Can You Have Multiple Shower Heads In One Shower?

Have you considered taking the showering experience up a notch? Then the idea of using multiple shower heads may have crossed your mind.

Imagine investing in multiple state-of-the-art showerheads and maximizing the drenching experience. How refreshing! This experience is simply unmatched!

Yes, many homes are adopting this latest feature: multiple showerheads. For sure, multiple shower heads help fasten the showering process.

While a DIY expert can comfortably install multiple showerheads in one shower, we recommend a professionally certified plumber do this for you.

This is because plumbing multiple shower heads in one shower require expertise to ensure that you do not lose pressure when running them.

Therefore, the installment of multiple shower heads is not a simple and easy task.

In this article, we share some of the various ways a plumber can help you install multiple showerheads in your shower for a quick yet elevated wash-up experience.

Multiple Shower Head Ideas

Multiple showerheads provide style, luxury, and added practicality to your bathroom when it comes to showering and even cleaning your shower.

Here are a few multiple shower head ideas that work:

1. Install an Overhead & Handheld Showerhead

The combination of a hand shower head and a fixed shower head installed separately gives you many options.

Easily change from an overhead, relaxing full body spray to the handheld for a targeted therapeutic massaging or invigorating power spray.

More so, the hand-held head makes cleaning your bath or shower enclosure much quicker and easier.

2. Go For a Multi-Function Dual Shower Head

A dual shower head is a simple solution for you to upgrade your existing shower system, without having to go through a full bathroom renovation.

Dual shower head systems offer two shower heads in one unit. For example, a dual shower can include a fixed rain shower head and a standard handheld shower head.

Each shower head’s spray settings are individually controlled.

Dual shower head systems include a diverter valve to control water flow. Therefore, these main types of dual shower head diverter valves:

• Two-way diverter valves divert the water between the two showerheads.

This beautiful and modern shower system is an example that features a luxurious overhead rain shower and a powerful handheld showerhead.

The 2-way water diverter allows the water to flow from either the rain shower or the handheld shower, and not the two showerheads spraying simultaneously.

• Three-way diverter valves allow you to send water to an individual showerhead, or to both showerheads at the same time.

The dual showerhead system below has a 3-way diverter that allows you to let the water flow into both the overhead and the handheld showerhead at the same time, into the overhead rainfall shower only, or into the handheld shower only.

• Four-way diverter valves allow you to send water to showerheads simultaneously, and up to four showerheads.

For instance, the rain showerhead and the handheld can run at the same time.

Alternatively, you can divert the entire flow of water to a single showerhead for a regular shower experience.

NOTE: Usually, the diverter includes a bracket to hold the handheld showerhead.

QUE: Can You Run Two Showerheads On One Valve?

Two showerheads can operate on the same valve or work independently.

Depending on how you’d like to use each shower, choose the right diverter valve for it.

For instance, a two-way diverter valve if you intend to use each showerhead at a time and a three-way diverter valve for simultaneous use.

You May Also Like: 5 Tips for Avoiding a Loss of Water Pressure in Your Shower

3. Multi-Spray and Overhead Shower Systems

Installing multiple sprays and overhead shower systems like the waterfall or rain head shower can turn your bathroom into a spa.

Such a system improves the water flow and thereby gives you a superb showering experience.

It also covers a larger spray area — just choose your body jet and treat yourself to a relaxing massage!

If you struggle to shower those unreachable parts of your body, such a showering system enables you to reach those parts with ease.

It also gives you a multi-point showering experience so that you may start with the most preferred parts of your body first.

To achieve the above showering system, for instance, using the Kohler Collection:

• Install the Statement™Oval 10″ 2.5 gpm rainhead that delivers a powerful, consistent, full overhead spray experience.

• Add the Kohler 26284-G-2MB Statement Oblong Multifuntion 1.75 gpm Handshower that lets you enjoy any of the three spray experiences: full coverage with the Katalyst air-induction technology for large luxurious water drops, a super-fine silky cloud spray experience, and more focused, deep massage kinetic cross-streams.

• Use the Kohler K-9514-2MB MasterShower Shower Hose to connect your handheld showerhead to the shower valve.

• Mount the KOHLER K-98342-CP Awaken Deluxe 24-Inch Slide Bar to the wall to hold your handheld unit in its brackets.

• Install the Kohler 26300-G-2MB Statement Body Sprays that deliver deep massage sprays for the ultimate therapeutic shower experience.

• Use the Kohler 28211-NA Anthem Valves that provide an accurate, precise, and consistent temperature and flow control in your showering system. Ideally, where four shower outlets are required like in this system, offering two different temperature and flow zones. 

• Mount the Kohler 28214-BN Anthem Digital Valves Controls to the wall to control your custom shower unit — the outlets, temperature, and flow– using your fingertips or voice.

A professional plumber should get such a system installed for you so you can enjoy a spa-like experience in your own bathroom.

4. Double Showers

A dual shower head system is the perfect way for two people to take shower together.

This is the perfect design for a couple’s bathroom, and can actually rekindle the romance if a couple uses it to its maximum advantage!

Double shower heads in one bathroom also mean that those living together can save time by jumping into the shower together, by using separate shower heads!

Two shower heads mean that you have added flexibility when showering, and you can tailor your shower experience to suit your needs.

You May Also Like: How to Create the Perfect Bathroom for Couples

Do Multiple Showerheads Use More Water?

Multiple showerheads are an upscale feature now being included in bathroom remodels.

They make showering much faster (even for a couple), make it easier to clean the whole body at once, and inject that luxurious feel into the bathroom.

However, a growing concern is that additional showerheads do not only add extra plumbing costs and expenses to the bathroom remodel, but will also use more water, and, as such, can increase monthly water bills.

When compared to a single showerhead, a dual shower head provides twice the amount of water flow.

According to the EPA, the maximum water flow is only 2.5 gallons per minute. Therefore, the water flow will be doubled if two shower heads with independent water flow are used.

Therefore, multiple showerheads will use more water than a single showerhead.

And using this much water for a daily shower will quickly increase water bills and likely heating or electric bills as well, depending on the type of water heater in the home.

But because every showerhead is producing water in a multiple showerhead system, it’s faster to clean up and hop out of the shower soon enough (although, lifestyle choices will also determine how much time one spends in the shower)

Showerhead options to save water include:

• The pause feature that temporarily pauses water flow to conserve water while you lather, shave, or shampoo. The Awaken™2-in-1 multifunction 1.75 gpm shower combo kit is a great example.

• A water-saving showerhead with the WaterSense label demonstrating that it uses no more than 2.0 gpm. (Read WaterSense Specification for Showerheads, Version 1.1 (PDF) (6 pp, 273K, About PDF)

Here’s what the EPCA says…

According to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), a showerhead is defined simply as “any showerhead (including a handheld showerhead), except a safety shower showerhead and may incorporate “…one or more sprays, nozzles or openings…”

In addition to defining “showerhead,” EPCA established a maximum water use threshold of 2.5 gallons per minute (“gpm”) applicable to “any showerhead.”

Therefore, each nozzle in a shower is considered separate and in compliance if it delivers no more than the 2.5 gpm maximum.

Section 604.4 (Maximum flow and water consumption) of the IPC also limits an individual showerhead flow to 2.5 gpm at 80 psi, as tested by the applicable product standard. This aligns with federal law with respect to the maximum allowable flow from a showerhead.

Therefore, when purchasing your multiple showerhead systems, it is important to ensure they are designed to meet the standard of no more than the 2.5 gpm maximum.

That way, for a ten-minute shower, you will use 25 gallons of water using a standard showerhead.

Conclusion

Yes, you can install multiple showerheads in one shower. Whether you prefer a dual shower, double shower, overhead and multi-spray shower systems, or a simple handheld shower and an overhead one, always get an expert to install them for you.

Some showering systems like the one above by Kohler will also feature digital controls that are even more costly to install and expensive to repair.

An expert will ensure the building code is met and that your bathroom is compliant with the law. This will also ensure you can save water in the bathroom.

Therefore, when considering installing multiple showerheads in one shower during a bathroom remodel, keep in mind all these options since this is one of the best ways to increase the overall value of a home.