Nekeema Australia Pty Ltd is the national distributor for Felton Tapware, an iconic brand in the New Zealand market and relatively new to the Australian market.
Designed for high efficiency, Felton tapware can operate up to an impressive 1,500 KPA.
Felton established its reputation in the NZ market by introducing the revolutionary Feltonmix shower mixers in 1969. Till then, the Kiwis couldn’t find a suitable shower mixer that didn’t require juggling separate hot and cold taps. Shower mixers made overseas didn’t work well here, because they weren’t designed for NZ’s unequal pressure system where the hot water pressure is much lower than the cold water pressure. Even today, more than 50% of NZ homes are on an unequal pressure system.
Felton company founder Max Davies and inventor Keith Relf launched the Feltonmix as the solution for this unique problem. The new mixer applied a scientific theory called the ‘Venturi Principle’ to work on unequal pressures by using high pressure cold water to pull through low pressure hot water.
Offering a simple installation, the new shower mixers displayed their capability to smoothly and accurately mix water at unequal pressures, making the Feltonmix shower an immediate success. Over 1.4 million showers have been sold in the NZ market till date.
Nekeema Australia has listed a few handy tips on selecting the right products for best performance while building or renovating a bathroom.
Nekeema’s step-by-step guide to help select the right products:
Identify your water pressure system
Australia has three different household water pressure systems: unequal, equal low and equal high (mains). It’s important to choose products that are designed for one’s specific pressure system, as not all products work on all pressure systems.
Identify your current and future needs
The homeowner needs to consider various factors such as the main users of the product, likelihood of child or elderly users in the future, scalding concerns, flow rates for water savings and the possibility of upgrading their hot water cylinder in a few years.
Select the best mixer for your shower
A shower mixer supplies the right mix of flow and temperature to all the other shower components. Selecting a mixer that best matches one’s pressure system and needs is a crucial step to getting the best performance out of the shower.
Select the best components for your shower
In equal low and unequal pressure situations, one can maximise the flow by installing a fixed rose/showerhead or by using a large bore hose with the handpiece. All Felton slide showers are supplied with a large bore hose featuring a minimum internal diameter of 10mm, compared to small bore hoses of 6-8mm, which when fitted to an unequal pressure situation can decrease flow rates by as much as 60% compared to a large bore hose.
Avoid multifunction or massage type showerheads (unless they are specifically stated to work on low pressures) as they may cause poor flow and temperature sensitivity.
On equal high (mains) pressure situations, consider using a flow restrictor in the showerhead/handpiece to save water and energy. Most Felton showerheads/ handpieces are supplied with a restrictor to ensure water efficiency, while maintaining a comfortable shower.
Style and budget
Consider personal style preferences, home design style and budget while choosing a suitable shower mixer. Check the scale and shape of products in relation to the size and shape of the existing basin, shower enclosure and bathroom space. Find out whether the price fits the budget, or check the availability of more affordable options similar to the preferred style. One could also mix and match from different ranges to achieve both style and budget requirements.
