STyler
Member
I'm building a house for my daughter & son-in-law and a large walk-in shower with no door was the most important feature requested by my daughter. I'm not convinced that a door-less shower will stay warm, so I designed it so a door could be easily added if needed. Also trying to talk them out of the body sprays entirely - or at least limit it to 1 bank of 3 instead of two. Ceiling height is 9'.
The house is dried in and the plumbers are scheduled to start in the next couple weeks. The master shower is on the 2nd floor and the water heater is in the attic about a 25' pipe run from the primary valve. Incoming water is expected to be set at around 70-75 psi, but the vertical run from the basement water tank to the water heater is about 33 feet.
Water heater is a Bradford White GX-1-55S6BN - 55 gal high performance atmospheric gas water heater with quick recovery. Planning a temp of 157F with a 130F output temp from the mixing valve. Body sprays can be restricted to only 1.5 - 1.6 gpm models if necessary. My design goal is to be able to run any 2 functions indefinitely or any 3 functions for 30 minutes.
I couldn't find any new construction plumbers that use Uponor (even if I gave them the tools), so it will be a crimped PEX system.
This is my current plan:
Here are my many questions - but feel free to critique ANY aspect of the design. It's early enough to change just about anything.
1) Is a single 3/4" hot water feed branch enough for master bath group (soaking tub, dual vanities, both shower valves) then Tee off a 3/4" for the large shower valve, or should I have them run a dedicated 3/4" line for the 3/4" shower valve?
2) Should I up-size the water heater output pipe to 1" PEX until after the master shower branches have been supplied?
3) Should the cold pipe from the tank in the basement to the water heater be up-sized to 1" PEX?
4) Is a 2" shower drain large enough and would you center it in the 5' x 7' portion of the shower?
5) Will a 1/2" diverter significantly restrict the flow from the 3/4" volume control to the 2 banks of body sprays?
6) Would you run 3/4" PEX for all the shower plumbing - even those running between 1/2" valves/fixtures?
7) Is 24" from wall the ideal location for a ceiling mounted rain shower head?
8) Is there a problem having the 2 banks of body sprays at different distances from their target?
Bonus Questions:
A) How far would you drop down the 10" - 12" Rain shower head from the 9' ceiling?
B) Where would you locate grab bars, and how many?
C) Do you see a problem with towels staying dry if they are hung in the 3' x 3' alcove portion of the shower?
D) Are there any questions that I should be asking, but didn't?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
The house is dried in and the plumbers are scheduled to start in the next couple weeks. The master shower is on the 2nd floor and the water heater is in the attic about a 25' pipe run from the primary valve. Incoming water is expected to be set at around 70-75 psi, but the vertical run from the basement water tank to the water heater is about 33 feet.
Water heater is a Bradford White GX-1-55S6BN - 55 gal high performance atmospheric gas water heater with quick recovery. Planning a temp of 157F with a 130F output temp from the mixing valve. Body sprays can be restricted to only 1.5 - 1.6 gpm models if necessary. My design goal is to be able to run any 2 functions indefinitely or any 3 functions for 30 minutes.
I couldn't find any new construction plumbers that use Uponor (even if I gave them the tools), so it will be a crimped PEX system.
This is my current plan:
Here are my many questions - but feel free to critique ANY aspect of the design. It's early enough to change just about anything.
1) Is a single 3/4" hot water feed branch enough for master bath group (soaking tub, dual vanities, both shower valves) then Tee off a 3/4" for the large shower valve, or should I have them run a dedicated 3/4" line for the 3/4" shower valve?
2) Should I up-size the water heater output pipe to 1" PEX until after the master shower branches have been supplied?
3) Should the cold pipe from the tank in the basement to the water heater be up-sized to 1" PEX?
4) Is a 2" shower drain large enough and would you center it in the 5' x 7' portion of the shower?
5) Will a 1/2" diverter significantly restrict the flow from the 3/4" volume control to the 2 banks of body sprays?
6) Would you run 3/4" PEX for all the shower plumbing - even those running between 1/2" valves/fixtures?
7) Is 24" from wall the ideal location for a ceiling mounted rain shower head?
8) Is there a problem having the 2 banks of body sprays at different distances from their target?
Bonus Questions:
A) How far would you drop down the 10" - 12" Rain shower head from the 9' ceiling?
B) Where would you locate grab bars, and how many?
C) Do you see a problem with towels staying dry if they are hung in the 3' x 3' alcove portion of the shower?
D) Are there any questions that I should be asking, but didn't?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
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