FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We do not sell direct or on our website so you will need to visit your local plumbing store to order. You can also check our store locator for a list of stores in your area.

At Methven we are committed to creating amazing shower experiences that don't cost the earth.

Our showers have a range of flow rates so it's best to check the product page for the WELS rating. This will tell you the flow rate in litres per minute. On average our showers run at 9l/min. However, if you really want to reduce your water usage the Kiri MK2 Low Flow range use only 5-5.5L/min for our most efficient shower yet!

All products that have deliver water has a WELS (Water Efficiency Labeling & Standards) rating and this is reflected on the product packaging and on the product page. The higher the star rating the more efficient the product is. This is a quick and easy way to compare a range of products to choose the best one for you.

There are a few things to consider as a starting point.

Changing your existing plumbing will add to your bathroom renovation costs and should be considered at the start of your renovation project. If you need to keep to your existing plumbing then this will limit what products are suitable for your space.

You will also need to know what water pressure you have. If you have mains pressure you can use any mains or all pressure product. If you have low pressure, or unequal pressure between your hot and cold water you will need to choose one of our all pressure options.

Once you have considered these questions we recommend going into your local plumbing store and seeing if they have a wet display. This will allow you to try different shower heads by spraying the water onto your hand and seeing what spray performance you like best and also see a number of designers all in one place.

At Methven we have a range of shower configurations and price points to suit a range of needs.

The easiest way to check is to read the details on your hot water cylinder. If you have mains pressure you can use any mains or all pressure product. If you have low pressure, or unequal pressure between your hot and cold water you will need to choose one of our all pressure options. Your plumber will be able to advise on the best option for your specific situation

Yes! Our Fastflow II shower mixers are engineered to use the pressure of your cold water to draw more pressure from the hot water. The result is a more balanced shower. Your plumber will need to install a Fastflow II shower mixer and ensure the correct water pressure is selected for your home

Choosing the right shower is a very personal choice which is why at Methven we offer a range of shower designs - round, circular, wide coverage, strong spray to soft spray and everything in between. The most popular shower configuration in NZ that we sell is a rail shower. This has been popular in NZ homes and is often an easy retro fit solution.

A twin shower system is becoming more popular as it has the luxury of the overhead drencher combined with a handset.

No! Obsoletely not, feel free to mix and match between our ranges.

It does sometimes make it easier to select your tapware from the same collection so you know that they will pair together. We recommend that you match the product shapes to get a cohesive look. For example, Methven Wairere Shower matched with the Methven Glide tapware. These collections perfectly match as they both follow a circular design style. If in doubt always speak to the friendly staff in your plumbing store for help on matching products.

Yes! But some will be easier than others.

A lot of the Methven rail showers have adjustable pillars so you can match the wall brackets to where you already have holes in your tiles. Easy! Check out the product page to check if the rail shower has adjustable pillars. Measure the distance from the centre of the brackets on your existing shower and check this against the line drawing on the product page. If the new rail is within the bounds of your existing holes you are good to go.

Our Waipori Swivel bath spout is what you are after. The Waipori Swivel bath spout is perfect for kids in the bath and wanting to move the bath spout out of the way or washing a pet like your dog.

Yes! This means where the water comes out (spout) can be pushed either to the left or the right to allow for the water to be delivered to different areas of the sink, perfect for washing up big pots and pans. At Methven we offer a range of sink mixers.

A diverter is needed if you want to change the outlet water is coming from. For example, if you have a shower over a bath and need to be able to change the flow of water from the shower to out of the bath spout. You cannot have the water coming out of both. We offer both shower mixers with diverters and separate diverters. If you purchase just the diverter you will need a shower mixer as well.

Our shower systems have built in diverters on the rail so you do not need to purchase a diverter, just a shower mixer.

Yes! Our Tūroa Collection is constructed from 304 grade Stainless Steel. We also offer a two Stainless Steel Kitchen Mixers.

Unless noted on the product page our ranges are designed for inside use and might not hold up in the harsh environment outdoors. Please note if you install a product designed for indoor use outside you will void the product warranty.

You can make a warranty claim by phoning us on 0800 804 22 or by email bkservice@gwagroup.co.nz. Please complete the warranty form here and send it through with your email.

While we hope you will never need to use it, we recommend registering your new Methven purchases on our website as a hassle free way to save your receipt and purchase details should you ever need to make a claim. You can choose to sign up to our email list if when you register to.

Yes!

We offer chrome and matte black across a number of our ranges. We also offer brushed gold, brushed graphite, stainless steel, brushed gun metal black in our Tūroa Collection. We are always bringing out new products so keep an eye on our website for more information.

PVD stands for Physical Vapour Deposition. PVD originated in the manufacturing of tools and cars. The technique is very long lasting and once applied is nearly impossible to remove providing a sturdy finish for your product. PVD finishes are available in brushed gold, brushed gun metal black and brushed graphite colours in the Tūroa Collection. We offer the same warranty as Chrome on our PVD finishes.

Methven matte black showers are coated with a high-quality black oxide conversion finish. Methven matte black tapware is coated with high quality plating and paint process.

At Methven we offer 5-year warranty on the black coating finish.

We understand that wear and tear can happen as part of everyday life. At Methven we offer 5 year warranty on all of our black finishes with PVD finishes warranted the same as Chrome.

Cosmetic changes like new vanity, mirrors, lighting fittings, shower handset, new towels even new shampoo / candle or a plant can give your bathroom a makeover. Alternatively, a full bathroom renovation / change might be more suitable for you and we suggest you get in touch with a plumber and start planning together.

The date of manufacture is marked on the valve, represented by a five digit number. The first two digits of the date of manufacture refer to the last two digits of the year of manufacture. The remaining three digits refer to the numerical day of the year in which the valve was manufactured (for example, 30 June 2018 would be represented as 18181).

1. Fastflow II is designed to provide an excellent way to mix your hot and cold water supplies regardless of what your hot water pressure is. Your Fastflow II is factory configured for mains pressure installations but includes a variety of small venturi jets to optimise mains pressure cold flow to match your low hot water pressure. Choosing the right jet will give you the best performance in mix temperature adjustment for your installation.
   • Black Jet - use this for installations with gravity fed systems (a tank in your ceiling space that supplies the hot water cylinder)
   • Green Jet - use this for single storey houses with an open vented hot water system (a copper pipe that extends above your roof without a relief valve on the end)
   • Yellow Jet - use this for single or double storey houses with low pressure valve vented hot water systems (a relief valve with a yellow label near the top pf you hot water cylinder or a copper pipe that extends above your roof with a green labelled relief valve on the end)
   • Red Jet - use this for installations with a ‘heavy head’ hot water cylinder. This cylinder will have a label that specified maximum working head 120 kPa

   Check with your licenced plumber to identify which jet should be installed to match your hot water pressure.

   Jets are inserted into the base of the cartridge which must be removed from the mixer body. Care must be taken when inserting the cartridge back into the mixer to prevent damage to the seals.

   Regardless of what pressure your hot water is, the black tube fitted in to the outlet of the mixer must always be fitted.

2. If you have high pressure cold water and low-pressure hot water (unequal pressure), make sure you remove any flow restrictors from the shower outlet (handset or wall shower). Small bore hoses, multi-function handsets and shower systems are not suitable for use in unequal pressure installations.
3. Fastflow II comes fitted to a stainless-steel bracket for easy mounting to horizontal framing (nog or dwang). For retrofit installations, use the holes in the back of the stainless-steel bracket to screw directly to the existing framing timber.
4. All mixers regardless of location have specified installation parameters. The main one for shower mixers is where they are installed in relation to the position of the finished wall lining. Fastflow II with the Stainless-steel installation bracket will accommodate up to 28mm of variation, but his variation is dependent on how the mixer is attached to the framing.
   • For thinner wall linings such as acrylic shower enclosures, position the plastic spacers on the stainless-steel bracket in line with the front of the nog or dwang
   • For thicker wall linings such as floor tiles, remove the plastic spacers and position the stainless-steel bracket in line with the front of the nog or dwang

The ceramic discs and verturi jets have been designed to provide optimum flow in installations all installations, including those with high pressure cold water and low-pressure hot water (unequal pressure). When the correct venturi jet is installed, it uses the high-pressure cold water to suck through the low-pressure cold water. However, if the wrong jet for you pressure is installed or there is a downstream restriction, this will prevent the venturi from working and result in difficulty or sensitivity in selecting the desired temperature.

1. Make sure you remove any flow restrictors from the shower outlet (handset or wall shower). Small bore hoses, multi-function handsets and shower systems are not suitable for use in unequal pressure installations.
2. Choosing the right jet will give you the best performance in mix temperature adjustment for your installation.
   • Black Jet - use this for installations with gravity fed systems (a tank in your ceiling space that supplies the hot water cylinder)
   • Green Jet - use this for single storey houses with an open vented hot water system (a copper pipe that extends above your roof without a relief valve on the end)
   • Yellow Jet - use this for single or double storey houses with low pressure valve vented hot water systems (a relief valve with a yellow label near the top pf you hot water cylinder or a copper pipe that extends above your roof with a green labelled relief valve on the end)
   • Red Jet - use this for installations with a ‘heavy head’ hot water cylinder. This cylinder will have a label that specified maximum working head 120 kPa

   Check with your plumber to identify which jet should be installed to match your hot water pressure.

   Jets are inserted into the base of the cartridge which must be removed from the mixer body. Care must be taken when inserting the cartridge back into the mixer to prevent damage to the seals.

   Regardless of what pressure your hot water is, the black tube fitted in to the outlet of the mixer must always be fitted.

Any servicing of Fastflow II shower mixers should be completed by a licenced plumber as required by the New Zealand Building Code and the Australian National Code of Construction.

1. Damage to the ceramic discs within the cartridge could result from debris getting caught at the sealing edge when closing. This could result in a leak. The cartridge must be replaced. A line strainer is recommended to be installed on any installation to protect ceramic cartridges and plumbing and appliance valves within the plumbing system.
2. Insertion of appropriate venturi jet to suit the hot water supply system requires removal of the cartridge. Care must be taken when reinserting the cartridge into the mixer body to avoid cutting the tapered seal. Damage to this seal could result in a leak mixer.

In both cases, the resultant leak will appear as a drip from the shower outlet.