Thermostatic Shower Buying Guide For Everyone

 Showers are quickly becoming the main focal point of bathrooms due to their simplicity of use and mobility.

There are many types of showers, but the thermostatic is one of the most well-known. A thermostatic shower is a mixer shower that's fed from the property's hot or cold-water supply and has an internal valve to mix them.

What is a thermostatic rain shower? And how does it work? They have created a comprehensive guide to answer all your questions about this type of shower.

What is a thermostatic rain shower?

A thermostatic shower, a type mix shower, features a thermostatic valve that maintains constant water temperature.

This valve, which mixes hot and cold water to maintain a predetermined temperature, is what makes it unique. This prevents cold shock and scalding, making it ideal for families with children and seniors. This shower is safe for all ages.

A thermostatic shower may be the solution if your shower runs too hot or cold, fluctuates in temperature, or is experiencing unusually low pressure.

What makes a thermostatic shower different than a mixer?

The manual mixer shower can mix hot and cool water to a predetermined temperature, but unlike a thermostatic, it is not able to react to abrupt temperature changes. A thermostatic shower reacts immediately to changes in water temperature and adjusts water to return to pre-set temperatures. This eliminates the risk of cold shock or scalding.

What is the difference between an electric and a thermostatic rain shower?

There are many ways that a thermostatic shower is different from an electric one. The main difference is that it requires a mains water supply in order to function. A thermostatic shower works by combining water pressure and temperature.

However, electric showers can be more cost-effective as they are not affected by other water usage.

What is a thermostatic shower?

Thermostatic showers keep water at a high temperature and then mix it with cold water in a valve that is set to the temperature you prefer.

The valve reacts immediately to temperature changes and will mix the water together. It will adjust the water mixture to bring it back to the desired temperature. This feature makes a thermostatic shower reliable and user-friendly.

If the cold-water supply fails, the thermostatic shower valves will shut down automatically. This is to prevent injury from the hot water, which can cause skin irritation. The thermostatic showers are multi-generational and family-friendly because of this safety feature.

Every thermostatic shower is composed of core elements. These are:

Element: The element is sensitive to the temperature of water passing through it. It can increase or decrease in size depending on the temperature.

Piston: The piston works in tandem with the spring to move across hot and cold water entry points. This regulates the water temperature by changing the amount of the element. Maintaining a constant temperature is possible thanks to the piston.

Temperature control: This is the section of the valve you can see and adjust, just like all showers. The control controls the movement of the piston and changes the water temperature.

These elements work together to maintain the temperature that you have chosen at a constant level and adjust as necessary.

What are the different types of thermostatic shower valves?

There are four types of thermostatic valves. This ensures that you can find the right valve for your bathroom.

These are:

Bar Valve

Bar shower valves are small and slim and can be used in small bathrooms. These valves can be fitted easily and are the most affordable of all thermostatic valves. They come in many materials including chrome and black, and can be installed on either square- or cylindrical-shaped bars.

Concealed Valve

Concealed shower valves can be used by those who desire a minimalistic bathroom design with a sleek, discreet style. The shower works are hidden behind a plate that is attached to the wall or the wall itself. This allows for less bulk and displays only the controls, riser, and showerhead.

Exposed Valve

Exposed shower valves give your bathroom a designer-inspired appearance. All controls and workings of the shower are located on the external wall. This allows you to switch between 2 water outlets (e.g., an overhead shower or a handheld shower). This valve is useful for larger bathrooms.

Valve Traditional

Traditional shower valves are a classic design that bring beauty and technology to your bathroom. These valves include cross and level handles and a mix of exposed and bar valve designs. This is the perfect mix of modern showering and vintage touches.

How to install a thermostatic rain shower

You don't have to start from scratch - you might already have separate pipes for a bath and a mixer shower. In this case, you will need to shut off the stopcock to drain the water and isolate the water supply.

Choose where you want to get your hot or cold water

You can tap or tee into the water supply if the thermostatic shower is installed above a bathtub. If you're installing a thermostatic bathroom in a shower enclosure or cubicle, however, you can tap into the nearest piping. This is usually under the floorboards.

The hot and cold-water pipes should be run towards the shower.

Once you have turned off the water supply, tap into the water supply. Next, run the pipework towards the shower. To ensure that the hot and cold-water supply are correct, make sure to check the instructions for your thermostatic valve. Hot water is generally on the left.

Plastic piping is easier to use and can be run underneath your floorboards or up behind stud walls. Pipe inserts are used at all joints to prevent plastic pipes deforming from heat or use.

Install a shutoff valve for your hot and cold-water pipes as close as possible to the shower. Copper piping can be more difficult to tighten than plastic so you might try inserting copper pipe at the end.

Turn off the water supply to find any leaks. Cover the pipe ends with plastic pipe covers.

Flush the piping

Any dirt in the water running through your thermostatic shower valves could cause damage. This can be done while you check for leaks. Run water through the pipes while you remove the stop ends. To catch dirt, place a bucket under the pipes.

Once you are done, turn off the water supply via the stopcock.

Mark your pipes and cut them

Hold your thermostatic valve flat against the wall. Next, use a pencil to mark the length of the pipe (hot and cold) that is needed for the valve to be flush against the wall.

After you have done this, remove any excess piping. A saw or a tube/pipe cutter can be used to cut the excess piping.

Drilling

Once you have cut the pipes, drill the holes for the thermostatic valve. You mark the location of the valve and the screw points. Next, drill the holes. A diamond-tipped drill bit is best for drilling on tiles and walls.

The rest of your shower should be adapted

After the valve has been installed, you can attach the rest of the shower, including the riser or hose and the handset or shower head.

Flexible shower hoses are easier to use because you just need to connect it to your valve by screwing it in, and then fit the bracket that will hold your handset.

Fixed riser pipes may come in oversized sizes to fit different bathroom heights. You may have to reduce the size. Measure the length of the recess where the pipe will fit on the thermostatic valve. Next, measure the depth of the recess that the pipe will sit in on the thermostatic valve.