The joys of summer soon wear off when you’re left with sandy floors, wet carpets and messy bathrooms after people have traipsed through your home after a day at the beach, around the pool or playing in the garden.
An outdoor shower is a practical solution that helps keep a dry, clean home and adds to your lifestyle and property value. Before you go off DIY tools blazing, you will need a qualified plumber’s advice and skills to ensure your outdoor shower is up to code and properly installed.
Do you have a full-family home with active children who play lots of sports and come home dirty after a morning of football or a day of fun and games in the garden, and you would like to give them and their sports equipment a good wash before coming indoors? Do you live alone and would like a tranquil space to rinse off the chlorine after a dip in the pool? Are you an avid hiker who heads up the mountain with your furry companions and needs a place to cool off and wash the pooches when you get home? Knowing the primary purpose of your outdoor shower is the first step.
Once you know the why, you need to determine the where. Consider both practicality and privacy. Positioning it close to plumbing points and drains will save on the plumbing and building costs, and having it near an entrance to a kitchen or bathroom also makes sense when you consider when and how people will use the shower. Where the shower is located also advises if style is as important as function, for example, an outdoor shower on a pool deck in full sight of an entertainment area, needs to look as good as it works.
Weather resistance, waterproofing and safety are all important factors when selecting the materials for your shower. Pressure-treated timber such as cedar, slip-resistant tiles or concrete and brick are all amongst the choices.
When it comes to the plumbing requirements of an outdoor shower, there are two important questions to ask:
Do you want hot water?
If the answer is no, you can plumb your outside shower with a garden hose or tap. If the answer is yes, your plumber will need to link it to your geyser or solar heating, you will also need two taps – one for hot and one for cold water.
Do you want to use soaps and shampoos?
If your shower is simply to rinse off sand, grass and chlorine or saltwater, you just need a good natural drainage system, but if soaps and shampoos are going to be used, your plumber needs to connect it to one of your home’s drains or set up a grey water recycling system for you.
Contact Plumbing it Fine for a free consultation and quote.
