Last year, my wife found us an amazing AirBnB for July 4th weekend.  It was my first experience with a multi-body jet shower system, and I could understand why we often hear questions about adding these in the design process.  I’m not talking about a rain shower head with a wand–these systems often have 6 or more flush mounted heads that provide a spa like massage experience as you shower.  Even though these systems are amazing on vacation, we don’t recommend them for daily use.  Here’s why:

It’s All About the Pressure

In our area, most, if not all, water systems do not provide enough pressure to fully utilize the benefits of of a multi-body jet shower system.  Even if they did, the federal government limits pressure to shower units to 2.5 gallons per minute.  So as you have more shower heads, you dilute that pressure across every shower head you add.  So, you kind of defeat the purpose of having that spa-like jet experience.

Cost Prohibitive

There are work arounds that are used by commercial spas and resorts to provide that type of experience.  First of all, there are some exceptions to laws for commercial applications vs. residential.  Also, you have to remember that they’re built for that purpose–not a retrofit like most folks will be doing in their homes.  We’re not saying it can’t be done, but upgrading to a multi-head system with body jets often requires a high-flow thermostatic valve and larger water supply lines (e.g., 3/4-inch piping instead of 1/2-inch) to ensure optimal performance can add thousands of dollars to your project.  

Recently, I saw a creative contractor build a bathroom with a 9-foot ceiling.  He practically flush mounted a rain head to the ceiling.  With gravity aiding the water falling from that head, he could divert some of that saved pressure to a normal shower head and wand system.  Even with his creativity, gravity, and a 9-footy ceiling, he could only squeeze out enough pressure to effectively use 3 heads at once–not 6 to 8 like most spas and resorts.

Don’t Try to “DIY” It

As a water professional, I’ve seen some folks attempt to increase the pressure to their shower by adjusting the pressure reducing valve entering their home.  This is a bad idea.  Unless you have low pressure entering your home for some reason, you should never do this.  You may wonder why this is the case.  Think about it for a second.  You’re not only increasing the pressure to just your bathroom, you’re increasing it across all the pipes and lines inside your home, as well as all the appliances connected to your water source (dishwasher, washing machine, ice maker, hot water heater, etc.).  Over time, this increased water pressure can have an adverse effect on these items, possibly resulting in expensive repairs.

How Bath Planet SW Virginia Helps

Bath Planet SW Virginia will always be honest with you about your bathroom plans–not just tell you what you want to hear.  If you’re ready to upgrade to the bathroom of your dreams with expert advice from a remodeling partner, contact Bath Planet SW Virginia at (434)384-9500 or fill out our online form to get started.