It is a common practice that the showerhead and valve are installed on the same wall. But It’s possible that you’re wondering, “can shower heads and valves on different walls?”
Yes, as long as the controls are easily accessible from the doorway, a showerhead and valve can be located on different walls. If the valve is on the opposite side, it’s also advised to ensure the water can properly flow to the showerhead.
Read on to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of having a shower head and valve on different walls and suggestions if you are considering this setup.
Can Shower Head And Valve On Different Walls?
Yes, it is possible to install a showerhead and the valve on different walls without any issues. But you must consider factors like usability, safety, and effectiveness.
Practicality and protection are two things that are most important when it comes to the access of controls of the water flow in the bath. The showerers’ controls are typically placed close to the showerhead. However, this is not essential.
You can place the showerhead and valve on the bath’s opposing walls if the plumbing is in place and working. It all depends on the type of pipework in your shower and how it is built. Sometimes placing them on separate walls is more practical.
Pros and Cons of Shower Controls on Different Wall
Before committing to any particular setup, it is essential to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages. This will help you to understand if you want to proceed with that specific setup or not.
Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of having shower controls on the opposite wall.
Pros
- No initial soaking is involved.
You can switch on the shower and regulate the heat without getting wet, which is a significant advantage of having your shower set up in this style. This is useful for organizing a bathroom for a young child or another person.
- Style Attraction
You can create a trendy impression by positioning your controls on the opposite end of your showerhead, which some people find highly appealing. This distinct appearance can differentiate you from others compared to a standard shower arrangement.
- Inexpensive
It could surprise you to learn that placing your controls opposite your shower just costs a small amount of money. In addition to labor, the additional piping needed to connect your showerhead to the opposite wall will cost money in materials.
- Simple to set up
Surprisingly, this setup form is easy to set up because all you have to do is prolong your piping in the opposite way. The holes in your wall that need to be cut for the new location of your shower settings will be the most challenging component of the project.
Cons
- Many back-and-forths
We often have to change the temperature of the water in the shower. You’ll have to walk back and forth between your controls and showerhead. This problem will be amplified if you have a huge walk-in shower.
- Period of Adjustment
If you’ve always had the controls for your shower under the showerhead, it will take some time to get used to the new location. Before adjusting to your new arrangement, you may reach for missing controls.
- Could cause problems with other pipework
One big problem is that your setup may not work well with other pipework in the house. For instance, a downstairs bathroom may only have plumbing on one side for the simple reason that the other wall contains plumbing that runs upstairs.
- More work
Even though it may be easy and cheap to put controls on the other side of your showerhead, it will still require more effort and time if your controls are already beneath your showerhead. Some people might think that the process is not needed.
Additional Tips for Using a Valve and Showerhead on Different Walls
There are some tips that you must keep in mind if you wish to install the shower head and valve on different walls. Our team has gathered all these tips just for you. Have a look at them below.
1. When you turn the valve, water shouldn’t spray on you.
The convenience of use is the primary factor that leads most people to mount their showerheads and valves on the same wall.
You don’t want to get sprayed with water while turning on the tap. There may not be enough time between using the shower and turning the water off to wash the tub. It’s not a big deal, but how a showerhead works often determines where it goes.
2. Don’t use too many fittings
Changing the location of a showerhead can often be as simple as switching out the fittings. But if you do this, you will be unable to have many fittings. Because of the distance, it’s essential to reduce the total number of fittings so that water can flow easily.
If you don’t, you might find that the water doesn’t flow as it should.
This can cause problems with the drains that are harder to fix. You will need to plan for this aspect of the plumbing setup if you put the showerhead and valve on different walls.
3. The location of the shower’s entrance or door
Generally speaking, you should also pay attention to the location of the shower door. If it’s right next to the showerhead, water will get all over the outside and enter the central area. Same thing with valves that are hard to get to from the door.
It is annoying to think that turning on the shower would require going inside. And the inaccessibility of the valve prevents you from allowing the water to heat up.
Even if you try to reach the valve, you will get wet.
To avoid this frustration, the shower valve should always be easy to reach.
FAQ
How Distant Should the Shower Head Be From Valve?
As long as a valve is included in the plumbing, a showerhead can be positioned up to three feet away.
A planned channel must be provided for the water to follow without any chance of obstruction. When it is about optimizing the piping layout, this is crucial.
Water should flow freely if the plumbing is in good condition. In this situation, it’s crucial to cut back on the fittings. It will guarantee that the water flows freely, even if the shower head and valve are on different walls.
Is it possible to install shower plumbing on a wall outside?
In some situations, you can run the plumbing for your shower along an exterior wall. Your location’s climate will determine this. You run the danger of having frozen pipes when winter lows drop to 32 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.
Where should you put a shower valve?
Most shower valves should be placed 38 to 45 inches from the ground. If there is a bathtub in your bathroom, you need to put the valve somewhere around 8 and 18 inches just above the tub spout so that people can sit down.
Conclusion
We hope that ‘can shower head and valve on different walls?’ is not a big question for you anymore.
Having a shower head and valve on different walls is not an issue. But adjust like anything else, this also has advantages and disadvantages. Keep these pieces of information in mind and the suggestions that you got from this article before making any changes to your bath.
Amos Christen graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from Drexel University — Philadelphia, PA. Since 2003, Amos has worked with top interior design professionals in this area, including architects and interior/graphic/lighting designers. As a skilled interior designer, Amos Christen is highly versed in fine arts and crafts and uses that to supplement his main area of expertise. He often publishes articles related to home décor on several websites, including Sprucetoilets.com, Sprucebathroom.com, and Mybesuitedhome.com. He also contributes to leading interior design magazines.