Tips For a Long-Lasting Instant Shower Head

Want to stop your heating element from burning out? Discover the top reasons for failure and our expert tips for maintaining a long-lasting instant shower head or under-sink heater.

1. ‘Air lock’ – Mostly after the shower/ element is newly installed or after the main tank empties completely and then refills.

• After first-time installation of an instant shower/ element, it’s COMPULSORY to run the water first before turning on the power switch. Thereafter, you can start with either as long as you’re sure there has been no water outage.
• If your building experiences water outages or you suspect air may be trapped in the plumbing system, it’s recommended to always run the water first before switching on the power.

2. Temperature adjustment when the shower is running and the power switch is on.

• If you need to adjust the water temperature, first turn off the water.
• Also avoid frequent temperature adjustments.

3. Setting the temperature to very hot puts more strain on the heating element.

• It also consumes more power, hence high power bills.
• Consider setting a low or medium water temperature.

4. Clogged shower pores.

• Blockage of the shower pores causes a reduction in water flow which leads to over-heating. This eventually causes the element to blow.
• Ensure you clean your shower head if you notice some pores are clogged.

5. Very hard/ salty water.

• This takes some time, depending on how hard/ salty the water is.
• The best instant showers for very hard/ salty water use a more durable COIL rather than a regular spring-type heating element. These tend to be a bit pricey but they most durable solution for very hard/ salty water.

6. Dry heating when using lift-up shower valves with a tap below.

• Another cause of element failure can occur with lift-up style shower valves that include a tap below the valve.
• If the lower tap is opened while the shower’s electrical switch is still on, the water trapped between the tap and the shower head can drain out. This leaves an air cavity inside the heater.
• The next time the valve is switched back to the shower position, the unit may heat without sufficient water flow, causing dry heating and potentially burning the element.
• To prevent this, always turn off the shower’s electrical switch before using the tap below the valve.
• When switching back to the instant shower, first run the water with the shower power still off to ensure the unit is fully filled with water before turning it on.

7. Using the faucet/ tap below the shower valve while the shower is running.

• This may introduce air into the piping system, potentially causing the element to burn.
• Avoid using the tap when the instant shower is on.

8. Opening the instant shower’s electrical components area.

• This not only voids the warranty but is very dangerous.
• In addition, it may cause permanent damage to the instant shower head.
• Avoid opening the instant shower’s electrical components area.

---

In the unfortunate event that your instant shower’s element blows, you can buy a replacement element rather than discarding the whole shower head.