How to choose the right container for a shower at a country

15-04-2018
Water supply

In the spring-summer season, many owners of country houses almost every weekend come to their own summer cottages, and some city dwellers spend their entire summer vacation there. One of the prerequisites for a comfortable long stay in the country, is the possibility of daily adoption of water procedures, which is especially relevant in the hot season.

Not all suburban areas are equipped with centralized water supply and sewage systems, and, accordingly, not every summer house has a bathroom or a bath. For this reason, the most appropriate option can be considered as a separate summer shower, which is easy to install in the country with your own hands, using inexpensive and affordable materials.

Summer shower with a frame made of steel tube, and a flat plastic tank.

A brief overview of the storage tanks for the summer shower

When arranging the supporting frame and side fencing walls, you can use almost any building materials, from rolled metal and wooden bars of the desired cross section to moisture resistant plywood, painted or galvanized sheet, or cellular polycarbonate, and for self-production, step-by-step instructions can be used which can be found on this site.

However, regardless of the material and technology of the shower cabin, the most important and crucial node, which will mainly depend on the efficiency of the entire device, is the water storage tank for the dacha shower, therefore, later in the article the main technical points will be considered. pay attention when choosing and buying.

Scheme homemade plastic barrel with electric water.

Criteria for choosing a storage capacity

In order for a homemade summer shower in the country to work without a hitch for a long time, and to fully meet the needs of a small family, when choosing a storage tank for water, it is necessary to identify the most important conditions and technical characteristics with which it should correspond.

  1. First of all, you need to pay attention to the material manufacturing., since the tank will be constantly in contact with water, it must be made of corrosion-resistant materials. For this reason, it is best to use plastic containers for the shower, as well as tanks made of galvanized or stainless steel.
  2. Also of no small importance is its weight., since together with water, it will create a significant load on the supporting frame.
  3. Another important parameter is its shape., because a round or flat plastic water tank for a shower, has the greatest rigidity, and besides, it warms up more evenly in the sun.
  4. The color of the outer surface also affects the rate of water heating.. As is known, black color most intensively absorbs thermal energy of the sun's rays, therefore it is best to choose a container made of dark material, or, in extreme cases, to paint it outside with matt black weatherproof enamel.
  5. Based on the calculation of the average water consumption rate of 50-70 liters per person, the volume of the water tank per 200 liters will be enough to meet the needs of a family of 3-4 people.
The photo shows a plastic water tank of industrial production, with electric heated water.

Tip! As an ideal option, you can consider a rectangular or square, flat plastic tank with a heated shower for the country, which will allow you to comfortably take water treatments, even in cool cloudy weather.

Features of the use of metal tanks

Until recently, the storage tanks made of metal were considered the most durable, durable and reliable. Most often, industrial ferrous metal barrels, various stainless steel tanks, large-capacity aluminum cans, and other metal containers are used for these purposes.

This option has its positive and negative sides, and in order to get an objective view, the main advantages and disadvantages of metal tanks will be described below.

  1. Metal has sufficient strength, so with proper care, a metal container under the shower can last more than a dozen years, but due to the high rigidity and low elasticity of this material, the water remaining in the tank can break it when it gets cold.
  2. Ferrous metal is highly susceptible to corrosion, and under the influence of moisture can be completely destroyed in 2-3 years, therefore, products from it need additional anticorrosion protection.
The design of the two steel barrels, painted black.
  1. Food-grade stainless steel is the most suitable material, because it has high strength, and is absolutely not afraid of corrosion, but the main disadvantage is its high price, as well as the need to paint, because it has a bright glossy surface that absorbs solar heat poorly.
  2. Aluminum is lightweight, durable and corrosion-resistant material, but it has a high thermal conductivity, so the water in the aluminum tank will quickly heat up, and just as quickly cool down after sunset. In addition, he, like stainless steel, needs additional painting, since its surface has a light gray metallic tint.
Self-made stainless steel tank.

Tip! The most effective anti-corrosion protection for ferrous metal is to apply a thin layer of zinc on its surface, therefore, when choosing a metal tank for a shower, you should give preference to products made of galvanized or stainless steel.

Plastic water tanks

In recent years, on the shelves of construction and hardware stores, you can find a variety of plastic containers for the shower, which have a flat rectangular or square shape, and are specially adapted for installation on the upper part of the shower.

They have gained wide popularity among many owners of country plots, due to the following operational qualities:

  1. Sufficient rigidity and elasticity of the material, as well as absolute resistance to water and ultraviolet radiation, allow them to be used without any additional protection for several decades.
  2. The simplicity of installation and a small own weight make it possible to assemble the design of the shower stall with your own hands, without any outside help.
  3. Flat square shape contributes to the rapid and uniform heating of water throughout the daylight hours, and also allows the use of such a tank, as a regular floor of the shower booth.
  4. The low cost and large range of products allow you to choose the most suitable container for your garden shower, depending on specific conditions and personal preferences.
Portable elastic water tank.

Conclusion

In addition to rigid tanks for the dacha shower made of polyethylene, there are also flat containers made of thick reinforced PVC canvas that can be used for mobile or portable summer showers.

The main distinctive feature of this design is that when folded, it is a soft hermetic cushion, equipped with filling and drain holes, and after filling with water, turns into a durable elastic tank of a certain volume.

To learn more about this product, it is recommended to watch the video in this article or read other similar materials on our website.