Digital technology hits the shower

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Gallery: Showers, baths go digital

LORAIN, Ohio -- Every morning, Charles Knipper of Lorain wakes up to something that makes him very happy:

His digital shower.

"When I get up, I have a hand-held remote that turns on the shower and sets the water to the exact temperature I want it to be when I get in," Knipper says. "No more getting in there and adjusting the hot and cold handles until the water is just right. I just push a button."

Knipper lives in a 120-year-old home, so he obviously has an affinity for antique things. But in the master bathroom, not so much. So when he remodeled his master bathroom a few months ago, it was 21st century all the way.

"I have a button that I push for the temperature I want, and my wife has another button for the temperature she likes," Knipper says. "If I remodel another bathroom, I'll probably get another digital shower."

Digitally controlled showers (and baths) began streaming into the U.S. bathroom faucet market about seven years ago, a few years after Europeans were beginning to take notice of them, according to Brian Mocny, senior product manager for Moen, which is headquartered in North Olmsted.

Models vary in that some are more elaborate, and pricier, than others, but this is basically how digitally controlled showers work:

An electronic valve, positioned behind the shower/tub wall or as far away as the basement, is connected to the plumbing. That valve takes water from both the hot and cold pipes, and pumps the water through the shower outlet, whether it's a fixed shower head, hand-held sprayer, multiple vertical sprayers or a combination of all of these.

A control panel resembling a television remote control is connected to the valve via a low-voltage data cable. With the push of a button on the panel, the water turns on and quickly heats up to a programmed temperature and, on some models, water flow. The panel can be mounted on the wall in or near the shower, or even outside of the bathroom. Portable remotes are another option.

Says Travis Rotelli, interior designer at Kohler Kitchen & Bath Design Center in Kohler, Wis., "It's like a small computer running your shower."

Multiple presets can be programmed, allowing every member of the family his or her own setting, from an invigorating shower to a softer flow, says Mocny.

"With the touch of a button, you get your same shower experience every time," he adds, even if water is turned on in another part of the home.

Moen's system is called ioDigital. It includes ioDigital Shower (about $1,350), ioDigital Vertical Spa with remote (about $2,800) and ioDigital Roman Tub (about $1,500). Prices include valves, connections, tub/shower/spa components and the optional remote.

The ioDigital Shower and ioDigital Vertical Spa have four programmable presets, a pause feature that interrupts the shower for shampooing or shaving, and other features.

The ioDigital Roman Tub has three programmable presets. A fourth button is a child safety lock that disables all controls and remote operation for safety.

All three Moen systems come with sleek wall mounts and remotes in chrome, black, brushed nickel or oil-rubbed bronze.

Kohler's DTV I (about $2,899) is a hydrotherapy system on which temperature, spray intensity and water angle can be controlled.

DTV II (about $5,529) is described as a fully integrated, multisensory experience that wraps four elements together in a single control panel. It incorporates a rejuvenating stream, music from your own playlist, and even lights that move and change colors during the shower, according to the company. Six presets make it easy to create and save the same preferences.

DTV Prompt (about $975) debuted at the 2011 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas. Among its features, it allows users to set the duration of the shower to manage both time and water use. These prices don't include showerheads, body sprays, rain heads or other such devices.

Digital systems are primarily suited for bathroom remodels or new construction. Retrofitting would be a large project, particularly for a DIYer.

"You'll be talking about ripping out tiles [and] handles, and replacing the old valve," says Mocny.

"Basically, you need to be starting from scratch," says Gretchen Cantelmo, showroom manager at Edelman Plumbing Supply in Bedford Heights. "The controls [for digital] are so much smaller than regular shower plates. They won't fit the holes."

Shawn Wilford, a plumber with Raymond Plumbing in Lorain who is a Moen installer, says in most cases, when remodeling a bathroom, a digitally controlled unit will be compatible with existing pipes and water heaters. Most homes have adequate water supply for digital. He agrees that professional installation is the smart way to go.

"I would hate to have to go behind and fix one of these after someone installed it wrong," he says. "There is the potential for leaks and all kinds of things that can go wrong."

As with most digital products newly introduced to the market, digital showers are mainly for the upscale market. In the near future, less-elaborate and less-expensive models that conserve water could be coming out of California, where water conservation is a must.

But for now, says Cantelmo, "We're getting more and more interest, but the problem is, because it's new technology, it's still expensive."