Shower Valves

A Thermostatic Shower maintains the temperature of the water coming out of the shower head. In a thermostatic shower if the temperature of the mains supply changes then the shower valve adjusts the mains supply to balance the temperature. For example if a WC is flushed then the flow of the mains cold water supply is disrupted, a thermostatic shower will reduce the mains hot water supply to compensate for this and the temperature will remain constant, the water coming from the shower head will not get hotter. In contrast a manual shower valve simply supplies the hot and cold supplies to a shower mixer and the temperature is controlled manually by the user. A manual shower mixer is often connected to a single lever control shower valve where one lever or dial is used to control the flow. This allows more control over the water temperature and flow that you are getting out of the shower head. So there are advantages to a thermostatic shower because your showers temperature will remain constant and there is no risk of scalding from any sudden rise in temperature of the water. A manual shower mixer, however, gives you much greater overall control over the temperature and flow of the water passing through you shower valve.

A valve controls the mix of hot and cold water entering a showerhead and if this is a manual valve, it simply means that the person using the shower is responsible to make the adjustments to the water flow to maintain a consistent water temperature in the showerhead. Showers are notorious for providing variable water temperatures in the shower at the least provocation. Fortunately there is a better remedy for unruly showers than the manual shower valve - and this is the thermostatic shower valve which can be set to regulate water flow at a particular temperature and then if variations occur with either the hot or cold water input -the thermostatic valve will make the necessary compensation in the system so that a constant temperature of the shower water is achieved. Most thermostatic valves are able to maintain consistent shower water temperatures to within 1 degree of variation, and generally provide for a complete shut off in the event of major discrepancies in the water supply. However, a wide range of both manual and thermostatic shower valves are manufactured for you to choose between. Manufacturers include Gainsborough, Aqualisa, MM2, Primaflow, Grohe,Bristan, Trevi, Inta, Roman, Mira and Deva. Manual or thermostatic valves are often installed with power showers to provide the best consistent output from the shower.

Deva offers a range of traditional and contemporary showers with thermostatic valves. Bristan offers a choice of four manual mixer valves and makes a thermostatic cartridge - this is fitted to their Java shower which has thermostatic control and a variety of spray patterns to suit your mood. Gainsborough has a recessed and an exposed thermostatic shower mixer. Some products will not operate efficiently with low water pressures so you will need to ensure that your hot water system is compatible with any particular product choice - the alternative is to invest in an electric shower which can boost the pressure in your shower system to a level at which all manual and thermostatic shower valves will operate effectively.

The main benefit of using a thermostatic shower valve is that you get complete shower safety with cut off under extreme temperature variations and a guaranteed steady temperature for your shower - nice for anyone but particularly important when there are young children, infirm or elderly people using the shower. In some homes the shower is particularly vulnerable to the most minor fluctuations in the water supply and pressures in the system - it is better to install a thermostatic valve than to have all other domestic activity put on hold while somebody takes a shower. Whether you choose a manual or thermostatic valve to control the operation and temperature of your shower the benefits are clear - you can visit Discountedheating.co.uk to choose your product and directly place your order.