What is a G½ connection, what does calcium sulphite do and what does flow class A mean? In this glossary, Besjaar explains 27 terms about shower heads, water and filters, each in one or two sentences.
Shower head and installation
Air injection. The shower head mixes air into the water. The spray feels fuller while less water flows through.
Anti-twist. A shower hose with a swivelling coupling, so it doesn't get tangled. See choosing a shower hose.
Flow class. A letter from Z to D that shows how many litres per minute a shower head uses. Class Z is the most economical: 4.3 to 6.9 litres per minute.
G½ connection. The standard half-inch thread between shower hose and shower head. Almost every shower in the Netherlands has this size. See replacing a shower head in 5 minutes.
Hand shower. A separate shower head on a hose, which you hold in your hand or hang in a holder.
Pause button. A button on the shower head that briefly stops the water without the temperature changing. See the pause button on your shower head.
PowerWash. The powerful, targeted jet on the Besjaar Shower Head with Filter, for the bath, the shower tray or the dog.
PTFE tape. Thin tape you wrap around the thread to make a connection watertight.
Rain shower. A large, fixed shower head above your head. A rain shower often uses 15 to 20 litres of water per minute.
Sealing washer. A rubber ring between hose and shower head that stops the connection from leaking. See leaking shower head or hose.
Silicone nozzles. Flexible spray holes that you rub free of limescale with your finger. All Besjaar shower heads have them.
Water-saving shower head. A shower head that, according to the Dutch agency Milieu Centraal, uses a maximum of 7.2 litres of water per minute. See water-saving shower head.
Water and limescale
Bucket test. You hold a bucket under the shower for one minute and measure how many litres are in it. That tells you how much water your shower head uses. See what does a shower cost?
Chlorine. A disinfectant that kills bacteria in the water network. Dutch tap water normally contains no chlorine; in Belgium, France and Spain it often does. See is there chlorine in Dutch tap water?
Flow rate. How much water comes out of your shower head, in litres per minute. That is something different from water pressure.
French degree (°F). The unit of water hardness in Belgium and France. One French degree equals 0.56 German degrees.
German degree (°dH). The unit of water hardness in the Netherlands and Germany. Dutch tap water averages around 8 °dH. See water hardness by province.
Limescale. Calcium and magnesium from the water that settle as a white deposit, especially on warm surfaces. See removing limescale from your shower head.
Pink residue. A slimy pink layer in the shower, caused by bacteria. It is not limescale. See pink or black residue in the shower.
Water hardness. The amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium in your water. The harder the water, the faster limescale builds up.
Water pressure. How hard the water pushes through your pipes, measured in bar. A shower head cannot increase the water pressure. See what does high-pressure shower head mean?
Filters
Activated carbon. A filter layer that binds chlorine and odours. It works less well in hot water. See how does a shower filter work?
Calcium sulphite. A filter layer that breaks down free chlorine, even in warm water. It is in the 8-stage filter of the Besjaar Shower Head with Filter.
KDF. A filter layer of copper and zinc that breaks down free chlorine through a chemical reaction. It works well in warm water.
Maifan stone and ceramic balls. Materials often found in shower filters, added for minerals or a softer feel. There is little independent research on them.
Shower filter. A filter cartridge in or in front of your shower head. It holds back particles and can break down free chlorine, but it doesn't make your water softer. See shower filter: worth it?
Water softener. A device on your main water pipe that uses ion exchange to remove limescale from all the water in the house. See water softener or shower filter?
Besjaar makes shower heads and filters for Dutch bathrooms, from Assen. Better water, every day.