Dan Martin, Installer Channel Marketing at Mira Showers, looks at the bar shower valves and how user and installer feedback has made them even more beneficial to housebuilders and developers.
We want our customers to have the very best experience with our products, not just during use but during the installation too, which is why we continually strive to invest in and develop our ranges.
Whilst we’re always looking at new and innovative approaches to showering technology, that doesn’t mean we don’t exercise the same diligence in our core products, including bar valve mixer showers.
As a market leader in the showering industry, we still recognise that bar valves are an essential product, as they have many benefits for consumers, installers and specifiers. They can be easily installed and replaced thanks to the standard 150mm centre, and are widely specified and available which saves both the installer and customer time and money.
But what makes our Bar valves better than others?
Making it easy
From our renowned Mira Coda Pro to some of the latest additions, including the Relate EV and Relate ERD, all Mira bar valves operate on any plumbing system. They feature Magni-flo technology, which gives up to three times more flow, even when fitted to low pressure, gravity fed hot water systems. They also come with a five-year guarantee.
It’s also important to mention that bathrooms now need to provide for and take into account the variety of ages within the household, due to the fact that multi-generational homes are on the rise, and therefore more safety elements are required when it comes to using a shower. To assist with this lifestyle shift, all the mixer showers feature our innovative CoolShield technology. Thanks to this technology, the valve stays cool throughout operation and removes the risk of vulnerable users touching the hot surface of the valve.
We’ll be honest, there will always be cheaper alternatives available on the market, but these don’t benefit from the innovation, quality and assurance that comes with buying a Mira Showers product.
Taking feedback on board
We like to think that we don’t rest on our laurels and we take pride in the way we listen to and, where possible, implement feedback to further improve the design and function of every shower we produce.
We also know how important it is to listen, not just to customers but installers and housebuilders – they’re the ones that have to make the choice of what products to install and they know the importance to homeowners of good quality bathroom fixtures.
Whether through the Mira Installer Club, via our customer service call centre, or face-to-face at trade events, it’s vital that we have these channels and opportunities so we can understand the challenges that can present themselves, and how we can make changes to benefit all concerned.
For instance, we want to ensure our bar valves are both reliable and easy to fit, which is why fast-fix kits now come as standard with all Mira bar valves. We’ve removed the Z-connectors that installers told us they hated, and have introduced all-brass compression fast fix kits instead.
What does that mean for builders?
Housebuilders tell us that these fast-fix kits present a key benefit as all the water connections are on the ‘wet’ side, which means there is no potential for leakage into the wall cavity. There will also be no sign of PTFE or jointing compound which can be unsightly, or in the case of jointing compound, easily block filters and cause unnecessary hassle.
Our bar valves also come with the handles separate to the valve, which means there’s no longer any need to dismantle the valve to set the maximum temperature. So having commissioned the maximum temperature, the knobs can be clipped into place and forgotten about, without the fear of dismantling and potentially damaging a new product.
There’s also the added peace of mind for the customer thanks to easy-clean fittings and spray plates, including rub-clean nozzles. These give the customer the opportunity to make sure these can be easily cleaned to prevent blockages, which in turn, ensures the customer has the best showering experience possible.
We’re also extremely proud of maintaining our place as a UK manufacturer still assembling and manufacturing these products in our state of the art production facility at our Cheltenham HQ.
We at PHPD hope that you are coping well with the current circumstances. We understand that COVID-19 has had a huge effect on construction businesses, bringing delays and financial repercussions to owners and workers alike.
We’ve heard from the politicians and now we want to hear from you.
Tell us how this pandemic has affected you and your business and we will share your story. Email us at phpd@hamerville.co.uk or tweet us at @phpdonline
