There are several things to think about when purchasing a new bathroom shower faucet for your home. For instance, a relatively straightforward choice between one-handle and two-handle shower designs, or more complex decisions like whether you want a regular valve, thermostatic valve, or pressure-balanced valve faucet. These decisions will be important in determining which shower faucet will have the honor of making it home. This year’s NKBA Kitchen and Bath Industry Show had some great modern shower styles ranging in price from $450 to $2950. Many in the showcased shower fixture arena made use of cascading water rain fall shower heads, glass waterfall shower heads, wall mount and ceiling mount rain fall systems, and a variety of wall jet systems.

What’s the difference between one-handle and two-handle designs?

The most popular design for bathroom shower faucets tends to be the one-handle design. The main benefit of this design is the simplicity, as users need only a single handle to adjust the volume and temperature quickly to a comfortable level. This is an excellent option for any bathroom, but especially that of an elderly person or child, as it is easiest to use.

If going for a more traditional style in your bathroom, try the two-handle shower design. This option gives the bathroom a distinct elegance and is generally more common among typical shower fixtures.

What should I choose, a regular shower valve or a thermostatic shower valve?

The most affordable choice for a shower valve is the regular valve; they are also the most common. The main downfall to the regular shower valve, however, is that they don’t regulate the temperature or pressure of the water. This means that if someone flushes an adjacent toilet your shower could receive an unwanted burst of cold water. To avoid this situation there are pressure balanced valves, that most states now require, which prevent instant changes in water from hot to cold or cold to hot.

Thermostatic valves measure and regulate the temperature of your shower water, keeping it constant once you are fixed on a setting. They also allow you to change the volume and the temperature separately for a versatile shower. Shower valves can also be customized to meet your personal needs as well with additional benefits such as a handheld shower or body sprays.

When deciding which type of shower faucet will work well for your home, keep in mind the styling of your current bathroom. If you already have a two handle faucet it will be cost effective to replace it with another two handle faucet. If you are redecorating and want a faucet with the simplest use, consider purchasing the one handle faucet. Also, remember to look into regular, pressure balanced, and thermostatic valves that work best in your bathroom.