Electric Shower Replacement

Close-up of damaged electrical wires inside a black electrical device, with exposed copper and burnt insulation, adjacent to a black component and various colored wires.

We provide safe, fully certified electric shower replacements across Chatham, Rochester, Gillingham, Maidstone and the wider Medway area.

While it’s tempting to treat a shower replacement as a quick DIY task or hand it over to a local handyman, electric showers need expert professional installation, ideally by an electrician. Combining high-powered electricity with mains water makes your shower the most demanding electrical appliance in your home.

We can supply and fit all major makes and models of showers, including:

  • Triton

  • Mira

  • Gainsborough

  • Redring

  • Aqualisa

Showers come in a range of kW variations. We can offer the following:

  • 7.5kW

  • 8.5kW

  • 9.5kW

  • 10.8kW

Please check with us first if you are thinking of purchasing a new shower, so that we can make sure it’s suitable for your home’s electrical system.

Close-up of electrical wires and cables inside a wall at a corner, with drywall and tile visible.

Is this an emergency?

  • can you smell burning or a fishy smell from your shower?

  • are there sparks?

  • is the shower casing very hot?

Turn off your electricity immediately.

Call Elser Electrical 24/7

CALL US IMMEDIATELY!
Interior view of an electronic device with wiring, a circuit board, and a motor. There is a warning label on the motor and a power supply at the bottom left.
Electrical wires and cables passing through a hole in a concrete floor or wall.

Choosing An Electric Shower

The best type of electric shower depends on what you are upgrading from - an existing electric shower which you want to upgrade or downgrade, a mixer shower or a thermostatic shower. We break down your choices below:

  • We can help you choose a shower: Depending on your water pressure and current electrical wiring, we can fit up to a 10.5kW electric shower. A 10.5kW electric shower requires a heavy duty electric cable, a minimum water pressure of 1.5 bar and a flow rate of 11 litres per minute for best performance. If you’re not sure what you have, contact us and we can help!

  • Upgrade from a mixer shower: If you currently have a mixer shower (one which uses both hot and cold water), then we can potentially upgrade you to an electric shower, meaning you no longer rely on a hot water storage tank. This can be really useful if you have a large household, that’s always running out of hot water come shower time! This depends on your current wiring, and we may need to install a new, thicker, higher capacity cable to your bathroom.

  • Upgrade from a thermostatic shower: Thermostatic showers normally have a bar in the middle with a knob at either end. One to control the temperature, and one to control the flow. They use your boiler to provide hot water.

Book Your Shower Installation
electric shower installation
Open electrical device or machine showing internal components, including wires and a circuit board.
An electric water heater mounted on a white tiled bathroom wall with a showerhead and hose attached.

Electric Shower Benefits

Just some of the benefits of having an electric shower installed are:

  • Instant hot water – Electric showers heat water on demand, so you get instant hot water without waiting for a tank to fill up.

  • Energy and water efficiency – Electric showers only heat the water you use, which can be more energy-efficient than heating an entire water tank. They also typically use less water per minute than other shower types.

  • No more scalds – Electric showers have built-in heating, so you won’t run out of hot water if someone turns a tap on elsewhere in your home.

  • Only require cold water - Electric showers only need a cold-water supply, which is great news if you currently have weak pressure hot water! There’s nothing worse than a shower which comes out like a dribble!

  • Great if your boiler breaks - If your heating system breaks down, you can still have a hot shower.

If you want a new electric shower installed by an electrician in Medway, give us a call today for a free quotation.

Why You Should Choose A Qualified Electrician To Fit Your Electric Shower

  1. An electric shower is one of the most high-risk appliances in your home because it mixes high-voltage electricity with water, and it draws more current than almost any other appliance. A DIY installation or a general handyman who isn't certified lacks the specific training to ensure the electrical components are 100% isolated from the water flow. One loose wire or a poorly sealed unit can cause catastrophic faults, like the images here, which show exposed wiring and a burn on the inside of the electric shower casing.

  2. You can't just swap a 7.5kW shower for a powerful 10.5kW model without looking behind the walls first to check what cabling you have. By law, installing a new electrical circuit in a bathroom is a notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations. This means it must be carried out, tested, and certified by a registered professional. Elser Electrical provides full safety certification for every shower installation. If you ever sell or rent out your property in Medway, you will have the legal paperwork proving the work was done safely and legally.

  3. Modern safety regulations state that electric showers must be protected by a Residual Current Device (RCD). An RCD cuts the electricity supply in literally milliseconds if it detects a problem, preventing fatal electric shocks. We will test your existing system to ensure it has functional RCD protection, upgrading your consumer unit if necessary to guarantee your family's safety.

BOOK YOUR SHOWER INSTALLATION

Electric Shower FAQs

Can I just replace my 8.5KW shower with a 10.5KW one?

1

The required cable thickness depends heavily on the kilowatt (kW) rating of the shower and the distance of the cable run. Using a cable that is too thin is a major fire hazard, so it’s best to get the cable checked by a registered electrician such as ourselves to make sure that it can handle the extra load before purchasing your new electric shower.

Does an electric shower require an EICR update or building regulations approval?

2

If you are installing a new shower, then the answer is yes. In England and Wales, installing a new electric shower is classified as "work in a special location" under Part P of the Building Regulations. While you do not need a whole new EICR immediately, we must issue an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) or a Minor Electrical Works Certificate for the new circuit. This certificate must be kept alongside your existing EICR.

Why does an electric shower need a pull-cord switch?

3

You must be able to isolate your shower, and it is a legal requirement to have a 45-amp or 50-amp ceiling pull-cord switch (or an wall switch situated outside the bathroom) which allows you to safely isolate the electricity to the shower for maintenance or in an emergency. Most pull-cord switches also feature a neon light so that you can see whether the shower is switched on or off.

I know what I’m doing, why can’t I install an electric shower myself?

4

Water and electricity don’t mix. You can legally install the plumbing for the shower yourself, however the actual electric shower unit must be fitted by a competent electrician, who can test and certify the installation is safe.

Previous Electric Shower Installations and Issues in Chatham

Electric Shower Installation Reviews

  • "Installed an electric shower for me"

    Matías installed an electric shower for me, he did an amazing job! He gave me a quick and good quotation. He was very punctual, is very trustworthy, I’m very happy with this company and their customer service. Will definitely hire again!!! I recommend! :)

    5* Google Review

  • "Did an amazing job of replacing our electric shower"

    Mati did an amazing job replacing our electric shower, it turned out to be a little bit more complex but Mati went over and above to make sure the work was completed at a professional standard. He was very accommodating even at short notice and would highly recommend! Thank you

    5* Google Review