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Recommendations for a decent online plumbing supplies site?
What I'm after, specifically, is a site that's good for just browsing.
Our new dog gets incredibly mucky while out walking so I'm thinking of setting up some kind of "doggy shower" in the back yard which would, basically, comprise a mixer tap which connects to a detachable hose with a sprinkler head on it.
I'm just at the "thinking about it" stage at the moment so it'd be handy if there was a good website I could browse for inspiration and to see if you can actually buy the parts I'd probably need.
Thing is, I can think of 3 potential places I can get water from:-
1) Chopping the pipes to the kitchen sink, installing t-pieces, running new lengths of pipe to another mixer tap to feed the shower.
2) Getting some kind of threaded t-pieces that'd allow me to tie into the feeds to the dishwasher and then running hoses or pipes to a new mixer tap.
3) we've got a downstairs shower that's got one of those set-ups where the shower hose is connected to the taps. If a suitable adaptor could be found, I could just unscrew the shower hose and connect another hose running through the window, out into the back yard.
#3 might seem like a bit of a palava but, TBH, we can't leave any hose permanently in place cos it'll get nicked (every garden hose I've ever left outside has been nicked sooner or later) so that's not a big deal and it'd mean I could set the temperature using the shower taps rather than having to buy a new mixer tap as well.
Also, although I'm okay with doing plumbing, I'd rather avoid it whenever possible so the idea of just unscrewing the shower hose and attaching a hose running through the window, into the yard, appeals to me greatly.
Course, if anybody can suggest a decent website, I might find the parts I need to sort all this out in a more elegant, but simple manner.
Suggestions please.
Our new dog gets incredibly mucky while out walking so I'm thinking of setting up some kind of "doggy shower" in the back yard which would, basically, comprise a mixer tap which connects to a detachable hose with a sprinkler head on it.
I'm just at the "thinking about it" stage at the moment so it'd be handy if there was a good website I could browse for inspiration and to see if you can actually buy the parts I'd probably need.
Thing is, I can think of 3 potential places I can get water from:-
1) Chopping the pipes to the kitchen sink, installing t-pieces, running new lengths of pipe to another mixer tap to feed the shower.
2) Getting some kind of threaded t-pieces that'd allow me to tie into the feeds to the dishwasher and then running hoses or pipes to a new mixer tap.
3) we've got a downstairs shower that's got one of those set-ups where the shower hose is connected to the taps. If a suitable adaptor could be found, I could just unscrew the shower hose and connect another hose running through the window, out into the back yard.
#3 might seem like a bit of a palava but, TBH, we can't leave any hose permanently in place cos it'll get nicked (every garden hose I've ever left outside has been nicked sooner or later) so that's not a big deal and it'd mean I could set the temperature using the shower taps rather than having to buy a new mixer tap as well.
Also, although I'm okay with doing plumbing, I'd rather avoid it whenever possible so the idea of just unscrewing the shower hose and attaching a hose running through the window, into the yard, appeals to me greatly.
Course, if anybody can suggest a decent website, I might find the parts I need to sort all this out in a more elegant, but simple manner.
Suggestions please.
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http://www.screwfix.com/c/heating-plumbing/plumbing/cat831494
Just convert the downstairs shower to a full wet room.
Friends of mine did exactly that. After the morning run with the dog - he and the dog shared the shower. The dog was well trained from a pup to shower with my mate, then outside for a good shake, then lie down by the AGA.
Simplest way of doing this from your selection, if pressure is ok is to join two shower hoses together using this.
Of course being outside you have no control over the hot/cold water mix, the dog will soon let you know.
The above will be cheaper in brass finish, all plumbing shops should have one or two.
Si, I can not emphasize this enough, while the solution is simple enough it is imperative you fit a check valve in the hose run for safety/health reasons.
Either using a double check valve and PTFE or a Shower Head Check Valve, better still both but definitely a check valve of one type.
Your other preferences will work just fine but double check valve on each of the hot and cold pipes.
I'd love to do that (been wishing I could do it for years) but the main waste pipe for the ground-floor water is above ground level and then, cos it's a cheap-ass ex-council house, it's partially concreted into the floor so I'd have to lower it to allow a wet room to drain.
I suppose I could fit some kind of electric drainage pump but they've got them next door and you can forever hear them going "thunka thunka thunka thunka...." for about an hour after (presumably) somebody has a shower and I'm not keen on that.
And, besides, that'd mean doing electrical stuff and that, by itself, turns it into a pretty big job.
Yep,
Part of my reason for preferring option #3 is that I could have the hose-end in the shower room, set the temperature and then the water could be shut off using the trigger on the hose-end before I poke it through the window and hook it to a bracket on the wall outside and give the dog a shower.
It is a bit of a faff but running 2 pipes through the wall and having to buy some kind of outdoor mixer tap (presuming such things actually exist) and bolt it to the wall is a pretty big job, just for the sake of being able to give the dog a wash once a week.
As I said, I can't leave the hose in place permanently because it'll get nicked so having to poke a hose through a window isn't really any more effort than I'd have to go to even if I do install a proper outdoor tap.
What's the reason for check-valves being so important?
Presumably, to stop stuff crawling up the outdoor pipes or something?
Mainly to stop back suction of water that has been or potentially contaminated to the outside including dirty water re-entering mains water via the shower hose, via the mixer.
Even outside garden taps must have them.
All your options are workable, shower hoses seems the least fussy but water pressure maybe your enemy re length of hose.
Me, ages and ages ago I set up outside a 10kw Triton or some such and that's how we wash our dogs when required.
We have a wet room but even I have gone under the outside when covered in soot.
We buy most of our stuff from toolstation, free next day delivery when you spend £10 and they have branches throughout the country.
Also Screwfix, they also have branches throughout the country.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hozelock-Ltd-4140A0000-Porta-Shower/dp/B001ULCILM/ref=pd_cp_auto_3