FAQ - Listed Questions and Answers for Steam Showers & Cabins
Our showers come with a Six Year Warranty, what does this mean?
We are a supply company and we do not operate a fitting service for any
of our units. If a fault develops with your unit within the first 30
days of your plumber installing the unit, and it is not the fault of the
person who installed it, we will cover any reasonable cost (upon
receipt of an Installation Completion Certificate) for your plumber to
go back to your home and rectify the problem. If any other fault occurs
past the 30 days, we operate a fabulous warranty system where we will
send any required replacement parts to you on a next day delivery
service (where possible), completely free of charge for a period of 6
year from the date of purchase. (Please retain your original invoice
number to validate this and your Installation Completion Certificate).
What is the delivery time for our units?
Most of our FontanaShower® Products are kept in stock right here in our
Illinois Warehouse. We aim to deliver within 48 hours direct to your
door with a palletized truck distribution company. If we do not have the
unit you wish to purchase in stock or if you require a special order to
be placed for you, the unit may take up to approximately 4 to 6 weeks
to arrive at your door and you will be kept informed of your expected
delivery time throughout this period as we receive updates from our
transport company.
Why should I buy from FontanaShower®? I have seen similar units cheaper elsewhere
FontanaShower® is a famous company that has been operating
successfully for the past 20 years. In this time, we have grown and
grown and now have a huge, dedicated staff working for us so that we can provide the customer, with the highest level of
customer service and after sales support. We have a stunningly good
reputation for our outstanding customer service and are held in high
regard by a vast number of satisfied clients. We supply to
a number of large retail and trade outlets, so we have a solid
financial standing and will most certainly not be disappearing like some
‘fly by night’ companies that operate similar companies on a ‘part time
basis’.
Why should I buy from FontanaShower®? I have seen similar units cheaper elsewhere.
We would not
sell a product to you that we are not confident in and could rest our
own reputation on. If you buy
FontanaShower® you will receive a high spec,
well manufactured unit, at a fair price due to the level of stock we
bring in, it is as simple as that. After all, you get what you pay for!
So why buy
FontanaShower®? It's simple, you can speak to ANY one of our team
members, ask ANY question, research our feedback and genuine
testimonials, and then you
will see why
FontanaShower® is the very best choice, time after time after
time.
How does my delivery arrive?
Your delivery (such as whirlpool baths, steam shower cabins, shower
cubicles and some other larger parts) will be delivered on a pallet. It
is important that you check and inform us of any weight restrictions
that might mean a large truck (over 7.5 tons) cannot get onto your
property. This also includes, long driveways. If you fail to mention any
delivery restrictions and the delivery cannot be made, there will be a
re-delivery charge.
The delivery driver is only able to take the delivery to your doorstep (or as close as he can get to that point).
Smaller items and parts are sent via UPS or FedEx.
Where does the water and electricity connect at the back of the shower?
Water is connected to the shower at the diverter. The diverter is
positioned approximately four feet off the floor (this can vary a little
depending on model type). The unit comes supplied with hoses of
approximately 3 feet in length for both hot and cold water supplies. The
13a power supply is typically from under the base and has a cable
approximately five feet in length.
What Pressure is required to operate your steam units?
The shower requires between 1 and 3 bar of pressure at the unit to
operate. For optimum results 2-3 bar is highly recommended. Please note
that AquaPat Steam Cabins require a flow rate of at least 2 gallons per
minute. The water supply to the unit must also be balanced.
Will a Gravity Fed Hot Water System work the unit?
No, Gravity fed hot water is not at sufficient pressure. These units
operate between 1 and 3 bar of pressure. We at AquaPat recommend a Twin
Impeller Pump to be used so that the hot and cold water are sent to the
system at the same pressure. To achieve the best results from your
shower we would suggest you get a pump capable of between 2-3.
I have a Combi Boiler, will this be ok?
Yes, most Combi Boilers will output 1- 3 bar of the required pressure,
but because you will be typically using mains pressure cold water, you
MUST have a Pressure Equalizing Valve (PEV) fitted. This ensures that
water pressures are always balanced.
I am using a Pump to increase my water pressure, is that ok?
Yes, however you may find that the pump starts and stops when in
operation and the flow; especially from the back jets, is not
acceptable, if this is the case then you need to remove the non-return
valves (NRV’s) These are located in the diverter assembly. Follow the
hoses that are the Hot and Cold water feeds into the unit, where they
join into the divertor, unfasten them and then look into the divertor,
there you will see the NRV, they are typically black or white in color
and held in with a clip.
Regarding the glass in FontanaShower® Shower cabins...
All of our FontanaShower® are fitted with safety glass. Safety glass
has enhanced thermal resistance, and breaks into small cuboid fragments
rather than irregular shards of glass and therefore is less likely to
cause injury.
Safety glass is often called "tempered glass" or toughened glass, and
has a greater level of resilience to impact than regular glass under
normal use, however it may be easily damaged and/or shattered if it
comes into contact with hard surfaces such as tiled floors et cetera.
Often the glass will suffer a chip on the edge, weakening it, but may
just result in the glass shattering immediately.
Please Note: Even the cuboid glass pieces may still cause
personal injury. When handling the glass,
FontanaShower® recommends that you
always wear protective gloves, and goggles, and also rest the panels on
wood, rubber or several layers of cardboard rather than directly on hard
surfaces. When fitting, please take care when hanging the doors, and
fitting the cams (wheels).
During everyday use, always treat and handle glass with extreme care,
as sharp knocks, slamming of the doors, et cetera can cause the doors
to shatter or chip. If a chip forms it may weaken the glass and make it
likely to shatter more easily.
My Plumber has never fitted one of these before, what assistance can he have?
All of our fabulous FontanaShower® units come with a set of our own
instructions, and of course our FAQ sheet. We have a technical support
helpline with highly trained staff available to guide you or your
plumber through each step of the installation, should the above not be
sufficient.
How does the electrical portion work and what is required?
The Steam units require a 13 amp isolated fused spur. If the socket is
located in the bathroom or a standard 13 amp house socket if you are
running the flex out of the bathroom into another room. The Whirlpool
Combi Units require 2 sockets as above. The sockets must have their own
separate RCD to isolate the unit if required, but the flex supplied with
the unit has an inline trip defense system integrated within it also.
The power is converted within the unit to operate the lighting and
radio, et cetera to a safe 12 volts.
Your FontanaShower® have an Extractor/Circulation Fan, why is this and what is required in my bathroom?
The fan helps to circulate the steam and assist in the removal of the
steam after your have used the functions. We would recommend that the
doors of the shower are closed after steam use and the O3 is activated
for its full 10 minute cycle, then once finished, open the doors and
allow the cabins to FULLY DRY, this will minimize the build-up of dirt.
My water pressures are good but I have very little water coming out of the shower?
Occasionally the washer fitted into the braided hoses can slip to one
side and obscure the hole through which the water is meant to travel.
Check the hoses/connections, especially those connected to the divertor
block; these have built in mesh filters inside.
How do I clean my shower?
FontanaShower® steam showers have a fitted Ozonizer. When this Ozonizer is
running all other ancillaries will cease to operate such as the radio et
cetera. On some models the o3 (ozone) is automatically activated after
the steam process is completed (others have an option button to select
the mode). The o3 function makes a low whining sound when active. Ozone
kills bacteria and germs and helps minimize their build up. Once the
ozone process has completed (with the doors closed), you should open the
cabin doors and allow the shower to FULLY dry.
Cleaning of the acrylic and glass can be done using a NON-ABRASIVE
cleaning product suitable for acrylic and glass use. GREAT CARE SHOULD
BE TAKEN when using products that are possibly damaging to the chromed
parts. We would recommend that a mild detergent is used on the chrome
with a soft cloth and then buffed up with a soft dry cloth to dry and
polish. Use of certain reactive products and metal cleaning products
should be completely avoided. If your chromed work tarnishes, or comes
away this is typical of hard cleaning solutions.
Applying a suitable bead of sealant on the inside joints when
building the cabin will minimize such areas of build up. Cleaning the
cabin or whirlpool is best done with a solution recommended for acrylic
surfaces and glass cleaner on glass surfaces (non abrasive, non acidic,
et cetera). If your unit has a Whirlpool, then it is recommended that
you clean the whirlpool system frequently using a suitable solution.
There are 3 chrome knobs on the control panel, what do they all do?
All of our FontanaShower® units come with 3 different control knobs located on
the control panel to operate the ‘water’ functions in the unit. The top
control is a divertor valve, turning this will divert the water to the
various functions in the shower such as the foot massage unit, the hydro
massage jets, or the monsoon shower head and the personal hand-held
shower and on the whirlpool bath units, there is a 5th setting which
fills the bathtub. (Please note; the unit divertor only operates one
function at a time.) The middle control knob operates the pressure of
the water, and the lower control knob is the thermostatically controlled
valve which has a safety switch that stops it at a certain temperature.
If the knob is depressed, the unit can be set higher if required.
Please use with care.
Do the units come with all of the necessary piping?
Yes, all of our magnificent FontanaShower® units have all of the piping
included. They have a flexible waste pipe located underneath the tub
which must have an ‘inline trap’ fitted to it by your plumber, and he
must also use a ‘McAlpine ST28M’ reducing connector to connect it to
your current household waste pipe. The pipes to supply the various
ancillaries on the unit are all connected to the back of the 3 way valve
in the central control panel and not to the tub. These should all be
labelled as to which ancillary they should be connected to such as the
foot massage, hand-held shower, steam generator, et cetera, and are all
supplied with necessary 15mm connectors with washers.
My Divertor valve is labelled incorrectly, when I turn it to the diagram on the plate, it operates a different function?
This is not a very common issue, but is easily resolved. Unfortunately,
the pipes on the divertor valve can infrequently get mixed up at our
manufacturing location. To resolve this issue, just swap the pipes at
the valve end of the connection which are secured with a standard 15 mm
connection and this will solve the problem.
How do I wire in the LED lights, as I have three sets and only 1 connector?
The LED lights are all very low voltage. The shower has 2 lighting
circuits, one for the ceiling lights, and one for the low voltage LED
side lights. The wires simply twine together and go into the same
connector, and it is as simple as that!
Can I use Aromatherapy oils and bars that I have heard of with the steam function?
Yes, of course you can! The steam outlet has a cap fitted to it. Simply
remove this and you will find a gauze style plate for the bar/oils to
sit into to give the steam any fragrance that you wish. Oils should be
used by soaking a sponge to infuse the steam, as the liquid on its own
will pass through the pod.
I cannot get the glass side panels to fit into the curved frame; the glass seems to be too tall?
At FontanaShower® this is a common question that we hear via phone call. The
glass panel is factory cut, so it will always fit, it’s just that it is a
tight fit on purpose to seal the unit. To fit the glass side panels,
simply loosen the screws at the top and the bottom of the vertical
framework that hold it to the curved front rails, and this will give you
the freedom to fit the glass into the vertical upright, then once you
have done this, tighten up the screws to nip the curved rail back into
position.
The doors are too short and I cannot get the runners into position?
This is also a common question that we hear. We have found that the
doors are easier to fit if you only put the top cam runners on first at
their lowest position and then hang them in place, then place the bottom
cams in the runners on the bottom curved rail, and slide the door over
and connect the cam runner bolts on once you have the holes in the doors
lined up with them. If they still aren’t close enough, check that the
shower is level, as the frame could be twisted if it isn’t. Also check
that the grey end caps on the two central vertical uprights are fitted
correctly as they will force the curved rail upwards if not.
The Grey end caps for the central uprights are a very tight fit, what can I do to help fit them?
Place the end caps in boiling water to soften them. These are quite
fragile and can be bent very easily, so we always suggest taking care
when fitting these to prevent any stress marks occurring in the plastic
which will affect the look of your shower when finished.
My Whirlpool has just stopped working! What do I do?
(Chrome whirlpool start button model only)
Move the cabin away from the corner and look behind/under in the
location of the chrome switch that you press to start the whirlpool. You
should see a clear tube connected to the underside of the button and
this should also be connected into the top of the whirlpool pump.
Occasionally, due to the pressurized air passing down the tube it may
come away from either end. We suggest you clean the inside of the tube
with a cotton bud and spirit based cleaning solution and also the nipple
where the tube attaches - this removes any grease and ensures it stays
in place more securely. If the tube looks stretched at the end and does
not secure well, you can cut a very small amount off (5-8mm), but ensure
the tube will still reach. Once cleaned, reattach the tube and push the
cabin back into position.
I cannot get the vertical uprights on the curved rail to fit now that I have built up the framework?
From inside the cabin, you will see there are curved sealing strips
screwed to the center of the curved rail. Remove these, and you will be
able to fit the uprights in at an angle, and then slide them into place
to meet the fixed side glass panels.
There are a number of loose seals in the box, what are they all for?
The seals that are 1 inch wide with a lip running down one edge of them
and holes located along its length are to be used between the central
control panel and the back panels. The U shaped seals with gripping
edges are to be used on the long sides of the fixed glass panels. (The
thicker seals are to go on the side that meets the aluminum frame
upright, and the thinner seal to be used for the side of the glass that
meets the central uprights.) We suggest using washing up liquid on these
to help slide the glass panel into position in the aluminium upright.
The hard plastic seals are to be fitted to the trailing edge of the
doors to create a seal from the door to the fixed glass panel when
closed, and the magnetic strips are used to seal the doors when closed.
(Check that these are on the right way round so that they join together
instead of repelling each other). .
Where do I seal the unit once it has been built?
We at AquaPat recommend sealing with a bead of clear silicone where the
central control panel meets the back boards, and where the back boards
meet the tub, but to leave the drainage channel clear for any moisture
build up on the outside of the tub. It may also be necessary to put a
bead of clear sealant along the top and bottom edges of glass panels
where they seat into the frame. Finally, run a bead on the outside of
the aluminium curved rail where it meets the tub, once again, leaving
the drain chutes clear.
I can only get cold water from my shower, even when I turn the temperature up to full?
It is imperative that the pressure between hot and cold feeds going to
the thermostat on the unit are balanced, if they are not, it will cause
the thermostat to malfunction, check that there are no kinks in any of
the pipework due to the way the unit is packaged, and if all of this is
fine, call our technical support helpline to arrange a replacement
thermostat to be sent to you.
What is the difference between the Regular and Deluxe models?
The regular model and the deluxe model (for example 8004-A and 8004-A)
differ in that the control panel on the deluxe model is back lit and has
a touch screen.
The units that FontanaShower® sells all seem to have many great features, but are they all included in the price?
Yes, there are no hidden extras or accessories needed. All you need to
do is provide cables to the connectors on the unit for the power, water,
waste and TV if fitted.
Please Note: Most of our FontanaShower® steam
showers are supplied with a telephone answer facility - but you will need to arrange your own phone
connection.
Will the tub support my weight?
The tub/bases in all of our FontanaShower® units are all supported by a steel
frame, this means that unlike some other products on the market they
will not bend and give when you stand in them.tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
Using Sky and Amplified aerials
Aerial outputs from Sky and Amplified/Booster boxes can cause problems
with the TV of the steam shower cabins. This is due to the fact that the
signal sent is often accompanied by a voltage of about 5 volts which
interferes with the 12v that the steam shower uses. We therefore
recommend using only a standard unamplified rooftop aerial.
Access and Weight
You are required to ensure the purchased FontanaShower® product dimensions allow for ease of passage to the intended installation area.
Regarding weight tolerances of the installation area, it is advisable
to contact a builder or refer to a Building regulations expert to
ensure the product placement area has sufficient joist/floor support.
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