A shower pump is a device measuring around 30cm in length, although sizes do vary and can be much smaller and much larger. They boost water pressure in your pipes by increasing the volume of water which is pumped through them. Most shower pumps operate by the same principle. Low pressure water is taken into a chamber and fed into the centre of an impeller which is spinning quickly. The water is thrown outward by centrifugal force and ejected from the impeller housing at high speed. The improved water pressure is visible at the shower head where the force of the spray becomes greater as the pressure and flow rate increases. A single shower pump, also known as a single impeller pump, is designed to improve just one feed. This is usually the hot water feed although it can be used for cold water feeds and mixed water feeds. A twin shower pump, also known as a twin impeller pump, increases the pressure in both hot and cold water feeds. This makes them much more desirable and therefore the most popular option.

Positive Head Shower Pumps = When a shower is installed, if it is gravity fed it’ll usually require installing below the water tank. The distance below the tank is approximately one metre and is known as the head. This is where the term positive head shower pumps come in. These are the most common option.

Negative Head Shower Pumps =Negative head shower pumps are placed above a cold water tank, or level with them if needed, and draws water from the tank and forces it towards the shower. They’re used in homes which don’t have the room below the tank and the shower head/outlet is above or at the same level as the cold tank.

Mains Water Pumps = Mains water booster pumps offer a straightforward solution to the problem of low mains water pressure. Unlike shower pumps, who’s impellers could be damaged by mains pressure, they are designed to easily fit on to the incoming cold water mains supply to provide the whole house with added cold water pressure.

Macerators in a domestic situation are used when transferring bathroom and sink waste to the existing waste pipes is difficult due to either the distance or the height between the source and the existing soil disposal system as conventional pipes require to be fitted at an angle/drop so that gravity moves its contents. In large properties, macerators are often used to pump horizontally where laying a 100mm diameter soil pipe across three or four rooms would be both unsightly and expensive. Macerators are usually placed behind the WC  but be careful as not all toilets have the space behind them at the base so check the measurements carefully. The way they work is to churn up solids and pump them at pressure down the pipework which is thinner than convention soil pipes. There are other models such as toilet pans with built in macerators which can look more minimalist and also be space saving. 

Other models include in our online bathrooms store are ones that pump basin, shower, bath and bidet wastes as well as ones that can handle combinations of these different feeds. Access is normally required for servicing so make sure they have access hatches etc. All require an electrical supply.