How long can you expect your shower to last? Generally, the manufacturers will give a warranty based on expected life span.
The longer the warranty period the better the quality of the shower – Big tip here! Not the warranty on the seals. The warranty on the acrylic wall liner and shower door frames & glass – read the fine print. Don’t be fooled, cheap and cheerful are not words associated to showers, it can lead to costly bills, trying to rectify cheap and cheerful down the track! Especially sourcing replacement parts.
Modern showers have a range of compromises to allow them to fit into a specific design environment. The trays and wall lining are usually acrylic, the frames are powder-coated alloy, the screws are stainless, there are various plastic parts within the shower frame and then there’s the silicone and glue. All these various parts of the shower have major quality differences.
For example, low quality acrylic wall lining will become brittle and crack within the first few years, the powder-coating of the frame can blister, crack and peel and rusted out stainless screws, to name a few. Some plastics can’t handle the UV light in NZ or the chemicals in cleaners etc. There are a few things at the building stage that cause early failure too.
So, back to the main question – How long will a shower last? A good quality shower should last anywhere between 5 – 10 years without any major attention. Once your shower needs any repairs, that’s when the quality of your shower will be put to the test. Most of the quality brands will be able to be completely removed, cleaned up and then be reinstalled for another 5 – 10 years.
What good quality shower brands do we recommend? (in alphabetical order): Athena Atlantis Bathco Clearlite Englefield Symphony Showers
There a number of Plumbing Merchants throughout NZ that have display showers, from the list above, that you can go in and touch and feel. Purchasing a shower from a reputable Plumbing Merchant gives you the assurance of products they endorse & warrant, meaning if they stock it, they’ll back it.
