Bathroom Modernisation, Silicone Free Shower Enclosures

According to a recent survey the amount of time the average household spends on housework has dropped by 30 minutes a day since the Millennium. The survey found that 77 per cent of men and 92 per cent of women spent some time each day doing housework, compared with 86 per cent of men and 96per cent of women in 2000.

With couples often working long hours' and leisure time suffering people are now looking at products that will help ease the housework load, which is why we believe silicone-free shower enclosures are growing in popularity.

At some point or another we've all had the daunting task of cleaning up the horrible silicone seal on a shower tray, where the glass meets the tray. It gets horribly dirty very quickly, especially if you have a large family and children - sometimes mouldy too - and tends to deteriorate over time, thus spoiling the clean-cut look of a stylish bathroom.

It is now possible to get silicone sealants that are guaranteed mould free for a number of years but this doesn't solve the full problem of silicone as it is possible for shower tray to flex in use it can cause the silicone seal to break, resulting in the enclosure leaking.

When considering the conundrum of how to handle this age-old problem, it became clear to that the only way to handle the problem of silicone seals would be to do away with them completely, which is how the idea of a silicone-free shower enclosure was developed.

As with many things in life, the solution was actually quite straight forward. By using simple physics to control the flow of the water and direct it away from the joints of the tray, these new enclosures have no need for a seal between screen and tray.

Put quite simply, the specially designed deflectors divert sprayed water back into the tray while any escaping water is diverted back into the bowl from a channel on the outer flange. The water deflectors are fully removable for easy cleaning, and the enclosures are designed to be easy to install.

Although the idea was simple, the development process took months to perfect, in fact many of the new trays and enclosures are so perfect they even come with a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defect. These silicone free systems are expected to take the market by storm and are now available on many enclosures and walk-in screens.

Although eradicating silicone for good was the primary goal of this development these trays and screens have been designed with ease of installation in mind. To minimise potential errors and speed up the fitting process they come with a five-step installation plan that is quick, simple and provides 100 per cent water tight results every time.

Offering adjustability for out-of-true walls, each enclosure is designed to make fitting a breeze, with clever features such as slot-in wall profiles, easy fit tie bars and pre-fitted seals. In fact, armed with just a screwdriver and a steady hand most competent Diy-er should be able to fit an enclosure quickly and efficiently with minimal effort.

To make the entire process completely pain free, a tray has been developed individually adjustable feet. By moving the tray's feet right to the very perimeter of the tray (instead of their usual location tucked two to three inches inwards), their rigidity has been transformed. For extra stability a timber chassis has been added around the underside of the tray, which acts as additional reinforcement.

Finally, 'click-on/click-off' panel fixings have been developed to enable the tray to be slotted into position easily and, perhaps more importantly, removed easily should there ever be a problem.

Despite being one of the most functional rooms in the house, the modern bathroom is often the most stylish and luxurious, a sanctuary for unwinding and today, like the kitchen, a showpiece for the house. To compete in today's market, a shower can no longer be just the white box on the wall it once was, but needs to be a showpiece itself, with fixtures and fittings that are stylish, contemporary and have feminine appeal.

For the installer, reliability, ease of installation and price are the key influencers when
purchasing a shower, making the electric shower a good all-rounder, a factor that has undoubtedly contributed to it becoming (based on manufacturers' selling prices) a 110 million pound sterling industry.