How a Linear Drain Could Revolutionise Your Shower
Are you thinking about performing a bathroom renovation? Perhaps it's just time for an update, or you may need to do this to provide better access for an elderly relative. As part of your renovation, you are going to completely redo the shower and may want to remove any barrier to entry so that your elderly relative can access the shower without climbing over a step. As you work, you may want to reconfigure the shower drain and fit a linear version instead, to the rear or at the side. What do you need to consider as you approach this type of work?
Time for a Change
Your old shower may have featured a circular drain in the middle of the floor. It may not have been particularly effective, and you may have relied on that boundary step to keep the water in place while in use. It may have taken some time for your old central drain to process all this water, and you will want to address this type of inefficiency as you redesign.
Configuration
A linear drain can be far more efficient because it has more surface area. You will need to configure it carefully so that it can cope with the maximum flow rate quite easily and evacuate all of the water right away. You will then be able to remove that front step, and this will generally look a lot better from an aesthetic point of view as well.
Flowrate
Don't forget to calculate the maximum flow rate by taking into account not only the overhead shower hose but also any wall-mounted or handheld attachment. Each one of these may have a separate flow rate calculated in litres per minute, and you can match this to the linear drain so that your configuration is correct. Remember, everything will need to be connected to a drainpipe of a specific diameter as well.
Waterproofing
Before you can install your linear drain, you will need to figure out what type of waterproofing method is in place. You will need to ensure that your drain pairs up well with the waterproofing membrane or fabric sheet so that everything is bonded correctly and your shower can work as intended.
Getting the Job Done
Talk with your contractor to make sure that you have taken everything into consideration. You can transform your shower and make it much easier for your elderly relatives if you work with the right experts.
Contact a company like Hydro Construction Products for more information.
