Young and old, tall and short, if people have to struggle to reach your shower valve then it can spell slippery (and dangerous) mishaps in the shower.
Luckily, if you get it right from the get-go, you will never have to worry about it again.
This article is here to guide you through the process of fitting a shower valve, one step at a time.
On top of that, we will also fill you in on the correct heights for other shower fittings as well. This will help you to fit your shower with confidence.
What Is The Correct Shower Valve Height?
To know the correct shower valve height for your bathroom, you must first consider whether your shower is set within your bathtub or its own shower stall.
This changes a lot, as your shower fixture heights will be set differently depending on whether they are in a bathtub or stall.
Shower Valve Set in Bathtub
If your home shower is within a bathtub, you will want to fit your shower valve at a height of two feet and four inches (You might want to Pick The Right Curtain For Your Shower).
This measurement should be taken from the floor of your bathtub, and not the floor of the room that it is in.
This measurement is a lot lower than if your shower was in its own stall. The reason is that the valve is also tasked with connecting the bath tap and the shower.
Another consideration is that when you take your relaxing end-of-day bath (that you have oh-so earnt), you don’t want to be struggling to reach the valve, you want it to be easy.
Also, while you are already dreaming of your bath tonight, remember to factor in its tub spout height as well.
The tub spout needs to measure four inches higher than the tub’s top edge. What this will do is create a two-inch gap over your bathtub’s overflow rim.
Shower Valve Set in a Shower Stall
If your shower stands proud and alone in its own shower stall, you will be pleased to know that it is a whole lot easier.
The standard height for a shower valve in a stall should be measured at four feet exactly.
At four feet, your kids should be able to comfortably reach it, while the taller members of the family shouldn’t have too hard of a time either.
Of course, if you are raising an army of giants, this is what we would consider special circumstances, but for most families of average height, four feet is the money number.
Installing An Adjustable Height Shower Valve
If you think you and your family would benefit from an adjustable height shower valve, we have included some methods of doing this too.
An Adjustable shower valve is great for anyone who wants their shower valve to do all of the work.
Instead of having to physically handle the shower head, you will be able to slide it up and down to ensure you give everybody part of the body the same thorough clean.
Screw height adjustment: One of the easiest methods of fitting an adjustable shower valve is to just screw it straight onto the position where your old non-adjustable shower valve is. Of course, you will have to make sure there is enough space for the adjusting mechanism to function, but this could be a stress-free result.
Nail height adjustment: If that isn’t going to work, it is officially time to get the grinder out. If you are able to, try to grind down your current valve, and replace it with an adjustable valve that has the correct screws. You will need to swap out the plate of your old valve for an adjustable plate that is tailored to your shower’s shower head.
Self-adjusting mechanism: Self-adjusting shower valves are great because they do away with the need of adjusting your shower valve and showerhead separately from each other. They do this through a mechanism that allows the shower valve to slide up and down in line with the showerhead.
Manually operated mechanism: As the name suggests, a manually operated mechanism shower valve will require you to do some light lifting. With a specialist mechanical inverter tool, you will have to raise and lower the valve to the height that you desire.
Commercial adjustable valves: Offering the ability to install your adjustable valve straight onto the wall, commercial adjustable valves have got a lot going for them. This technique overrides your existing shower valve setup for an assured finish.
One thing to consider if you have fallen head-over-heels for the adjustable style of shower valve is that their setup is a lot more involved than non-adjustable.
For this reason, we would suggest getting a professional plumber in to do the job. That is unless you are a savvy DIY expert yourself.
What Is the Standard Shower Tap Height?
Another measurement to consider if you are fitting the entire shower yourself is the shower tap height.
As a general rule of thumb, standard shower taps typically measure twenty inches from the shower pan.
This may seem low, but you will be pleased to know that they are routinely the shortest shower fixture of them all.
What Is the Standard Showerhead Height?
Another measurement that you will need to consider when fitting a shower is the showerhead’s height.
You will want your shower head fitted 72 inches above the shower pan at an absolute minimum. Of course, by all means, fit it at a higher position if you are a particularly tall family.
Something to consider if you don’t fancy a wall-mounted showerhead is a rainfall showerhead instead.
Rainfall showerheads are fitted to the roof of the shower, allowing even the tallest of humans to shower in a considered manner.
What Is the Standard Shower Grab Bar Height?
Shower grab bars should be fitted between 42 inches and 36 inches.
This is considered the ideal height for people with disabilities to safely and assuredly feel supported by them.
Moving away from heights for just a second, shower grab bars work best when they are angled.
Try to angle your shower grab bar between 45 and 30 degrees to make them the most effective tools that they can be.
Conclusion
So there you have it. You are now all the wiser on shower valves and the standard heights.
With a little prior knowledge and know-how, there is no reason why even the most novice DIYers can’t fit their own shower fittings to their shower.
Of course, if you have your eyes on a commercial adjustable shower valve, this may be a little out of reach for some of you.
But, for anyone who is looking to fit a standard shower valve, the bathroom roof is the limit.
We hope very much that this article has given you a little confidence boost to think that you can do it too.
There is no prouder feeling than stepping back to admire your handy work in your own home. Knowing that it has saved you some pennies is a bonus.
With cleaning trends and DIYs becoming more popular online every day, I feel like I am in my element. Hi, my name is Adrienne Carrie Hubbard and I have been finding creative hacks and tricks for cleaning for over 15 years now.
I enjoy looking for tips on how to clean the overall home, with a special interest in the bathroom. It’s the most difficult room to clean, after all! Yet the most important.
I run a Facebook group called Cottagecore DIY and Decor with over 18,000 members called Cottagecore DIY and Decor. We were even nominated for a Facebook Community Award in 2021!
![7 Pebble Shower Floor Pros, Cons [River Rock Problems]](https://lockdownloo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/7-Pebble-Shower-Floor-Pros-Cons-River-Rock-Problems-150x150.jpg "7 Pebble Shower Floor Pros, Cons [River Rock Problems]")
