefers lukewarm showers, so I end up adjusting anyways. But I do like that in order to get it to scalding like DH prefers, it's an extra step, so DD isn't at risk of accidentally stepping into that.

I was also thinking about this post during my morning shower, and I really like the bar that I can adjust the height of. DH is 9 inches taller than me, so anything that is comfortable for him is too high for me. DD uses the handheld shower on one of it's lowest settings (eventually my kids won't be tiny and it will not need the low setting). Depending on if I'm washing my hair or not, I use it at different heights. It's nice not to worry about accidentally getting my hair wet.

[dr.girlfriend]

Here's what we got if it helps:

www.build.com/hansgrohe-hss-c-t02/s1136435?uid=2726615

C Thermostatic Valve Trim with Integrated Diverter and Volume Controls - Less Valve Hansgrohe C Thermostatic Valve Trim with Integrated Diverter and Volume Controls - Less Valve
Model: 15753821
Color/Finish: Brushed Nickel
$387.86 (Qty. 1)

Croma C Multi Function 2.5 GPM Shower Head Hansgrohe Croma C Multi Function 2.5 GPM Shower Head
Model: 04070820
Color/Finish: Brushed Nickel
$67.29 (Qty. 1)

ShowerPower Wall Supply Elbow with Check Valve Hansgrohe ShowerPower Wall Supply Elbow with Check Valve
Model: 27458823
Color/Finish: Brushed Nickel
$44.40 (Qty. 1)

iBox Universal Plus Rough In Valve with Service Stop for Hansgrohe and Axor Shower Trims Only Hansgrohe iBox Universal Plus Rough In Valve with Service Stop for Hansgrohe and Axor Shower Trims Only
Model: 01850181
$58.83 (Qty. 1)

ShowerPower 6" Standard Shower Arm with Flange Hansgrohe ShowerPower 6" Standard Shower Arm with Flange
Model: 27411823
Color/Finish: Brushed Nickel
$27.01 (Qty. 1)

Unica C Slide bar 24" with 63" Techniflex Hose Hansgrohe Unica C Slide bar 24" with 63" Techniflex Hose
Model: 27617820
Color/Finish: Brushed Nickel
$211.04 (Qty. 1)

Raindance C 2.5 GPM Multi-Function Handshower with Air Power and Quick Clean Technologies Hansgrohe Raindance C 2.5 GPM Multi-Function Handshower with Air Power and Quick Clean Technologies
Model: 28548821
Color/Finish: Brushed Nickel
$172.80 (Qty. 1)

[simpsongal]

dr.girlfriend, thank you! Is 2.5 GPM preferable? I see a lot of shower heads that are 1.8 or 2.0.

I like the idea of the thermostatic valve b/c I like the ability to run hot water at a light spray, e.g., if I'm shaving my legs.

[k3am]

simpsongal , the only reason most people get 1.8 gpm is if they're in a drought area like CA. Our water pressure sucks because of it. You can't buy anything higher here. But our water bill is obscene, so a low flow showerhead helps with that at least.

If you live somewhere that drought/water prices aren't an issue, I'd go for 2.5.

[dr.girlfriend]

Feb 11, 2020 9:58:05 GMT -5 k3am said:

simpsongal , the only reason most people get 1.8 gpm is if they're in a drought area like CA. Our water pressure sucks because of it. You can't buy anything higher here. But our water bill is obscene, so a low flow showerhead helps with that at least.

If you live somewhere that drought/water prices aren't an issue, I'd go for 2.5.

Glad k3am knew because I had no idea!  :-)