Re: Bridge basin taps for bathroom

[Christian McArdle]

SWMBO has decided that she cannot live with two separate taps on the

>bathroom basin anymore.

Is this for practical or aesthetic reasons? If practical (i.e. washing hands without being scalded) you could consider an external thermostatic mixing valve. These are frequently used in care homes to limit the water temperature (preset to 40C or less) but are also great for ensuring that the basin hot tap is a usable hand washing facility without dropping the temperature on the bath taps (I like these hot for top ups) and kitchen tap (hot good for dishes). Not as cheap as a new mixer tap, but cheaper than changing the basin for a monobloc capable one.

[Keith Refson - real email addr]

Before you go ahead, check whether the hot and cold water supplies are at the same pressure. Both low pressure (from loft cistern supply) is fine, and presumably both high (from a combi boiler?) is also OK, but mixing low-pressure hot and high-pressure cold is more problematic.

I actually did this myself in the last place, which involved installing check valves in both suplies and a pressure reducing valve in the cold. That worked reasonably well except that the flow through the pressure reducing valve tended to slow down through time and need readjusting. (possibly due to scale buildup.)

Keith Refson