A bathroom is fundamental to our daily lives as it is used for personal hygiene activities. At our home bathroom is a very private space that an individual uses for purely functional purposes. While it’s strictly utilitarian and practical, and architects generally design them according to the norms along with space-saving concepts for affordable housing, luxury bathrooms are preferred by those with extra space and financial luxury. Nowadays, such bathrooms provide more to their functionality; it has become a space for reflection or reading while in bathtubs or relaxing under a rain shower.
When designing a bathroom, there is surely planning for fixtures and accessories that one desires apart from the aesthetics of the space. All that together forms a good usable bathroom that works for the client. Some standards help designers to install bathroom fixtures at certain heights and positions for appropriate use without any discomfort. As one of the main functions of the bathroom is to have a bath, the selection of bath fixtures and their installation becomes critical. There are a variety of bathing accessories these days. While bathtubs are seen as a luxury in India, showers and water taps are commonly used systems. In recent years, a huge variety of showers, mixtures, and diverters have been launched in the market to provide a better and more comfortable bathing experience. An understanding of the basics of these fixtures is necessary for one to select the best fit as per their desired experience.
Hence, one needs to know the shower system and types of the diverter for bathroom. But first, what is a diverter? The basic explanation of what a diverter does is that the diverter diverts water flow. When there is a combo of bath spout and a shower, it diverts water flow to the showerhead and another way around. The faucet handle is attached to the diverter; when you use this handle, the shower diverter gets activated. Diverters are concealed inside the wall where the spout and the lever are different parts which is not the case in a wall mixer.
There are three different main types of diverter, and then there are several other types that are available in the market, which have their advantages and disadvantages. There are more than a dozen different types of shower valves one can choose from, which gives slightly different output as per the plumbing system requirements or the water pressure requirements.
Three most common types of diverters:
Single valve or T-diverter | Diverter for bathroom
This is the most common type of diverter. It controls the water flow and water temperature, and it only requires only one handle. The water flow can be opened from the spout when pushing the handle down. The benefit of this diverter is that it is relatively easy to install and use. These diverters are also compact and space-efficient units, but it is at times challenging to get water flowing from the shower head if the faucet is already on.
Two-way or Standalone diverter
There are multiple types of two-way dual-purpose diverters. Standalone is the most popular one and is made of two parts. A standalone 2-way diverter helps give the shower a cleaner appearance. This diverter has two parts, a rough diverter valve body that fits inside your wall and a diverter trim that is fixed outside of the wall so when you walk into the shower, you can only see a lever handle or knob that is fixed on the wall. It may also be used with shower head and tub spout combinations. A two-way diverter is used to redirect water from two separate outlets. There are typically three ports in the valve, one inlet port, and two outlets. Water enters From the inlet then the valve diverts the water to each outlet depending on the selection.
Three-way diverter | Diverter for bathroom
As the name goes three-way diverter is also a separate diverter valve that allows three functions. Instead of two, it comprises three outlets and one inlet, so in total, there are four ports in the diverter. A finish trim with a handle used to switch between these functions comes along with the diverter. A Three-way diverter can also be used as a volume control alternative because it helps to reduce one additional piece of hardware on the shower wall and be visually more appealing.
Both two-way and three-way diverters can be installed alongside volume control in a thermostatic valve system. This will help to control temperatures and secondary volume control, along with redirecting the water to your desired position.
There are other types of diverters as well that are a development or modification of these three diverters to provide different functions in the shower. For example, a push button diverter is a two-way diverter with a pressure balance valve in addition which helps to divert water flow between the two outlets by the function of either push or push-pull. Then there is an integrated diverter that has the same function as the push-button again, but instead, a handle is installed, which helps to control the water flow depending on your needs.
Hence, there is a range of diverters that provides functions according to your needs within the spectrum of water flow in accessories, water pressure control, and water temperature control. And knowledge of which system of diverters can be used in what ways can help a lot when making a new bathroom.
References:
https://www.homestratosphere.com/types-of-shower-diverters/
https://fixturesacademy.com/types-of-shower-diverters/
https://vaalve.in/a-guide-for-buying-diverter-valve/
https://www.contractorbhai.com/wall-mixer-or-diverter-what-to-buy-for-your-bathroom/
https://farmfoodfamily.com/types-of-shower-valves/
https://www.ricksplumbing.com/blog/what-you-should-know-about-shower-diverters/
https://archive.pinupmagazine.org/articles/toilet-modern-architecture
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13602360802214943
