Choose Right Shower Head

Q: I decided to change my shower head. I have heard that there are rain-type shower heads and performance-type heads. What is the difference, and what do you recommend? - Cindy, Idaho

A: Just as the name says, a rain shower head will simulate a raining action with a delicate flow of water, just like a garden watering can. The secret to this type of shower head it that it uses gravity to pull the water out of the head.

It usually is an oversize 8-inch, hollow chamber shower head with many large holes on the face of the head.

Water fills the big head, and, in turn, the water in the chamber will lose most of its pressure and gently tumble down over the showerer.

Rain-style shower heads are designed to be installed on the ceiling so they can rain down. Many people have put rain shower heads on a wall-mounted shower arm, and they do not enjoy the true rain sensation. True rain heads also tend to dribble a bit when installed on a wall.

On the flip side, a performance shower head uses water pressure pushed through a smaller jetlike chamber with tiny holes to create a strong spray of water for the user.

A performance head works great on a wall-mounted shower arm because the pressure pushes the water out and away from the wall, not necessarily directly onto the user.

My advice is this: For a ceiling-mounted shower, use a rain-type head, and for a wall-mounted shower, use a performance head. Remember to always follow the manufacturer's recommendations for any shower head you choose.

Q: I'm a young plumber, and I have a customer whose kitchen sink drain gets stopped up whenever it rains. The house is an older one and uses a cesspool in the backyard. No other drain in the house is slow; it's just the kitchen sink.

Why does this happen only when it rains, and why only the kitchen sink? - John, New Jersey

A: We might be able to solve this problem because you included the information that you're dealing with an older home that has a cesspool.

Years ago, many homes that used cesspools also had a separate cistern or gravel pit installed in the backyard to deal with heavy- use items such as kitchen sinks or washing machines. This stopped excessive water from draining into the cesspool.

These days, though, most codes will not allow such underground drain pits and young plumbers such as yourself might not even know they are there.

When the drain pit fails and can no longer absorb the water, you will get a backup, especially when it rains.

I'm not saying that this is your problem, and you might need to get some help with this job, but first trace the kitchen sink drain line and see where it goes. You might have to repipe the drain into the house system as per your local codes.

ED DEL GRANDE, A MASTER PLUMBER AND CONTRACTOR, IS THE HOST OF TV SHOWS HGTVPRO. SEND CONSTRUCTION AND PLUMBING QUESTIONS TO EDDELGRANDE@HGTVPRO.COM, OR VISIT HGTVPRO.COM OR EDDELGRANDE.COM.

(c) 2007 Augusta Chronicle, The. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.