The hot summer months in Indiana can sometimes feel unbearable. Many people don’t have the room or the budget to install a swimming pool, but an outdoor shower is a great alternative. The advantages over a pool are obvious. In particular, outdoor showers can be used flexibly, have low water consumption, are easy to care for and, in comparison, relatively inexpensive. Plus, many outdoor showers look fantastic with a Mediterranean or rustic look.
As a matter of fact, an outdoor shower is an inexpensive and space-saving way to stay cool in the summer. Certainly hanging the garden hose in a tree with the shower connection attached does the trick. But there are some other ways to get a modern and sophisticated variant of the outdoor shower.
Mobile Outdoor Showers
Mobile outdoor showers can be set up and dismantled quickly and easily anywhere in the yard. In additional, they’re easy to assemble and connect directly into the garden hose. Plus, it takes care of dirty feet before they enter your home. When the mobile outdoor shower isn’t in use, stow it away to save space.
Permanently Installed Garden Showers
Those who prefer a permanent and higher quality version have their outdoor shower permanently installed. This variant is connected to your pipes, and the water temperature is regulated via a fitting or a thermostat. There is a large selection of different models and materials. Consequently, many options are available. You select from simple or sophisticated, in brass, stainless steel, wood, or aluminum.
Solar Powered Outdoor Shower
Those who prefer shower water with a pleasant temperature instead of the refreshing flow of cold water from the garden hose should choose a solar shower for the open-air area. Solar showers are available in both mobile and permanently installable form. On sunny days, the water in the storage tank heats up within a few hours and is tempered by adding cold water—an ideal solution for gardens without a hot water connection or for use as a camping shower.
But even with simple outdoor showers, you don’t have to do without warm water. The trick is to get a long dark-colored garden hose spread out on the lawn in the blazing sun. Consequently, the water quickly reaches warm to hot temperatures. As a result you have a wonderfully warm and refreshing shower.
Design an Outdoor Shower Room
For extra comfort with a wellness factor, build a walled or wood-paneled outdoor shower with a rainforest feeling in the garden instead of a simple shower. In general, such outdoor showers are particularly suitable in combination with a sauna or pool but can also be used on their own if there isn’t enough space. Depending on the size of the outdoor shower, you may have to secure a building permit. Furthermore, plan and implement larger wellness showers utilizing house connections with the help of an expert at Fite Plumbing.
Runoff and Seepage
Good drainage is essential for all types of outdoor showers. If the shower water also benefits your plants, an adequate drainage shaft is recommended. With this in mind, avoid using soap or shampoo when showering in the garden, so as not to unnecessarily pollute the groundwater.
A fully equipped outdoor shower with cold and warm water for extensive showering must be connected to the sewage pipe. For this purpose, new supply and discharge lines may have to be laid. Another key point is that a built-in siphon protects against unpleasant odors.
If this sounds like too much DIY for your comfort, call the professionals at Fite Plumbing today at 317-271-5400 to discuss your outdoor shower options.
Are you on Facebook? We are, too. Let’s be friends!
