October 2, 2020 Baylee Pearce

How to Upgrade a Basic Shower Faucet

Designing a bathroom is similar to completing a puzzle. There are pieces that have to be put together in order to complete the entire picture. One of the crucial pieces of a bathroom is the shower.

Now, the shower can be a complicated piece to complete because there are a variety of options and finishes to choose from. Thus, here is a guide curated with tips to help weigh the options.

Kingston Brass Shower Faucets

A shower faucet consists of

Showerhead
Arm: holds the showerhead
Flange: conceals where the arm attaches to the pipe in the wall
Control: contains a rough-in valve, plate, and handle, it turns the water on and sets the temperature simultaneously

All of these parts allow the showerhead to be installed and functional.

Basic Shower Faucet Examples

KB3632PLSO GKB631SO GKB651SO GKB635TSO KB242SOWhen deciding on and purchasing a basic shower faucet, be sure to read the descriptions as some kits offered do not provide rough-in valves.

Shower Mixing valves are crucial to a shower system because they control the temperature of the water and turn the water on and off. A crucial aspect of rough-in valves and why they are important is that they are pressure balanced, which means they prevent scalding or freezing temperatures when other means of water are being used. These valves are not to be confused with volume controls, as shower mixing valves do not adjust water pressure.

Upgrade Your Shower Faucet

When purchasing a faucet, the standard shower head may not be up to your bathroom’s specific design. Different shower heads can be purchased and swapped out for the one.

Photo by Kristin Orosco @everything.kris

Shower Head Upgrades

When purchasing a standard shower faucet, the shower heads may not be in coordination with your bathroom’s specific design. Different shower heads can be purchased and swapped out to accomplish your desired aesthetic. Some tips for swapping shower heads is to ensure the arm is always longer than the shower head radius for a good fit. For example, having too large of a shower head used with a short arm may look a bit odd. Kingston offers arms ranging from small to large, an ‘S’ curved arm that achieves a higher shower head without plumbing a new outlet, and a high-low arm that adjusts for those who may be of shorter or taller height in a shared bathroom.

Add-Ons

Add-ons for a shower faucet range from volume controls, tub spouts, hand showers, and other accessories. Volume controls can only control one water fixture, so it’s either connected to a shower head or hand shower. However, multiple can be purchased and installed. Tub spouts can be installed, of course, if your bathroom has a bathtub. Hand showers are also a great accessory for showering convenience. Kingston offers several hand showers and slide bars or holders. View Kingston’s “Buying Guide for Hand Showers” for information on the configurations of hand showers and what is needed for installation.