Indoor Waterfall
Oct 18, 2022
Indoor Waterfall - water running off a pane in a thin film
The water flows down a pane–wall of glass, acrylic, stainless steel or natural stone, which serves as a flood area. With the even flow of the water no splashing water will occur. A indoor waterfall will be very quiet and can be built to save space. Depending on the amount of water set, the waves on the flood surface can flow slowly and calmly or quickly and dynamically - in both cases it is a feast for the eyes, especially with additional lighting, which creates fascinating light effects on the waves of water.
Such indoor waterfalls are ideally suited for permanent installations in private or commercial areas, as they are space-saving, easy to clean and require very little maintenance.
They can be used as room dividers or advertising media with unilateral or bilateral flooding, or they can be installed directly on a wall as a wall fountain to save space.
The advantages of this technology:
• fascinating visual effect
• low maintenance
• no splashing water
• space-saving
• low-noise operation
• different heights possible
• application of your company logo as adhesive foil or in sandblasting technique
• Interchangeable motifs as background for glass water walls
Why do people buy indoor waterfalls?
• Eye-catcher = more attention and turnover for your business
• Well-being = people instinctively feel more comfortable near running water
• Air purification = less dust, odours and germs in the air
• Humidification = fewer flu viruses, less dry skin and happier wooden furniture
• Feng shui = water is life energy and symbolises money
Galleries:
• Indoor Waterfalls made of glass
• Indoor Waterfalls made of stainless steel
• Indoor Waterfalls made of natural stone
The benefits of indoor waterfalls
Fascinating visual effect
First and foremost, a waterfall is perceived through the eyes. The human eye is programmed by evolution to automatically focus on moving objects and perceive them faster than other objects in the same field of vision. That's why a waterfall automatically gets a lot of attention and attracts gazes like a magnet.
Clear water itself is transparent, and what you actually see in a waterfall is the glitter of the ambient light reflected from the water waves. That's why it's important to consider the effects of light when planning an indoor waterfall.
The best way to illuminate an indoor waterfall is from the front below or above. If the light sources are placed correctly, beautiful light reflections of the water can be reflected in the surroundings. A dark background is best to create a beautiful contrast for the light reflections. Lighting from behind is ufavourable, a bright and white background wall or a luminous flood surface. The light reflections of the water then merge with the background light and you can hardly see that water is flowing at all.
Indoor waterfall as sales promotion
A waterfall in a shop is like a customer magnet because it attracts attention. It ensures that more customers enter into the shop and that they stay longer. This automatically leads to more sales being generated.
A particularly large indoor waterfall is not only fascinating but also very impressive. Very successful companies like to place a waterfall in the entrance area to create an exclusive and high-quality atmosphere. Some architects who work at particularly creative and unusual objects like to use waterfalls as a design element.
Spa and wellness areas use the relaxing effect of indoor waterfalls
Ultimately, a waterfall is like a piece of nature. According to surveys, water is one of the most important terms when it comes to wellness. This means that most people immediately think of water when they think of wellness. That is why wellness hotels in particular like to use a waterfall in the spa area or in the quiet zone to create a refreshing and at the same time relaxing atmosphere for the guest. Watching calm and evenly flowing waves on a surface binds the attention and allows the mind to calm down for a moment. Just as listening to the sounds of water by a river or stream can have a harmonising effect.
Air purification from dirt and odours
Apart from dirt, dust and particles, a waterfall also purifies the air from odours. I may illustrate this with 3 examples from practice that really worked:
• Smoky foyer was odour-free overnight
A company in Kempten has an indoor waterfall of approx. 10m² in a foyer of approx. 150m², where the guests were smoking a lot while an evening event. The next morning, the technician was surprised that there was absolutely no smell of cigarette smoke, even though the room had not been aired out. However, when he took a look into the water reservoir of the indoor waterfall, it was immediately clear to him what had happened. The water in the water tank with a capacity of about 800 litres had turned brownish yellow - i.e. all the nicotine smoke had dissolved into the water and thus the stench in the foyer had also disappeared.
• Food odours in a department store
A department store could not control the kitchen smells of a restaurant, which were bothering the surrounding shop areas. Only when an indoor waterfall was installed did the kitchen odours in the retail areas disappear.
• Suffering employees in a perfumery
A larger perfumery had a staff occupancy problem, as the employees could not endure the constant perfumes load in the air. Headaches, weaknesses in concentration and malaise were among the symptoms. After an indoor waterfall was installed, that removes the fragrances from the air, the problems were eliminated.
Air humidification
In rooms with dry air, the human mucous membranes suffer. Dryness irritates the eyes, mouth, nose and skin. In dry air, flu viruses also multiply more quickly, increasing susceptibility to illness. Most plants will not last long in dry air. Wooden furniture and floors, as well as fixtures and fittings, can suffer irreparable damage if the air is permanently dry.
Indoor waterfalls can increase the humidity in dry rooms. Especially in such rooms, the evaporation of water is particularly high because the dry air is very absorbent. The larger the evaporation surface of a water feature, the higher the evaporation. A rough guideline for the amount of water that evaporates has been obtained over time. In a room of approx. 40m², approx. 3-5 litres / day evaporate per m² of evaporation surface at 24h continuous operation. This means that a 2m high and 1m wide water wall has approx. 2m² evaporation surface and thus evaporates approx. 6-10 litres / day. The higher the room temperature and the drier the air, the more evaporates and vice versa.
Air dehumidification
Often unknown is the fact that a cooled indoor waterfall can also be used to dehumidify the air. This means that the water level does not sink, but rises and must be removed in a controlled manner! The reason for this is that moisture always condenses at the coldest point in the room. You experience this effect, for example, when you take a cool drink out of the fridge and a few minutes later condensation forms on the bottle. You can achieve this effect if the water circuit of the water wall is connected to a second large container in a cooled room or cool cellar or if you additionally cool the water through a cooling pipe. Such a cooling operation must be carefully planned by an expert to avoid the formation of unwanted condensation water. Dehumidifying the air can be a very pleasant relief, especially on hot and humid days.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP has developed a patent for this, you can find more information here: https://www.ibp.fraunhofer.de/en/business-units-and-products/product-developments/water-wall.html. IBP has also developed software to simulate and calculate indoor climate conditions: https://wufi.de/en/software/wufi-plus/. We work together with IBP and are grateful for their mutual support and inspiration.
Water walls improve Feng Shui
Most Feng Shui books and consultants recommend a fountain or water feature in or around the house to increase life energy and create prosperity. Therefore, it is not surprising that most Asian restaurants have an aquarium or a fountain, because Feng Shui is a widespread belief in Asia. According to Feng Shui, flowing water increases life energy, and where life energy flows, money flows, they say in China. Water also symbolises communication, thus asians believe that flowing water in a room improves the communication between people. However, the cardinal points of the sky, the elements, and the direction of the flow of the water play an important role. For example, water should always flow towards the house so that life energy and money are directed towards the house and not vice versa. Furthermore, red colours should not be used for indoor waterfalls, as the red colour stands for fire and fights the element of water. If one is interested in Feng Shui, one should consult a Feng Shui advisor when choosing the place of installation and when designing an indoor waterfall.
Automatic indoor waterfall systems with low maintenance requirements
The filling, dirt filtering and water treatment of an indoor waterfall can be automated to such an extent that maintenance or care is only necessary approx. 1-2 times/year. This requires a water inlet and a drain so that evaporating water can be refilled with a float valve. The drain serves as an overflow protection, drainage option and as an outlet for the service water of the reverse osmosis system. The reverse osmosis system decalcifies the water before it enters the well circuit. A very fine membrane allows only the purest water in almost "distilled water" quality to pass through. Water molecules that do not want to separate from particles cannot get past the membrane of the reverse osmosis system and are led into the drain as service water. To prevent algae, germs and biological slime from forming in the water wall, an additional water additive against algae and germs is dosed via a dosing device. A sponge filter, sand bed filter or fleece filter removes dirt from the water so that the water and the waterfall remain beautifully clear and clean.
1. Drip tray, 2. Flood area, 3. Water inflow to the waterfall), 4. Water level, 5. Water film on flood area, 6. Backflow to the sump, 7. Large circulation pump delivers water to the waterfall, 8. Small circulation pump delivers to the filter,
9. Inflow to the filter, 10. Backflow from filter to the sump, 11. Dirt filter, 12. Sump, 13. Float valve, 14. Reverse osmosis system, 15. Canister with water additive against lime, algae and germs, 16. Dosing device for water additive, 17. Socket with FI 0.03 ampere, 18. Fresh water supply, 19. Drain, 20. Overflow protection at sump
No splashing water and no noise
In principle, you can construct any indoor waterfall in such a way that you hear almost nothing of the splashing or of the pump. However, if a splashing sound is desired, it can be artificially created. Nowadays, professional fountain and pond pumps are so advanced and quiet that you can hardly hear them. In addition, the pump can be placed in a separate container in another room so that no pump noise is audible at all.
Since there is no free-falling water in an indoor waterfall, but instead a closed film of water adheres to a surface, no flowing noises can be heard and splashing water is avoided.
A waterfall can be built in a very space-saving way
The construction depth of an indoor waterfall itself is only approx. 5-10cm, plus the drip tray, which requires a depth of 15-35cm, depending on the technology. Either you build the waterfall as a complete, stand-alone unit like a furniture piece that can also be placed somewhere else. Or you can integrate the indoor waterfall into the building structure, e.g. by fixing the flood surface invisibly in the suspended ceiling and in the floor and laying the pipes flush-mounted, in the hollow floor and in the ceiling. This variant is particularly popular because the observer naturally asks himself where the water comes from and where does it disappear? This enhances the impressive effect of an indoor waterfall that has been integrated into the building structure.
Large indoor waterfall heights can be realised
The higher a waterfall is, the more impressive it is. In high rooms and staircases, it can be a very invigorating and fascinating element. Especially if the architecture and design is rather cold and edgy, an indoor waterfall has a harmonising and natural effect and can improve the mood in the building, because people naturally feel comfortable near water.
Application of a company logo as adhesive foil, digital print or with sandblasting technique.
To strengthen corporate identity or brand communication, you can apply a company logo or motto on and behind indoor waterfalls which then is immersed in water. This is very popular, because if you already have an eye-catcher, many customers want to use the opportunity to advertise. The most common logo variations are multi-coloured, waterproof adhesive foils, digital prints behind glass panels and single-colour sandblasted logos on glass panels or stainless steel surfaces. On stone slabs, lasered logos made of stainless steel can also be applied and inlaid.
Interchangeable motifs as background for glass indoor waterfalls
The advantage of a glass indoor waterfall is that you can apply a removable digital print to the dry back of the glass panel. Or you can use the wall behind it and place a picture there. In this way, you remain flexible and can change the motifs again if necessary.
Why are indoor waterfalls so popular?
Why does water have a positive effect on space and the mind? Why do employees and customers feel comfortable near running water? Because it is stored in our genes that we survive by water - water is a "friend". That's why we automatically feel comfortable near water. And those who feel good communicate better. Flowing water also moves, cleans and humidifies the air, creating a healthy indoor climate. This is especially important in the cold season, because flu viruses multiply more quickly in dry air. With today's technology, indoor waterfalls run fully automated on their own for up to 6 months without any maintenance. In this way, the waterfall remains a beautiful eye-catcher, without limescale, algae or germs. In contrast to fountains and water objects, our indoor waterfalls can be compactly placed in an imposing setting. Glittering water waves on glass, stone or stainless steel do not splash and generate no noise. Well-planned lighting enhances the effect. Glass indoor waterfalls are particularly suitable as room dividers. They offer privacy and light transmission and at the same time beautify and enliven the room.
Different indoor waterfall versions
Indoor waterfall glass
Indoor waterfall glass 5x5m, without frame, flooded on both sides
As a building material, glass always appears light and clear and, being an indoor waterfall, exudes a refreshing and stylish atmosphere. Especially with a dark background or in combination with lighting, the glass indoor waterfall unfolds its fascinating optical effect and casts a spell over the observer. It is ideal as a room divider, as the visual effect is equally beautiful from both sides. A very popular variant is an indoor waterfall on mirror glass, because the mirror additionally reflects the ambient light, which intensifies the water reflections.
Tip:
For safety reasons, it is best to always use toughened safety glass (ESG-Glass) for your indoor waterfall, especially in public areas, and make sure that the glass pane is not impregnated by the manufacturer with water-repellent lotus effect or nano technology. Double panes of glass with coloured or safety films in between are not suitable in the long term, as over time water will penetrate between the glass and leave uncomely traces.
In any case, clean the glass panel thoroughly of grease and dirt before flooding it. With glass indoor waterfalls, it is important to install good protection against limescale, algae and dirt, as dirt can quickly be seen on a glass surface.
• To the gallery indoor waterfalls made of glass
Indoor waterfall natural stone
Indoor waterfall natural stone, Jura Yellow granite with grooves
The indoor waterfall made of natural stone is the near-natural variant that has a calming and balancing effect on the mind. According to Feng Shui, stone is the element that controls water and you too will feel how harmonious this combination is. The natural stone indoor waterfall is ideal for rooms with a lot of stainless steel.
Tip:
Only use lime-free types of stone such as granite and preferably only dark varieties - most customers prefer black granite such as Nero Assoluto, which has a beautiful natural and organic look with a flamed and brushed surface. Make sure that the stone slab is not impregnated with water repellent by the manufacturer.
Important: please note that most types of stone soak up water! This can cause a damp surface and mould on the back of the stone slab. You can prevent this by waterproofing the back of the indoor waterfall.
• To the gallery indoor waterfalls made of natural stone
Indoor waterfall stainless steel
Indoor waterfall stainless steel 4x5m in the foyer of a 5-star hotel
Stainless steel is an exclusive material and the ideal backdrop. Its cool appearance gives you a refreshing, energising feeling. Finely crafted, stainless steel has a high-quality and purist look - ideal for adding the finishing touch to an upscale ambience. Matching stone or light earthy colours, this variant offers the ideal contrast and shows off the water flow particularly beautifully. V2A is usually completely sufficient for the normal use with an indoor waterfall. If there is chlorine or salt in the environment, V4A is recommended. The most popular surface type for stainless steel indoor waterfalls is matt polished. Alternatively, you can also use polished stainless steel.
Tip:
Stainless steel plates usually have oil residues on the surface that have a water-repellent effect and prevent a full-surface water film from forming. Therefore, degrease the surface with a suitable degreaser (we recommend Tec7) before carrying out a test run. Just as with glass, good water treatment is important for a stainless steel surface, as limescale, dirt and algae can also be easily seen on stainless steel indoor waterfalls.
• To the gallery indoor waterfalls made of stainless steel
Operating modes of an indoor waterfall
Manual operation of an indoor waterfall
Manual operation means that you manually refill the evaporated water and also manually add a water additive against algae and germs to the water. An indoor waterfall can evaporate 30-100 litres of water per week, depending on its size and the room climate. Therefore, when planning a manual indoor waterfall, you should make sure to build the largest possible drip tray so that it does not need to be refilled for at least a week. If the drip tray is too small and evaporation is high, you may have to refill water almost daily to prevent the pump from running dry.
Power supply:
To operate an average indoor waterfall or wall fountain, as a basic requirement, all that you really need is a normal power socket. The following points should be considered:
For indoor waterfalls up to approx. 10m² flood area, a 220V power connection is always sufficient. These should, of course, be properly earthed. In public areas, it must be equipped with a separate 0.03 amp FI circuit breaker.
Power consumption:
Depending on the size of the well, the power consumption of the circulation pumps is approx. 40-150Watt.
Water connection:
A water tap for a manually operated indoor waterfall is not necessary, but very practical. Since you often have to top up with 30-100 litres per week due to evaporation, depending on the size of the fountain, the water tap saves you having to fill it manually by watering can or hose by simply opening the water tap and waiting until the tub is sufficiently full. If you forget to close the tap again, the drip tray can overflow. Therefore, either an overflow protection or a float valve should be installed to prevent this from happening.
1. Drip tray, 2. Flood surface, 3. Circulation pump pumps to flood surface, 4. Water level, 5. Inflow to flood surface, 6. Water film on flood surface, 7. Socket with FI 0.03 ampere
The automatic operation of an indoor waterfall
Automatic water supply:
The fountain is permanently filled automatically. The inflow is either mechanically regulated by a float valve or takes place at intervals by means of an additional timer up to a preset water level. In both cases, overflow protection is necessary. This means that if the water supply does not stop in time due to a defect in the float valve, the water must be able to flow safely through an overflow into the drain without the pool overflowing and causing flooding.
Descaling:
It is best to use a reverse osmosis system, which you connect before the automatic filling through the float valve. This way, your fountain will only be filled with lime-free water. Please note, however, that a reverse osmosis system only removes approx. 99.9% of the limescale, and over time the 0.01% can still lead to limescale deposits. That's why it is advisable to decalcify the system from time to time, even with a preceding reverse osmosis system.
Tip:
Use an additional water additive that prevents limescale from encrusting, or decalcify your indoor waterfall every few months with a decalcifier or vinegar essence, which you add to the fountain sump water and leave to take effect for approx. 1 hour during operation. Then change the water.
Dosing system for water additive against algae and germs:
To prevent germs, algae and organic slime from forming, you should add a water additive to the fountain water daily via a dosing device. Only use tested and proven water additives that do not destroy the surface tension of the water. Otherwise it can happen that the water film breaks off completely or partially and only a loudly splashing, spraying and tapering water jet is produced. You will then have to carry out a complete water change and cleaning of the water feature in order to get a proper water distribution again.
Dirt filtering:
As the fountain water constantly cleans the air and picks up airborne particles, it becomes dirtier and dirtier over time. For the best possible dirt filtration, use a system that either removes dirt via a backwash function or mechanically removes it from the water.
Control:
We recommend that you leave your indoor waterfall in continuous operation - we do not recommend a timer. A daily stop-and-go will cause the pump to wear out more quickly and can lead to uneven flooding and unwanted dirt spots as dirt particles dry up.
Types of installation:
You can place a pump in the water or set it up dry. Please bear in mind that the water level is constantly falling due to water evaporation, and if water is not replenished, a pump can run dry and thus be destroyed. You can avoid this by installing an additional dry-running protection. When setting the pump up dry, there is an additional risk from leaking connections.
Regulation:
Most pumps offer the possibility of flow regulation. However, these sliders and knobs are usually not very effective because they do not allow fine adjustment and often you cannot close them completely. That is why we recommend a flow control with a ball valve on the pressure side of the pump, which you can also place more easily accessible outside of the water. In addition to better accessibility, a high-quality ball valve also offers finer adjustment possibilities.
Larger pumps offer the possibility of speed control with a controller or dimmer. The advantage is lower power consumption and less wear and tear on the pump - however, the adjustment possibilities are not as fine as with a ball valve.
What you should pay attention to
Limescale
If you use normal tap water, sooner or later your fountain will calcify, depending on the lime content. This can impair the flow of water, causing the water film to break off, or in the worst case it can even lead to flooding. However, the pump suffers most when limescale builds up. First it loses power and in the end it stops. Unfortunately, in most cases the pump can no longer be repaired.
Tip:
It is best to operate your indoor waterfall only with lime-free water. This can be rainwater, distilled water or water from a reverse osmosis system. If you do not have limescale-free water, use a water additive that prevents limescale deposits. Alternatively, you can use a descaler or vinegar essence frequently to dissolve the limescale deposits before they cause damage.
Dirt
Your indoor waterfall cleans the air of airborne particles. This is mainly dust, and dust consists mainly of organic material such as skin residues, etc. Other suspended particles in the air are e.g. pollen, but also insects and of course fragrances. In addition, the water binds the fine dust in the air that is produced by exhaust gases or printers. Your air is thus cleaned very effectively, but the water in the fountain becomes polluted as a result. Dirt deposits in the water and in the pump can be avoided if you change the fountain water frequently or use an effective dirt filter technique. The easiest way is to use sponge filters, which you can get in shops for aquariums, for example. In such aquaristic shops you can also find internal and external filters for aquariums, which, depending on their size, can be used effectively with indoor waterfalls and fountains. In addition, such sponge filters are good for preventing noise and splashing water. The larger your indoor waterfall is, the more suspended matter it will absorb from the air and the faster the water and material will become polluted. I.e. the larger the indoor waterfall, the more effective the dirt filtration should be. For increasing sizes we recommend simple sponge filters, cartridge filters, multi-stage pond filters, sand bed filters and fleece filters. An indoor waterfall should be an eye-catcher. However, if it is dirty, it quickly becomes an eyesore.
Algae and germs
Sooner or later, algae and germs will form and multiply in the fountain water if you do not take preventive measures. Algae spores can enter the water through the air or through contact with contaminated material. Most types of algae multiply most rapidly in sunlight, nutrient-rich and oxygen-poor water. So the more dirt and organic matter there is in your indoor waterfall system and the less oxygen or water movement there is, the more algae will grow. That's why we recommend that you run your indoor waterfall at night as well, because stagnant water tilts and becomes foul faster than flowing water, because flowing water absorbs more oxygen.
Tip:
Do frequent water changes or use a water additive against algae and germs. A UV lamp can also provide a remedy - however, this only cleans the water that is passing by it and cannot prevent algae and slime on the surfaces of the indoor waterfall in the medium term.
Consultation
Do you still have questions or wishes? Or do you want an individual offer? We will be happy to help you and show you various options for achieving your dream indoor waterfall. Please get in touch with us:
