Almost every activity we perform in the bathroom every day requires the use of water. Here are some tips on how to protect your bathroom Walls, floors, furniture and accessories from the harmful effects of moisture.
Seal Under The Tiles
Fortunately, there are many materials and solutions available on the market that help effectively protect floors and walls from moisture. Tanking System is a waterproof membrane system designed to protect tiled areas in wet rooms, showers, bathrooms, and kitchen areas. A tanking system will inhibit the passage of moisture from within the tiled area into the substrates such as plaster, tile backer boards, timber, suspended floors, concrete floors and plywood overlays, which are used before laying the tiles. Properly used, it will effectively prevent the penetration of water into the walls.
Seal your Bathing Area
Use a flexible rubber seal that will set a permanent waterproof seal between the item being installed and the installation environment. Since the rubber is flexible, it will maintain a watertight seal whilst allowing for a certain amount of movement that is inevitable, particularly with new builds.
Bathroom Ventilation
Although one broken pipe can cause dramatic damage, the practically unnoticed water vapour deposited on the walls and bathroom furnishing every day can also be destructive. The best protection against it is sufficient ventilation. Due to inefficient gravitational ventilation in buildings, dampness occurs, not only in bathrooms but even in entire apartments and houses! A simple and relatively effective way to improve the efficiency of ventilation is to install forced ventilation – that is, suitable electric extractor fans.
The extractor fan allows drier, fresh air to circulate through the room. Extractor fans can also be used in kitchens and utility rooms to extract pollutants and moisture. They are must-haves in many bathrooms and wet rooms because these are the rooms that tend to create the most moisture in the average home.
N.B. All electrical work must be carried out by a qualified electrician.
Preparing your Home for Heating and Plumbing this Spring
As the days get longer during spring, homeowners should be thinking about how to get the most out of their Heating & Plumbing over the next few months. With rising energy costs impacting everyone across Ireland, deploying a few essential tips to save money could make all the difference to household gas and electricity bills. So, how should you prepare your home for the new season and be ready for next Winter?
Give your Heating System some care and attention
Your heating system has worked hard over the winter months, and, as the days and nights get a little warmer, it’s worth giving it the once-over to make sure it hasn’t struggled or suffered because of the demand.
This includes:
Radiator Checks
Test your radiators to see if they need bleeding and make sure that they are free of sludge, If any of your radiators take ages to heat up or have cold spots at the bottom, the system could need cleaning. Radiators need to be switched off to be bled, so warmer months when you don’t need them to be on all the time is a great time to do this.
Turn Down the Heat
Turning down your heating system to reflect the fact that it is getting warmer.
When it comes to saving energy, it’s a good idea to have as many controls as possible. turning down your boiler thermostat by just 1ºC can save on your annual heating bills.
Boiler Service
Check when your boiler last had a service, If it’s due, book an appointment for a system check-up. Make sure a registered engineer does this service to keep your family safe, this should be done annually.
Leaking or Dripping Water
Check your plumbing – taps, showerheads, toilets, and pipes for any drips or leaks.
It is not uncommon for things to break down over the winter months, Determine whether your plumbing and heating system is working as expected, and if not, get it fixed before it becomes a bigger problem, Pipes can burst in cold temperatures and excessive demand can strain heating system so it is best to keep a close eye all is in working order and save money in the long run.
Even the Little Things Help
Try getting rid of any radiator covers, removing any blockages, and installing some draft excluders around cold doors, If you have old windows, fix the seals with a draught excluder to help cover the gaps.
Also, while your Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs) should automatically shut off at a set temperature, it’s worth checking that they are all set to the desired position. You could also introduce zone control systems, with rooms that are frequently used set to a higher temperature and unused rooms kept to a minimum heat or turned off.
Upgrading the Heating and Plumbing
As it isn’t as cold outside, Spring is a great time to test and improve your heating and plumbing.
This could be by installing new TRVS, smart meters, going for a full heating upgrade or investing in some new taps and showers. Whatever improvements you decide to make, spring is the perfect time to give your bathroom a refresh and say goodbye to winter with a stylish, fresh new look!
Last but not least take advantage of what the Government offers in 2023 and be Winter ready.
The Government is acutely aware of the effect that high energy prices and the cost of living are having on families, businesses and the most vulnerable. In recognition of these ongoing challenges, the Government agreed in February 2023 a new €1.2 billion package of measures to help with the increased cost of living.
This builds on supports introduced in 2023 to lessen the financial impact on families, households and businesses.
Supports available to help those most affected by rising energy costs include:
€600 Electricity Credit available to all Irish households, the final payment of which will be made in March 2023
The Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme will be extended, to 31 May 2023, and enhanced, including by reducing the threshold for qualification from a 50% increase in electricity or gas costs to 30% increase (to apply retrospectively from 1 September last year), and by increasing from 1 March the level of relief from 40% to 50% of eligible costs, subject to a monthly limit which will also be increased from March to €15,000 per month per trade or profession, subject to an overall cap of €45,000 where the business is carried on from more than one location. These changes are subject to state aid approval from the European Commission.
A new grant for businesses using LPG or kerosene
€700 – €8000 grants available for attic and cavity wall insulation depending on the upgrades selected
37,000 home energy upgrades including 6,000 free upgrades under the SEAI Energy Poverty Scheme
€64 estimated savings through the extension of VAT reduction on energy bills, which has now been extended to 31 October 2023.
€89 estimated savings from the PSO Levy Reduction
The information above is correct at the date of publishing.
There is a range of organisations ready to help you stay warm and well.
SEIA or CRU or MABS or ALONE – whichever suits your needs best..
A shower enclosure is a great way of creating extra space in your bathroom, but the question is which type of Shower door should you choose. Here we explain the variety of shower doors available and their suitability for different types of bathrooms.
When planning a make-over for the bathroom, one of the first tasks you need to tackle before the refurbishment is to remove the old tiles from the walls and floor. Removing tiles isn’t as tough a job as you might think and by doing this yourself you can save money on paying a contractor to do it for you.
Featuring a market leading, ultra-slim design to fit into any space, an on-trend circular design, effortless touch controls and heated demister, Rhapsody brings great sounding music to your bathroom with no compromise on aesthetics
With innovative Bluetooth® Wireless Technology, our LED Rhapsody mirror allows you to pair your smart device and play your favourite tunes.
Features
touch controls
heated demister
slim depth
pair your smart device and play your favourite tunes with innovative Bluetooth® Wireless Technology
Tiling your bathroom, Kitchen or any room in your home and you just can’t imagine the finished look? we will be happy to help. Visit the 101 Bathrooms Showroom Tullamore for a wander, with over 100 displays, it’s a world of inspiration.
But how do you calculate the number of tiles that you need so that you do not buy too few or too many? It is simpler than you might think. We can also do this for you, but you do need some basic measurements before you can purchase your tiles.
When estimating the number of tiles, you must consider some aspects. First, the dimensions of the room, but also the dimensions and shape of the tiles, the pattern of their arrangement and whether you are planning to install decorative elements such as Décor Tiles, Borders, or mosaics.
Calculating the area
First things first, to calculate the surface area to be covered with tiles, you must measure (in feet to get square yards required) the width and length of the floor, as well as the width and height of the walls.
If you do not want to lay the tiles up to the ceiling, but only to a certain level, for example, just above the bath or washbasin – only take this height into account.
Then multiply the height or length by the width in feet (separately for the floor and walls) then divide this by 9 it will give you how many square yards you required.
Then add at least 5-10 percent to allow for cutting and waste, the amount of wastage from cutting the tiles depends of the size and shape of the tiles against the size of the room, it also depends of the shape of the room.
The window and door area can be deducted, but if the window is small best to leave in to allow for waste when tiles in around the window.
I would recommend you always make sure you have enough tiles as purchasing additional tiles later may prove to be problematic, or even impossible. The new batches can have a slightly different colour and may not match the previously purchased tiles perfectly. It is not uncommon for manufacturers to terminate the production of a particular collection.
If you intend to introduce decorative features such as border tiles, mosaics or décor tiles, you have to calculate their exact number. In the case of strips, it is simple – if you want them on each wall in the form of a straight line – measure the length of all walls and divide it by the length of a single décor piece. The surface area of decorative elements – Borders or décors can be subtracted from the total surface area of the basic tiles.
Example
4 Walls – 20ft / by Size of border/Décor 2ft = 10 pieces + maybe 2or3 (for cutting)
Please do not worry, once you have the basic measurements of the room, we are here to help with the rest and our website even has a calculator to tell you how many boxes of tiles to buy all you need to do is measure the area you want to cover.
I hope your room is picture-perfect as you imagined. 😉
Tavistock Bathrooms one of the leading Bathrooms Brands have added a new contemporary range of Bathroom Furniture to their extensive Bathroom collections.
Tavistock Cadence furniture brings a new stance to Tavistock, this unique, refreshing design offers you complete flexibility making it ideal for the demands of the modern bathroom.
An effective design, Cadence’s versatile form perfectly captures the minimalist bathroom style.
Adding sophistication to your bathroom, you have the option of wall hung or floor standing. The Cadence offers a selection of 4 colours and a range of 6 sizes, suitable for a cloakroom bathroom right up to the master bathroom, even extending to a double basin option.
Then to add the finishing touches, an extensive collection of handles and knobs gives you plenty of choice to complement the cadence furniture. There is also an option of Isocast or ceramic basins, so you can opt for a classic, polished ceramic basin to add enduring style, or a sleek low profile isocast sink for a more contemporary look.
Create a personalise structure to your unit and declutter your space by adding Cadence solid wood storage boxes to your drawers. Combined with a convenient in-drawer lighting kit, these useful wood storage boxes allow you to keep your bathroom unit organised, with all your bathroom essentials tidy and easily within reach.
Call to our 101 Bathrooms Showrooms in Tullamore for a closer look, we will be happy to help Create your bathroom, in your style.
The Origins of Opoczno date back to 1883, knowing for its combination of classic and modernity across Europe. The Opoczno brand became part of Cersanit SA in 2007.
With intensive development, introduction of new technologies and concepts have made Opoczno one of the leading award-winning manufacturers of Tiles in Europe.
TRUE BEAUTY COMES FROM PASSION.
For many years, Opoczno has inspired the creation of interiors with a unique style, providing tiles with an exceptional wealth of patterns, colours, structures and formats. Each collection is a sophisticated design resulting from the involvement of designers who are passionately looking for ideas in line with the trends and expectations of customers. The subtle combination of tradition and modernity and the use of the latest technologies makes all Opoczno products stand out due to their unique aesthetics and excellent quality.
Here are some of our favourite Tiles from Opoczno and Cersanit available at Tilewise – 101 Bathrooms Tullamore.
Marble has been reigning in interiors for many years. It is appreciated for its characteristic structure, minimalist form and timeless elegance. Lake Stone Opoczno tiles are glazed gres, i.e. mass-colored gres, inspired by marble. Light grey stone not only looks great, but is also extremely functional. It will look perfect in many different spaces: on the terrace, in the living room, in the kitchen and in the bathroom. Smooth, pleasant to the touch surface is another advantage of the Lake Stone series. It allows you to give the rooms refinement and cosy warmth at the same time. It is a great choice both for the floor in a small bathroom and for the living room in a large single-family house. Subtle shades and unobtrusive design – for everyone.
LAKE STONE LAPPATO PORCELAIN WITH OUR MONOBLOCK PINK – STUNNING !
COSIMA – CERAMIC WALL TILES AND PORCELAIN FLOOR TILES
Do you feel great in classic, tastefully decorated spaces? This is an example of a timelessly beautiful collection made of majestic stone, which, thanks to the use of satin glaze, is deceptively similar to a natural material found in nature. Thanks to these tiles, in your bathroom you can feel like you are in a monumental ancient building. Their graphics in the form of copper and grey veins will be appreciated by particularly demanding customers who will certainly want to emphasize them with skilfully selected accessories, thus creating a unique combination.
An extremely dynamic and original collection whose structure resembles crumpled paper. Such a result was achieved thanks to the combination of uniform grey with scratches and an irregular, three-dimensional structure. The impression is also strengthened by the surface structure – the use of microgranilia enamel for those who will appreciate the unique, delicate, soft surface of the tiles. This solution will also appeal to those who love well-lit rooms – the collection perfectly refracts the light and harmonizes perfectly with it.
Do you dream of a modern bathroom design, but at the same time you do not want to give up home cosiness? Wood-inspired tiles from the Classic Oak collection are perfect as a substitute for a plank floor. The light color of the wood-like tiles will help to visually enlarge a small bathroom. It is also perfect for the kitchen, and in larger rooms it will create a unique, warm atmosphere, because the appearance of ceramic tiles resembles real wood. The Scandinavian style is still in fashion. Natural, wooden elements of the interior attract attention – not only on the floor. Wooden texture floor tiles are a good choice if you are looking for easy-care surfaces. A ceramic tile floor does not require special care, so it will be an excellent choice for busy people. Classic Oak tiles are also perfect for walls. Combine them with minimalist furniture with simple forms and you will get the effect of a classic and stylish kitchen.
No matter what style we prefer, the Colour Blink collection helps us create the original bathroom that we have always dreamed about. A monochrome subdued interior or a crazy mix of patterns and colours? The choice is ours. From the smooth base and structural tiles, to the original “roof”-shaped mosaic – within the wide collection of elements anyone can find something to enjoy. If we are seeking bold stylisations and strong colours, we can choose satin-finished turquoise tiles, while anyone preferring more subdued designs have quiet and very universal shades of beige, enlivened by a shiny strip.
REST CERAMIC WALLS AND PORCELAIN FLOORS
When searching for a perfect colour palette for a bathroom, customers often choose simple, balanced solutions. Shades of white and grey combined with green hues are ideal for elegant, coherent interiors. The REST collection is a subtle reference to natural stone, skilfully combined with geometrical decoration. These tiles will add a touch of eclecticism to all stylistically harmonious rooms. Thanks to the delicate glossy elements visible only on parts of the tiles, they will be an excellent addition to matt surfaces. The simplicity and subtlety of this collection offer a wide choice of arrangement solutions and thus function as a great base for interior design in various styles.
There are materials that, despite the passage of years, do not age and do not lose their popularity. One of such raw materials is marble. The tiles from the MARBLE SKIN collection inspired by it are a discreet breath of effortless elegance at its best. The colours in this case are in shades of deep grey with a raw matte finish. The whole is highlighted with black veins finished with glossy ink. In a word – a classic, which is an excellent base for numerous arrangement ideas.
If you would like to a closer look at any of these tiles, call to our Tilewise Showroom @ 101 Bathrooms Tullamore, There’s A world of inspiration waiting for you..
To accomplish an effective outcome of any renovations, the key is planning, so before you start pulling the busiest room in the house asunder, know what you want from the space. Knowing what to ask the bathroom store or your plumber for is a good start.
Ask yourself these questions to ensure you get the bathroom you desire!
The key element of the room.
What functional features do I want in my bathroom?
Do you prefer a Bath or a Shower?
There are many different types of Baths on the market, choose a bath that best suits you and your family needs but also that fits in your bathroom.
(have a read of our bath blogs to help you decide).
If a shower is your preference, which design is something you should decide early in your planning. An enclosed shower or wetroom style. Although a wetroom can look lustrous and minimalistic, with just a glass panel separating the shower from the rest of the room, you will feel the cool air from the bathroom so planning your bathroom heating to suit the bathroom style is very important.
This would also be a good time to ask yourself the next question.
What sort of heating should I choose?
Although Heated towel rails look nicer than the normal radiator, please note these are not suitable to heat your bathroom, heated towel rails are only suitable to heat towels, your plumber will recommend the best heating to suit your bathroom. If you are considering a heated towel rail, make sure to inform your plumber as pipes will have to be fitted prior to tiling etc.
Before moving forward with any decisions and visiting the bathroom store, have an assessment done by a plumber, the plumber will assess the plumbing in your home and tell you what is and isn’t possible or may suggest moving some of the plumbing to make the bathroom more functional.
An important thing to know is what water pressure is in your home, like whether it is gravity or pump feed. (have a read of our blog on water pressure). This will help you know what shower and taps you can purchase. If your home has poor water pressure now may be a good time to have a pump install, but make sure to ask your plumber if your boiler compacity can service all the new fittings, like pan head showers etc, as this would add substantially to your budget.
Next on my list would be Storage. How much storage do you need?
Is it essential to have lots of storage space or are you a minimalist? either way there is numerous ways of adding storage to your bathroom. If you like the minimalist basin look you can always opt for Mirrored or side storage. These days most people opt for the under-basin storage, Vanity units which can also help with the next decision.
How do I want my Bathroom to look?How you want your bathroom to make you feel is just as important to functionality, this is where the Storage comes in, there is a vast amount of Bathroom vanity units to choose from, whether you want it to be modern or traditional, there has never been so many options from unit colours to handles colours.
How you want your bathroom to look is a very personal thing and only you can decide, the experts are only there to guide you, it is your bathroom, your style, your creation. Both modern and traditional are equally popular today, so it is a matter of personal taste.
Browsing through the showroom, bathroom brochures and media will help you get an idea of the bathroom style you love, bring these ideas to the showrooms to help voice your bathroom desire. When it comes to choosing your tiles, bring a sample home as the lighting and space in the showrooms will be different yours at home. Tiles are a long-term choice so ensure you choose your tiles in plenty of time and don’t rush it just to get the job done.
What kind of lighting is best in a bathroom?
Firstly, any lighting you buy make sure it is IP (ingress Protection) rated. Secondly, before the tiling is done, it is vital to choose weather you need wiring on the walls for wall lighting or a mirror with lights, demister, shaving socket or even Bluetooth so you can really relax in your new oasis. Maybe you fancy some mood lighting, with a built in speaker and a remote control, so you can sit back and relax and listen to your favourite oldies.
If space is an issue in your bathroom, the use of mirrors and lighting will create reflection around the room to open it up.
Now for the most important part of any renovation, how should I work out my budget?
Make a list!
Factor in the cost of the plumber, tiler and electrician.
Don’t forget to relay all your decision to the expert, as you don’t want any surprises when it comes to paying or find that the shower you choose won’t work in your home.
Check with the Tiler if the cost of waterproof in the walls or if the floors need to be levelled.
Get a quote on the bathroom store, if you are over budget, they will show you where you can cut costs.
Think of the extra little finishing touches like bathroom accessories, towels to suits the interior.
One last thing to include, waste removal, it isn’t cheap..
![Almost every activity we perform in the bathroom every day requires the use of water. Here are some tips on how to protect your bathroom Walls, floors, furniture and accessories from the harmful effects of moisture. Seal Under The Tiles Fortunately, there are many materials and solutions available on the market that help effectively protect […]](https://www.heatwise.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/HIB-BREEZE-EXTRACTOR-FAN-450x285.jpg "How To Prevent Moisture Build-up In The Bathroom")
![Preparing your Home for Heating and Plumbing this Spring As the days get longer during spring, homeowners should be thinking about how to get the most out of their Heating & Plumbing over the next few months. With rising energy costs impacting everyone across Ireland, deploying a few essential tips to save money could make […]](https://www.heatwise.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SAVING-ON-ENERGY-BILLS-450x285.png "How to Prepare Your Home for Heating and Plumbing This Spring")
![When planning a make-over for the bathroom, one of the first tasks you need to tackle before the refurbishment is to remove the old tiles from the walls and floor. Removing tiles isn’t as tough a job as you might think and by doing this yourself you can save money on paying a contractor to […]](https://www.heatwise.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/UNDEFASA-ART-scaled-450x285.jpg "SAVE MONEY BY GETTING YOUR BATHROOM MAKE-OVER READY")
![To accomplish an effective outcome of any renovations, the key is planning, so before you start pulling the busiest room in the house asunder, know what you want from the space. Knowing what to ask the bathroom store or your plumber for is a good start. Ask yourself these questions to ensure you get the […]](https://www.heatwise.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/arctic_storm_mp-scaled-450x285.jpg "Bathroom Renovation")
