Brass is a metal that we humans have been using for thousands of years. It has had mention numerous times in both history and prehistory, and it even has several mentions in the King James Bible. Due to this, it is now known all over the world due to its weight, durability and appeal. This has carried on even to the bathroom fixtures of the present day. With their advantages, a brass bathroom faucet may be the best choice of fixture you can get for your bathroom. Let this article list the reasons why.

Durability – It is well known among architects, interior designers and engineers alike that a brass faucet fixture will far outlast any of its plated or non metal counterparts. This is particularly true when you constantly run hard water through your bathroom faucets: hard water will corrode most other metals (even plated ones) yet it will have little to no effect on a brass bathroom faucet. Actually, it is not only the metal itself that lasts a long time, but its finish as well: brass bathroom faucets, especially those that are coated with electroplated chrome or a simple finish that prevents oxidation, are known to last a lifetime with little need for scrutiny in the form of polishes and waxes.

Appeal – A brass bathroom faucet has a rustic yet classic aesthetic to it. Its color, which resembles a muted shade of gold, is a classic one, a nice warm shade that can evoke very subtle feelings of comfort for those using it. It is one which, when paired properly with other fixtures, can turn the act of walking into a bathroom into a visual extravaganza.

Hygienic properties – It is a little known fact that brass is actually germicidal in nature. This is due to the oligodynamic effect, which is caused by the copper in brass: this effect denatures several enzymes in most microorganisms, which effectively kills them. This makes a brass bathroom faucet probably one of the cleanest yet safest fixtures to place in your home.

There are a few things that you would need to keep in mind, though, before you go off and buy yourself the first bathroom faucet you see. The first thing you have to take note of is that brass bathroom faucets are particularly expensive, which means you will have to cough up quite an amount of cash for good bathroom fixtures. Also, you will have to watch out for the many imitations out there, some of which will claim that their fixtures are made from pure brass, when in fact they are only selling plated metal or worse, plated plastic. A good test for this is to hold the fixture in your hand, as brass fixtures will weigh a lot more than ones made out of other metals. Keep these in mind and be aware in order to be able to get the best brass faucets that will truly be worth what you spend on them.

John has been writing articles online for nearly 3 years now. Not only does this author specialize in home improvement, you can also check out his latest websites on buying black kitchen faucets and buying a brass bathroom faucet.

Each year an estimated 12,000 people die from falling on slippery floors and stairs. These deaths are second only to motor vehicle accidents in causing personal injury.

As we age, our physical abilities diminish, and therefore we lose our strength and our balance. Unfortunately, accidents can occur more often and the bathroom can become a dangerous room. It is important to make your bathrooms safe. The following suggestions can make your bathroom less treacherous.

Grab bars provide a place for your hands to grab on to as you raise or lower yourself. They can be attached to walls with screws, some bars are attached to the bathtub, and other bars use suction cups, which avoids the need to drill into a wall. There are also toilet safety frames that help when lowering and raising from the toilet. Please closely follow the instructions for installation, or have a professional contractor do the installation for you.

Shower chairs provide a sanitary seating area when taking showers. This product is a great aid for those that have difficulty standing or sitting on the bathtub floor is impossible. Usually constructed with plastic molded seating and aluminum or steel legs. Some chairs have wheels for mobility. For those looking for a warmer material, there are wood seats made of teak.

Transfer benches are used when you have limited mobility. Usually two legs are inside the bathtub and 2 legs are outside the bathtub and the bench stretches over the bathtub wall. First you sit on the outside of the tub on the edge of the bench. Then you slide over into the bathtub section, pulling your legs over the tub wall.

Elevated toilet seat provides the extra few inches of height, making it easier to get on and off a toilet. Some models come with arms for stability.

Hand held showerhead provides for better control of the water when taking showers. Rising and cleansing the parts you want to concentrate on. Many showerheads have different sprayer settings you can select.

Non-slip tiles provide traction when the floors are wet. There are also products that can be coated on to the floor to provide additional traction. Rubber mats may also provide a solution from slippery floors. Safety tape can also provide the needed traction for that slippery floor.

Any electrical outlets that are near wet areas like the bathroom must be a ground fault circuit interrupter outlet (GFCI). These GFCI outlets will immediately shut the power off in the event of a short circuit.

Planning for safety in any room is important, and the bathroom has many products that make it safer. Please review your bathroom concerns with your healthcare professional. For more information, please visit www.cwimedical.com.

Noah Lam has over 15 years of experience of providing high quality medical supplies and healthcare products from Acute Care Facilities to parents and children. His company, CWI Medical is a leading provider of medical supplies and equipment to healthcare facilities and for home use. In addition, CWI Medical is an ACHC Accredited organization maintaining standards of excellence in the Healthcare Field. For more information, please visit http://www.cwimedical.com

A steam shower cubicle can be simply defined as a self-contained cubicle or enclosure that has the ability to create and trap steam within the enclosed area while also providing a showering facility to wash or rinse down ones body. However, a modern steam shower cubicle aims to make home-bathing enjoyable, relaxing and therapeutic. Thus, many new features can be found within the modern steam shower cubicle. While not conclusive this article provides a summary of the typical features that may be found in a steam shower cubicle of today.

Digital control panel
Most modern steam shower cubicles are fitted with an easy to use control panel in the shower providing quick access to all the steam shower features. Some steam shower cubicles may also provide a remote control, which allows the user to select features from outside the cubicle such as pre-filling the cubicle with steam before entering.

Foot massage
A foot massage is often an added feature that combines foot rollers and hydromassage water jets to conveniently massage your feet whilst sitting within the cubicle. Instead of rollers, a steam shower cubicle may have a special area on the floor where hydromassage jets spray water onto the soles of the feet.

Hand held shower
Typically, a steam shower cubicle will provide a standard shower head fixed to a slide-rail. This shower head can easily detach from the slide rail to enable handheld showering, which may be in addition to an overhead rainfall shower.

Over head shower rose
Also known as a rain forest shower, the shower head is typically larger than a hand held shower and may measure as much as 6 inches in diameter. The overhead shower rose gives the sensation of standing out in a rain fall.

Body jets
Body jets can be located above the users head, along the length of the users back or perhaps on the lower legs. Depending on the number of jets and the users water pressure these hydro massage jets may be sprayed in unison or sequentially.

Music & Phone Connection
A modern steam shower cubicle may have a built-in audio input allowing the steam shower to be connected to a users iPod, MP3 player, CD player or any other external audio device. Some units even allow a user to run a telephone line to the steam shower and make or receive phone calls from the
cubicle.

Radio and speaker
Many steam cubicles that have audio capability will also have a radio tuner allowing the user to relax whilst listening to Classic FM or Radio 1! The user can tune in from the control panel to their favourite radio stations and listen to them from an in built shower speaker.

Steam Generator
The steam generator is integral to any steam shower cubicle and comes in many designs and styles but all with the same purpose – generating steam. The digital control panel may give the user the option of setting a time limit or temperature limit for automatic shut off of the steam generator.

Aromatherapy
An additional feature found in some steam cubicles allows the user to squeeze a few drops of aromatherapy oil (often plant or tree extracts) onto the steam generator or into a specially designed inlet. The user can then enjoy the aromatherapy scents and physical benefits it can offer.

Thermostatic controller
The thermostatic controller is used to select a specific water temperature and should maintain control of the water at the chosen temperature. Some units may provide built in temperature safety for younger users.

Chromotherapy Lighting
Chromotherapy has been shown to alter ones emotional state. This is the use of coloured lighting to create a mood or emotional state whilst the user is enjoying a steam shower.

Extractor fan
An extractor fan provides ventilation and air circulation as well as enabling the user to clear steam out of the cubicle without opening the doors.

Fluorescent overhead lighting
An overhead fluorescent light is often included to illuminate the steam shower cubicle. The light may surround the overhead rainfall shower rose.

Dr Gareth Daniel conveys his experience of steam rooms in his writing for Di Vapor Steam Showers. To Find out more about steam shower cubicles or sauna steam rooms then please visit Di Vapor Steam Showers who is a steam shower specialist.

Manual Mixer Showers:

Mixer showers are essentially valves which mix hot water and cold water to obtain a suitable mixed temperature. This mixed temperature is achieved using a manual control of some form. Mixer showers have a hot water inlet and a cold water inlet. They do not heat the water directly. Depending upon the temperature decided by the user (using a lever or knob), the mixer valve will blend the necessary amounts of hot and cold water to achieve the desired mixed temperature.

Advantage

Manual mixer showers are available as part of wall mounted units, meaning the physical height of the temperature adjustment is convenient for everyday use, and the spray may be mounted in a shower cubicle or over a bath.

Disadvantage

This type of shower is more expensive than some of the other solutions and requires hot and cold water feeds. This may prove expensive if the shower is to be installed in part of the bathroom which does not already have water supplies.

Push-on Mixer Shower:

The push on mixer shower is essentially a hose complete with a spray head. It could be likened to a large and clumsy stethoscope. The hose has rubber or threaded feet and can be connected to taps as and when required. The water temperature is manually altered using the taps, which may belong to a sink or bath. This approach is cheap, but the hose is not normally very long and hence cannot be wall mounted. This means one hand is used to hold the spray above the head and the other is used to wash. This can prove inconvenient, but a cheap and satisfactory temporary solution nonetheless.

Bath Mixer Shower:

With this type of shower, the hose and spray parts have an integrated mixer with tap(s). The tap(s) and shower flex are all one unit and whether the shower is used or the taps are used can be decided manually using a lever. The spray head may be screwed on and off the flex.

Advantage

A bath mixer tap is a good choice because it is cheap, more presentable than a temporary rubber hose, generally more robust and attractive than it’s temporary counterpart, and no extra plumbing is involved.

Disadvantage

Temperature control is very basic and this can prove inconvenient. Turning the tap a “micro turn” can dramatically increase or decrease the temperature, as can flushing a toilet sharing the same cold water feed. Trying to mount the shower head at high level will provide a very poor flow rate in most cases.

Thermostatic Mixer:

The hose and spray of the shower are parts of a wall unit and the hot and cold water supplies are connected to a single valve. It is complete with a built in stabilizer to automatically adjust the water temperature, thus preventing it from becoming too hot. They are effectively a manual mixer shower with an in-built thermostatic mixing valve, suitable for all installations. They are most often installed in hospitals, schools and other facilities open to the public or individuals who would otherwise be at high risk of scalding.

If a thermostatic mixer shower is being installed, then hot and cold water supplies can be taken from the same supplies as other appliances/outlets. Although reductions in pressure may occur when water is drawn off elsewhere, the in-built thermostatic mixing valve controls the temperature.

Advantage

The controlled temperature makes them extremely convenient. The automatic adjustment means that the flow temperature is not affected by the use of water elsewhere on the premises.

Disadvantage

The disadvantage is cost. They are the most expensive of the mixer showers, but as already discussed, in some cases safety is paramount.

Power Showers:

Power showers are single units that contain an electric pump. They are capable of altering both water pressure and water temperature. This type of shower can be fitted provided a supply from a cold water tank and a static hot water source (e.g. A cylinder) are available.

Advantage

They are convenient to use, because they are capable of altering both pressure and temperature, and for those who prefer to feel the water lashing down with force, the in-built pump will make this type of shower a pleasure to use.

Disadvantage

This type of shower is not suitable for installations where it is intended for the water to be heated directly by the shower itself, or where water may only be supplied under above-normal pressures. Pressurized supplies include most pumped sources such as the mains or a combination boiler.

Due to the pressure the flow rate will increase. The drainage system may need to be re-considered. The higher flow rate means the shower tray or bath will fill up quicker and if there is no means of removing the waste water at the same rate at which it is supplied, then this type of shower will prove impractical.

For more articles and information like this please visit http://www.click4bathrooms.com

Is your life filled with fifty-hour workweeks, your free time crammed with meetings, soccer games and obligations to your schools and community? So many people today struggle with finding solace in their lives. There is always way too much to do, and most find few opportunities to deal with the resulting stress from it all. Can you think of a better way to clear your mind and gain a different perspective than to surround yourself with the comforting elements of a spa at the end of a hard day right in your own home?

There is no more perfect relaxer than water, especially when combined with aesthetically pleasing materials. Think out-of-the-box when creating your own relaxing space. Try Asian-inspired open-base vanities and faucets or traditional console lavatories. These are spacious, simple solutions, even in the smallest bath. New tub formats are available that offer the lavishness of a deep soak or the exhilaration of a hydro- and air-jet massage. Looking for the ultimate in wake-up stimulation or end-of-the-day relaxation? Consider a shower powered by multiple heads and body sprays. For the ultimate spa experience, consider a combination steam and shower unit.

Creating the perfect spa bath to suit your needs has never been easier. Look for a bidet to create a true spa feeling. More and more, you can find these traditionally upscale fixtures in new construction and remodeling projects. Tearing into your bathroom’s drywall is not always necessary. There are many new products available designed to make retrofitting your existing space a simple process. Whether you’re looking to build from the ground up or planning to remodel, consider these soothing options. No matter what type of space you’re working with, many options are available to accommodate any plan—all with the same luxurious relaxing result.

About the Author…

Leon Tuberman has almost 40 years of experience in the home furnishings and interior decorating industry. He operates a popular home furniture store and showroom in the San Fernando Valley. They offer American made Arts & Crafts and Mission style beroom, dining room and office furniture for your home or office. His store takes pride in offering furniture that’s built to last for generations. Whether your trying to find a solid oak bookcase or American handcrafted dinign room set, they carry the largest selection at prices that won’t break the bank.

Claire Bowes is a successful Webmaster and publisher of bathtub refinishing. Claire provides more information on her site about Handicapped Bath Tubs.

For more great bathtub information and resources check out:
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