Bath shower mixer taps - thermostatic or not?

Probably not

But it is a nice to have and its not THAT much more

snipped-for-privacy@please.invalid (AnthonyL) wrote in news:687cc252.271170562 @news.eternal-september.org:

Absolutely! I got fed up having to instruct visitors on how to balance my old mixer tap fed shower so swapped to thermostatic as it is obvious to anyone how to use it and it handles fluctations in pressure and water temperature easily. Particularly useful as you have a combi and any other hot water demands will change the hot water flow temperature.

I wont suggest a make/model as I too am planning a bathroom refurb and just went for a half decent budget model, still works. I wouldn't go too cheap for yours but it doesn't need to be a big brand.

Cant remember what make mine are - I have two plus two non thermo, but I went for decent quality but no fancy gimmicks, The shower is the opposite end to the taps in my one 'shower in the bath' setup.

Definitely yes. Make sure it's a specific combi type, those intended for low pressure boilers will sort of work, but not as well.

If you're intending long term use, try to find out what the thermostatic unit model number is, they do need refurbishing after a number of years, when a seal hardens or flattens. I bought a fairly cheap one for a bedroom shower refurbishment about 35 years ago, and had a new bathroom installed about twenty years ago. Both units look very different externally but by good luck, they both use the same cartridge, replacements for which and seal kits are still available.

Yes, theres nothing worse than getting the shower at the correct temperature, then someone elsewhere turning on a tap to give you too hot, or cold a shower for a minute. Get the thermostatic.

Absolutely go for thermostatic.

Much safer (scald risk) and easier to use with minimal training.

Cheers

Dave R

The one I have has a rubber ring about an inch in diameter which closes against a backplate to shut off the water completely. As it spends very nearly all its time closed, the ring goes flat against the plate, and after some years, doesn't press hard enough to seal. It seems to last for about ten years or so, by which time many people will have moved house. After my two had both needed refurbishing and were the same kind, I bought a whole cartridge and the next time the shower dripped, just swapped it over and replaced the seals and added some grease at my leisure.

Theo

Thanks to all who have pointed me to the right direction.

Bear in mind on a Combi. you have no hope of ever keeping more than one hot tap running full bore at a time, unless its as big as a dog kennel

So don't expect miracles

After 5 seconds delay...

Not here.

FWIW I fitted one of these to my combi HW system:

Yes.

Longer answer? The cold temperature varies with weather, so the mix you need changes too.

Ours even keeps it steady when the toilet next to it stops refilling.

Andy

Feels like a silly question but what are the controls? I am only familiar with an old Mira 415 (similar to

Is it just a matter of turning each end (hot and cold) and it then that temperature is maintained.

Bathroom installer wants to ditch this for

snipped-for-privacy@please.invalid (AnthonyL) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org:

You asked about combined bath tap/shower mixers which would be simpler/cheaper (only one unit to buy and simpler installation) but if you wish to have them separate (and pay the extra labout cost of the in- wall piping) then there is no need to pay the price of that Mira item.

As an example Ikea have well made units at reasonable prices and with 10 year guarantees, examples below.

The benefit of bar mixers is that if they do go wrong they are very easy to replace as the pipe spacing is standard. And yes, it is temp setting at one end and on-off at the other, dead easy.

Mixer 69 quid:

fred snipped-for-privacy@for.mail wrote in news:dtyfQ.57607$ snipped-for-privacy@fx07.ams:

Here's an example of a combined bath filling tap & shower hose outlet (it's at the bottom). Probably not at neat as a separate unit with the hose potentially getting in the way but it depends on your planned bath/bathroom layout. Add a rail and shower head of your choice:

I have a reasonably sized bathroom and with a bit of juggling paper shapes on graph paper I worked out how to get separate bath and shower cubicles into the room alongside washbasin and toilet.

Expecting relatives to stay overnight occasionally, fitting the shower with a thermostatic control was a no-brainer. The shower has a temperature dial from 0 to 6, which made it easy for shower users to remember which number was right for them. On installation there was a maximum temperature "set and forget" screw where the maximum possible temperature could be adjusted, so that even if the hot water was nearly boiling it would mix the right amount of cold to limit the highest temperature delivered to the shower head.

I fitted the bath with a mixer tap so that hot and cold taps mingled to give the resulting temperature water. There is also an up or down control that chooses between spout or shower head output, because I like to wash my hair while I am in the bath and the shower head made that possible. I didn't bother with a thermostatic control on the bath but I have regretted the omission ever since. I found that it was impossible to set the mix to fill the bath to the temperature I want. It was always too hot or too cold and needed extra hot or cold to get the water temperature right, and there is nothing worse that being part way through rinsing my hair after getting the temperature right and having someone turn a tap on in the kitchen and either boiling or freezing my head.

If you can get thermostatic controls, my advice is to spend that bit extra and go for them. You won't regret it.