Bathroom Remodeling Mistakes That Can Cost You A Ton Of Money
There are few home owners that wouldn’t want a sparkling new bathroom in their home. Unfortunately, most of us can’t afford the luxury of installing a brand new tub or shower without some serious plumbing work. Although there are many things you can do on your own to update your tub and shower, it is usually best to hire a professional plumber for major installations like this. However, before deciding upon calling a plumber, it is important to decide whether or not your current setup is faulty. If it is faulty, you will need to fix it or replace the entire fixture, which can be very costly. However, if you are able to fix it yourself, then it might cost a lot less to replace a piece by piece rather than replacing the entire tub and shower.
Some of the more common mistakes people make when installing showers are putting too much soap into the hot water tank, pouring in too much hot water, using the wrong type of showerhead, not putting enough insulation between the walls, not taking enough time to set up the pipes properly, and using an incorrect size of showerhead. Although there is no way to avoid making a mistake in installing your shower replacement, you can avoid a lot of these mistakes by spending a little bit of time up front to familiarize yourself with the process. This will eliminate many of the problems that can occur during the install. Here are a few common mistakes that people make, along with the correct showerhead size, to help you avoid them in your next shower replacement:
Not putting enough insulation between the wall and the floor can create a humid environment in your bathroom which can promote the growth of mold and mildew. When purchasing your new shower fixture, look for one that comes with a built-in insulation. This should be thick enough to protect the floor but flexible enough to allow water to escape quickly through the sides of the acrylic panels. Showers that fail to come with insulation are typically manufactured from cheap materials which can easily absorb moisture and become moldy in a short period of time.
Another common mistake is selecting the wrong type of shower base for your bathtub. Many homeowners make the mistake of bypassing the installation of a waterproof acrylic liner in their tub and opt for a cheaper vinyl-based shower kit. Liners provide much better protection against mildew and mold, since they are designed to be sprayed onto the shower tub, not simply built up on the surface. Vinyl based shower bases also have the issue of forming condensation holes on the exterior of the tub and the shower itself if the base leaks.
The wrong type of shower enclosure can also cause problems with your plumbing. Shower enclosures that are made from fiberglass and metal are susceptible to cracking, corrosion, and chipping. Liners, that are not installed properly can also cause these issues since they form condensation channels on the walls of the shower base and the tub. These channels allow seepage into the interior of the shower enclosure and into the tub itself, creating water problems and leaks. By choosing a shower base that is properly vented, you will not be causing such problems and you will be more likely to keep your home looking beautiful.
One final bathroom remodel mistake that can result in expensive bathroom repair bills is installing the wrong type of shower head. There are two different types available, and many homeowners make the mistake of selecting the wrong one. Chlorine shower heads are inexpensive and popular, but they do not provide the hot water distribution that other types can. Waterfall types are a better option because they offer a more realistic spray pattern and they can be adjusted easily if needed. If you make the wrong selection during a bathroom remodel, you will be paying out a lot of money in the long run because it can be hard to find a bathroom remodeling company to cover your redesign costs.