All about shower barrels

With the onset of warm days, trips to the country become regular for most people. It is necessary to put the land in order, plant vegetables, fertilize the garden after hibernation and do many other summer cottage affairs. And after a hard exhausting day, you really want to wash off the accumulated dust and dirt. An indispensable helper in this matter is a summer shower. Despite the fact that an uncomplicated design is not difficult to install, many people have problems with it. The primary reason for this is the incorrectly selected barrel.

Most of the average summer cottages are not equipped with utilities. The only thing that can be done is an irrigation system. However, it turns on very rarely. The idea of ​​creating your own well is outrageous, since it involves a large cash investment. A lot of such "but" leads to the fact that the owners of summer cottages have to use various alternative methods of obtaining water resources. In simple terms, water has to be dragged from a well in buckets or taken from a spring.

At the end of spring, you can somehow do without a shower, simply by washing your hands and feet with water diluted with boiling water. But in the summer heat, without the opportunity to rinse, a person feels complete discomfort. Barrels installed at a height of 2-3 m have become an excellent solution to this problem. They are equipped with a shower head and a tap, which are analogs of domestic civilization.

Barrels used as summer shower tanks have several important properties.

• Water resistance. The main material of the product does not absorb and does not allow water to pass through.
• Tightness. The design of the tank is tight and does not allow even minimal leaks.
• Mechanical strength. The thick walls of the container easily trap the liquid inside.
• Volumetricness. The maximum amount of water that can be placed in the container is 300 liters.
• Convenient form. The bottom of the container is straight, due to which the product stands firmly on the partition, being at a height of more than 2 m.
• Environmental friendliness. The material used for the summer shower is extremely safe, it does not emit toxins and does not cause allergic reactions.

The main materials for shower barrels are metal and plastic. Metal, in turn, means structural, galvanized iron and stainless steel. Of the 3 options presented, stainless steel is ideal. This material is distinguished by its strength, durability, even in spite of the fact that in the manufacture of barrels, thin sheets with a maximum thickness of 2 mm are used. The special quality of the stainless steel lies in the special treatment that prevents the occurrence of rust. Accordingly, such a metal is not destroyed. The only exception is for joining seams. The disadvantage of stainless steel barrels is only in the high cost.

Galvanized barrels cannot boast the same wide range of positive characteristics as stainless steel products. The zinc layer of the iron base is destroyed after a while due to the occurrence of rust. Of course, this can be avoided by painting the inside of the barrels. However, it is impossible to guarantee that after additional processing the product will last more than 1 year.

Barrels made of structural steel have the lowest characteristics. They rust very quickly and require annual painting. Multiple iron oxidants end up in the water and, if they come into contact with the skin, can cause itching, burning, and even an allergic reaction. Yes, structural steel barrels are cheap. But they will serve their owners no more than 2-3 years.

Plastic containers are considered the best option for arranging a summer shower. They do not react chemically with water. And the only thing that can ruin plastic structures is a strong hammer blow and sudden climatic changes. In simple words, polymer compounds do not withstand 30-degree frosts. That is why it is recommended to put plastic barrels in a room with an acceptable heat temperature for the winter.

In the manufacture of plastic barrels, manufacturers use polyethylene as the main material. Thanks to him, containers can easily tolerate ultraviolet light, are durable and environmentally friendly. In such barrels, water does not bloom, even if the liquid is inside for a long time. In addition to polyethylene, manufacturers use polymer fabrics in the manufacture of plastic barrels. The finished polymer structures are very much like a pillow inflated when filled with water.

Do not forget that modern manufacturers, keeping up with the times, still pay attention to the old days. Primary barrels for storing water, where they also took a bath, were made of wood. The inside of them was covered with resin, which was a protective film between the liquid and the wooden base. Similar barrels for arranging a summer shower still exist today, but their cost is very high.

Today, there are different types of barrels designed for arranging a summer shower. Metal models, in principle, differ only in shape. But plastic products can also be of different colors. On sale you can find blue and black barrels. According to many summer residents, black attracts ultraviolet light, respectively, the water in the container heats up much faster. Blue barrels are mainly used as a base for heated showers. Although the owners of such designs assure that even in blue containers, the water heats up from the sun for a short period of time.

The barrel designs on sale have a wide variety of performance variations. The classic assumes the absence of any additional elements, except for the sealed cover. And modern samples of barrels are equipped with a watering can and a tap built into the frame of the product. These barrels are somewhat more expensive than the classic models. However, if you think about it, it makes sense to spend a large amount, if you can install a tap and a shower head with your own hands in a place convenient for use.

Modern models of shower barrels are divided into heated and non-heated designs. In products with heating, the main element is the heating element, thanks to which a person can at any time heat water to the required temperature in a short period of time. In this case, it must be borne in mind that the container should be located near the power supply. You will also need to install a temperature sensor and a thermostat. The disadvantages of the design of heated barrels are the need for constant monitoring of the water level in the tank and the proximity of the shower cabin to the outlet.Some models are equipped with an electric pump that supplies water. In principle, it is convenient, but with frequent outages of water supply, this function is not necessary.

For these reasons, most people opt for unheated barrels. They do not need to control the amount of water. It is enough to draw a barrel under the neck and wait until the liquid warms up in bright sunlight. If it is necessary to keep the water temperature for some time, it is enough to use a transparent protection.

The smallest barrel size for a summer shower is 50 liters. This is enough for one person only for water procedures. When it comes to taking a shower for several family members, you need to count on 50 liters for each person. Accordingly, for a family of 2 people, the volume of the barrel should be 100 liters, and for 4 people - 200 liters. Stocky summer residents should consider the maximum allowable barrel volume - 300 liters.

Today, many companies are engaged in the production of barrels for a summer shower, which is why many people do not immediately understand which company to pay attention to. Accordingly, without understanding the names of manufacturers, the consumer is more concerned with budget models of containers. But even in this environment, the budgetary budget is different. An inexpensive barrel from an unknown manufacturer that has not proven itself on the market will become unusable in a few months (or a year later). A budget product of a well-known plant that makes barrels can serve faithfully for at least 10 years.

For example, a company LLC "Comcenter Strategy"... It has established itself as a reliable manufacturer with ten years of experience, offering consumers a wide selection of high quality shower containers in a wide variety of materials.

On the same level with the company in terms of the quality of the goods produced LLC "Komtsentr Strategy" is the manufacturer "Elite-Teplo"... For more than 10 years of history, the company has managed to win the title of the best manufacturer of heating and sewerage equipment.

No less popular in the Russian Federation is the company Sterkh LLC... It is the largest manufacturer of plastic barrels for the transportation and storage of various liquids and bulk mixtures.

The residents of the CIS countries are greatly respected by company GC "Rotoplast"... For more than fifteen years of experience, the company has managed to create a wide range of polyethylene and metal containers intended for use both in production and at home.

No less popular is plant "Eco-Prom"... In fact, this manufacturer occupies a leading position in the Russian market in the manufacture of water tanks.

When choosing a container for arranging a summer shower, many summer cottage owners get confused. Some advise buying a metal barrel, as it heats up much faster. But if you think about it, metal products require special care, while their cost is not always affordable.

Others recommend purchasing polypropylene containers. This is good advice, because in many respects such products outperform steel options. The polymers used in polypropylene structures are food grade. Accordingly, you can even drink water from them.

If, nevertheless, preference is given to a metal container, you should pay attention to stainless steel products. This is a great option for an outdoor shower. The only thing is that when using metal structures, it will not be possible to change the location of the shower on the territory of the summer cottage, since massive products are installed on a stationary basis.

In this case, plastic barrels are distinguished by their mobility. First, they are not heavy. Secondly, they can be rearranged from place to place without worrying that at some point the walls of the product will burst. So, for example, throughout the year the shower stall is located in the garden area, and before the next summer cottage it moves closer to the garden. The most important thing is that the hose reaches the barrel through which the liquid is filled.

Regardless of the selected type of construction and material of the barrel, containers for a summer shower must be placed on the surface of the shower stall. It is desirable that thick metal rods be installed as a base, on which the main emphasis will go.

An equally important requirement for the placement of the water tank is to equip the structure with a watering can and a tap. In classic barrels, it is required to embed the water supply elements on their own from the side convenient for operation. And specially prepared barrels already have the necessary elements for fluid supply. The product itself remains only to be placed upstairs as part of the ceiling of the shower stall.

After installing the barrel, you must familiarize yourself with the rules for its operation. First of all, it is proposed to consider the nuances of using unheated barrels:

• in the morning, water is collected inside the container;
• before 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the barrel should not be touched and refilled with liquid;
• in the evening, the water in the container is warmed up to a comfortable temperature - you can start taking a shower.

Well, now we propose to get acquainted with the instructions for using heated barrels:

• a container is installed on the surface of the shower cabin;
• the barrel is fixed from different sides;
• through the fitting, the container is filled;
• the required water temperature is set on the thermostat;
• the heating element is connected to the mains;
• after heating, it is necessary to disconnect the heating element from the power supply;
• you can start taking a shower.

When using heated containers, there are several prohibitions that should be paid special attention to:

• do not clean equipment with chemical compounds;
• you cannot connect the heating element if the barrel is practically empty;
• with the arrival of cold weather, the barrel and the heater must be removed before spring;
• Before connecting the heater after wintering, it is necessary to check the integrity of the wiring.