Signs It's Time to Replace Your Shower

You probably think of your shower as an infinite font of hygiene and hydration, but it ages just as quickly as the rest of your home. Washers dry out, cartridges fail, and grouting falls prey to mildew. Your shower’s plumbing is equally prone to wear and tear, so a decade after your installation, your water pressure and low-flow features are probably a little sluggish.

Long before your shower head begins to clog, your shower doors’ smooth operation will get lost in an alternate dimension with all your missing socks. Chipped glass, sticky sliders, and cracks will annihilate your bathroom’s glistening good looks, so it might be time for a new shower.

Choosing between a refinish and a replacement

The typical shower offers a lifespan of 10 to 15 years. Before you hit that deadline, a simple refinish or reglaze will do the trick. As you reach Year 15, though, breakages will become more frequent.

Repairs are only financially intelligent in your shower’s younger years. If you’re facing several repairs and the rest of your fixtures are nearing the end of their lifespan, a full shower replacement will be cheaper than several seemingly-minor replacements. You’ll know it’s time to invest in that gleaming rainfall shower you’ve been dreaming of if:

Mold buildup appears

Moisture and steam are two of your shower’s worst enemies. Mold requires just a day to reproduce, so even the most fastidious cleaning routine can fail. Once tiny, lightweight spores become airborne, your entire shower can become a burgeoning mold colony. Like any infestation, that’s difficult to get in hand without a drastic solution.

Mildew and mold’s effects on your health can be devastating, so it’s best to request a thorough assessment once you spot signs of growth. If black mold has penetrated porous surfaces like grouting and insulation, treating the infestation will be expensive, so it’s best to weigh the costs of regrouting and mold removal against those of a complete shower replacement.

Your shower has developed cold water spurts

If your glorious morning shower keeps getting interrupted by ice-cold assaults, don’t be too quick to blame your water heater. Ailing shower valves struggle to maintain a continuous flow of hot water, particularly if your infernal son keeps turning on the hot water in the kitchen while you wash.

If you’re experiencing water pressure problems simultaneously, the odds are fair that you need new pressure-balancing valves. These magical wonders of technology keep your plumbing system’s water flow steady, preventing pressure drops. While you’re replacing them, it’s a good idea to install an emergency and reset thermostat.

Your water pressure leaves much to be desired

Shower components lose efficacy as they age, so reductions in water pressure are a sure sign that your plumbing needs to be reassessed. Water pressure woes are often caused by dislodged showerheads and loosened components. If you notice sputtering, a shower replacement will resolve the problem.

Your water bills are murdering your budget

Showers from the Eighties use an average of 5.5 gallons of water a minute (GPM). Those manufactured after ‘92 use a mere 2.5 GPM, saving you $260 a year. Today’s WaterSense products can beat those low numbers, using a maximum of 2 GPM.

That means you can expect a new shower to use 2, 700 gallons less water annually. Water-efficient technologies improve on that number every single year, so if your existing shower doesn’t carry the WaterSense logo, an upgrade will save you more than it costs you.

Your fixtures aren’t meeting your needs

Your lived experience is in constant flux. Disabilities emerge, priorities change, and budgets grow, so the shower you installed back in 2004 might not fit your needs any longer. New, innovative fixtures and shower designs can improve disability access, enhance your bathroom luxury, and assist with injuries and pain.

Touch screen access is a marvel of technology for arthritic hands. Reverse showers enhance your experience while soothing away the anxieties of the day. Multi-head showers can ease away chronic pain.

There’s a shower design for every need, and not all requirements need to be practical. A little luxury can enhance your quality of life, so if you’ve just received a raise, it might be time to invest in a shower that comes straight off the pages of Houzz magazine.

An innovative new shower design will do more than just improve your bathroom experience. It’ll boost your home’s resale value and produce an average return on investment of 62%.

If you’re trying to become more ecologically aware, a replacement will even contribute to your conservation efforts. Don’t settle for a second-rate shower experience, particularly if it’s costing you a fortune in utility bills.

Need help with a shower replacement? Schedule a free estimate with 1-800-HANSONS here.