One of the sad facts of life is that every shower has a shelf life and once that expires, there can sometimes be little you can do to extend it.
Of course, at The Shower Doctor we're all in favour of doing everything you can to try to save money by repairing a faulty unit, but unfortunately there will always come the time when there is little else to do but consign it to the scrap heap and start again.
Luckily, showers tend to last for a reasonably long time before such action needs to be taken, so much so that if you find that yours does need replacing, it will have been years - maybe even a decade or more - since you were last in the market for a new one.
As a result, finding a modern shower that suits your needs and will give you equally good value as your last unit can be a challenging task. If it really has been a while since you needed to buy one, it's feasible that all sorts of modern technological advancements have been made while you were 'out of the game'.
One such example is the digital shower. While the first of this type of shower was launched by Aqualisa in 2001, even this early model has moved on in its own right and has been developed to the point that it is much different now compared with how it started out 13 years ago.
So, is a digital shower the way to go? Here's what you need to know.
What is a digital shower?
When you hear the word digital, flashing lights and shiny LED screens may spring to mind. However, while this can be the case for modern digital showers, it doesn't necessarily have to be.
A digital shower is controlled by a remote control via a small processor box. The box is connected to the shower via a slim data cable. The remote control can be stored anywhere (within reason) for the user's convenience and replaces the traditional shower bar or dial you would normally twist to get the right temperature for your water.
This job now falls on the processor box, which thermostatically blends the hot and cold flows to achieve the satisfactory level of warmth.
What are the advantages of a digital shower?
One of the main advantages - especially when you are replacing your old unit - is that digital showers are fairly simple to install, with Aqualisa stating they are "one of the very best options" for this scenario.
As well as being easy to fit, they are also straightforward to use. No longer will you spend valuable minutes fiddling with the temperature gauge, flitting between 'too warm' and 'too cold'.
Furthermore, there are countless options available when it comes to design and features. Using the Aqualisa example again, you can choose from a range of benefits including one touch push buttons to activate your unit and LED displays that let you know when your shower has reached the desired temperature.
What are the downsides?
Needless to say, this variation of shower isn't for everyone. There are some people who despair at the fact we now rely on technology to do everything little thing for us and if you fall under this bracket, then the digital shower option probably isn't for you.
Another possible disadvantage centres around the argument that is often heard when talking about modern cars - the more features they have, the more there is to go wrong. However, with guarantees, warranties and The Shower Doctor's own Shower and Pump Repairs service, this may not be as much of an issue as you think.
Most importantly, you need to choose a shower that you're happy with, as whether it's digital or not, chances are you'll be with it for a while - so make sure it's one you actually like!