Does Anyone Have A Permanently Plumbed In Hydrobath?

[SmoothieGirl]

Hi gang

I'm looking to build a new house next year and one of the things going in the mud room will be a Hydrobath, preferrably permanently plumbed in. Bronte has to have weekly baths for her skin and I think this idea is the best option to save my spare bathroom from becoming another dog invaded room and give my back some relief too.

If you have one, I'm fascinated to understand how it works with the water storage tanks, because if its plumbed into the hot and cold taps why would you use this facility? And did you plumb the removal of waste water?

Any and all help welcome.

Edited September 1, 2010 by SmoothieGirl

[bedazzledx2]

Mine is not technically permanently plumbed, but what I have done is to have the hydrobath (which has a bypass drain) close to the door and the waste hose runs under the door (have cut a very small section out of the corner of the door) and out to the drain just outside. I also have it close to taps plumbed in with a hose with fresh hot and cold water connected to a hose with a shower head on it. This means I can hydrobath the dog, change plugs over to the bypass and then rinse with clean running warm water. I am a big believer in rinsing really well with clean running water especially for dogs with allergies or sensitive skin. A mud room is on my list of must haves for a new place!!!!

Hi gang

I'm looking to build a new house next year and one of the things going in the mud room will be a Hydrobath, preferrably permanently plumbed in. Bronte has to have weekly baths for her skin and I think this idea is the best option to save my spare bathroom from becoming another dog invaded room and give my back some relief too.

If you have one, I'm fascinated to understand how it works with the water storage tanks, because if its plumbed into the hot and cold taps why would you use this facility? And did you plumb the removal of waste water?

Any and all help welcome.

[Starkehre]

Hi smoothiegirl, I have a plumbed in hydro.

I had the hydro already for about 4 years, then when I moved into the house I am in now, I got it plu,bed in. I now have hot a cold water taps coming out of the brick work above the hydro, with a mixer, so I just have one hose attached there. I also got an electrician out to wire me up an outdoor power socket and some lights for if/when I need to bath dogs in the dark.

I am thrilled with it the way it is now, so much easier than when I used to cart buckets.

I have a drainage hose which runs the hair filtered water directly into the storm water drain.

It is along the side of the house, so although it is not under cover as such it gets a lot of protection from the house and the tall side fence. I cover it with a barby cover when not in use.

I love it. Can highly recommend doing it. :p

A mud room sounds very cool

[JulesP]

Mud room. Cool name, I have one of those and have never known how to describe it. Mine is an enclosed veranda.

If you have access to hot and cold water SmoothieGirl it means that you can get a unheated single tank, which is a cheaper option. The water goes into the single tank and the bath pumps the water out from there. The benefit of having a hydrobath rather than just sticking a hose on the hot & cold mixer is the pressure that the hydrobath delivers. You don't get quite the same massaging, fur removing effect with a normal hose.

I did get a heated twin tank but am thinking about a hot water tape anyhow as you have to wait for the water to heat up and in winter that takes a while here. Also washing multiple dogs is a bit tricky. Not to mention that the element blew in a year!

[Tilly]

A friend has his homemade hydrobath down the side of his house in a little alcove thing which is basically outside his bathroom - so it was easy to extend the plumbing so he had access to hot and cold water. He then put on a mixer tap and an outdoor powerpoint so the hydrobath can be permantly set up with the water being drained away through the storm water (or whatever that pipe is).

[oakway]

Hi,

I am not sure what you mean about permanently plummed in.

Do you mean having it plummed in similar to your washing machine ?.

If it was in permanently and it broke down how would you remove it for repair.

[Sheridan]

Wouldn't you just undo the hose?

[becks]

I still think it is easier to have a power shower over a belfast sink or normal bath.

[oakway]

Wouldn't you just undo the hose?

That's what I meant. Like a washing machine, but hydro baths don't have hoses like that. Well mine doesn't.

I have a twin tank heated one and just fill from the tap or a hose attached to the tap.

Permanently plummed in you couldn't remove it.

[SmoothieGirl]

Hi,

I am not sure what you mean about permanently plummed in.

Do you mean having it plummed in similar to your washing machine ?.

If it was in permanently and it broke down how would you remove it for repair.

Yep, I mean similar to the washing machine. Not built in like a bath.

Thanks everyone, you have given me some ideas. It will be inside, but there will be a pet flap in door to the outside in that room, so when I use it I'm sure I can stick the drainage hose through that and to the storm water outlet. Hmmm, good ideas!

[SmoothieGirl]

I still think it is easier to have a power shower over a belfast sink or normal bath.

Off to google a belfast sink, no idea what that is. Normal bath too hard, I don't want to have to lift dogs in and out of the bath and my back isn't up to the constant bending when washing a dog, its not the best.

[SmoothieGirl]

Righto, now I know what a Belfast sink is, my cousin has one.

Ummm, this dog is probably too big for one and that's before I consider any larger dogs in the future.

[Blue Fox 001]

I have a heated single tank plumbed in - love it

We also had a temperature regulator put on mine cause the hot water would fluctuate and I was scared of burning the dogs, think this is mainly cause we use pumped rain water so that might not be an issue for you.

We also had a floor drain put in and the waste hose goes into a pipe that sticks out from the drain.

[greytdog]

Sister just has a showerhead on a hose (trigger) plumbed into the outside of her laundry. The hot and cold taps are on the outside wall, and the water just runs away thru the deck and onto the lawn. Much easier than a hydrobath, and the water is always clean. She washes her rotties that way, and it's really good for guest dogs that have a swim in their dam. They can be easily washed before they go home.

[puglvr]

My hydrobath is in the dog room. It isn't plumbed in but the tap from the kitchen sink is extendable so it swivels around and extends over the bath to fill it. We have a thick hose that is attached to the outlet and that runs out through a hole drilled for it through the wall. This hose can run out onto the grass our into the septic drain system. The power for the bath is on the wall near the bath.

Best thing about it being inside is that when it's cold I can have the heating on to keep the dogs warm and to finsh off the drying.