What Is The UK’s Best Thermostatic Mixer Shower?
Thermostatic mixer showers provide excellent water control and temperature stability, making them ideal for busy households. They help prevent scalding by maintaining the same temperature, even if there is a decline in the supply of hot or cold water. They’re considered cost-effective, convenient and safe. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best thermostatic mixer showers on the market.
Thermostatic Mixer Shower Reviews
Thermostatic Mixer Shower Buyer’s Guide
Your morning shower can make or break your day, so it’s well worth investing in a shower that’ll get you off to a good start.
There’s nothing quite so bad as a shower that can’t decide whether it wants to be hot or cold. A shower that alternates between scalding and freezing is both annoying and painful. A consistent temperature is particularly important if you’ve got young children.
Thermostatic mixer showers are the perfect option, as they allow you to regulate the temperature and are built with safety features to keep the temperature constant, even when someone flushes the toilet or runs a tap elsewhere in the house.
Just because you’ve decided on the type of shower you want doesn’t mean the decision will be easy; there’s still a huge range of designs and types on the market.
Here’s what to look out for when it comes to the best thermostatic shower.
Design
There is such a huge range of showers on the market today, that the design you opt for will really come down to personal preference. If you have young kids, an adjustable shower is important so that it’s comfortable for a range of heights.
You will find sleek, contemporary thermostatic mixer showers with a waterfall flow, as well as more traditional options. Chrome finishes are the most popular, as these are stylish without being too over the top.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficient showers limit the water flow to a more efficient level in order to save you money, and to help the planet! They usually have around a 50% reduction in water usage, and most people would struggle to tell the difference between an eco-shower and a conventional shower.
Temperature Control
The best thermostatic shower will stay constant whether or not a tap is running in another room, or someone has flushed the toilet. They come with a safety button which will instantly reset the temperature to around 38°C – a safe, warm and non-scalding temperature.
These are perfect for kids and the elderly, as there’s no risk of scalding and they are easy to use.
Warranty
The best mixer shower will come with a long warranty for peace of mind. While buying a shower that is rust and corrosion resistant will be sufficient, a warranty will give you that extra assurance. All decent brands should offer this.
FAQ
What is a thermostatic mixer shower and how does it work?
A thermostatic mixer shower is a shower that maintains the exact temperature of the water while turned on. That means that there will be no scorching as someone flushes the toilet downstairs, and no freezing to disrupt your peaceful shower when someone does the washing up!
A thermostatic valve mixes the hot and cold water to the preselected temperature, usually around 40°C. It reacts instantly to any changes in pressure and readjusts the mix so the temperature stays constant. If the cold water fails, the thermostatic valve will shut down to prevent scalding.
Thermostatic showers come with a safety button that can be pressed to instantly change the water back to the pre-set temperature.
How to install a thermostatic mixer shower?
Thermostatic mixer showers are available in 2 styles: exposed and concealed. Concealed will have the water connections hidden, while the exposed shower attaches to the wall with the water connections on display.
To install an exposed shower, find the nearest hot and cold pipes. Switch off the stopcock and drain any excess water from the pipes. Then run the pipework towards the shower, feeding the hot and cold supplies to the right side – it’s important not to get this muddled! Put plastic stops on the end of the pipes and switch the stopcock back on.
Flush the new pipework through to prevent a build-up of dirt. Remove the stop ends and flush the water through (preferably into a bucket). Then switch off the stopcock again.
Place the valve against the wall where it’s going to be fitted, and mark the length of outlet pipes required. Then cut the outlet pipes to the right length. Drill holes for the valve into the wall, and align the valve with the supply pipes.
Finally, screw the shower valve to the wall and tighten the nuts. Turn the water back on and check for leaks. Fit the rest of the shower kit, either the flexible hose or solid riser pipe. Once everything has been fitted, you can screw the shower head on and check for leaks, checking the thermostat works by running the taps to see if the temperature is constant.
Installing a thermostatic shower isn’t particularly complicated, but if the thought of DIY makes you want to run for the hills, we recommend getting a professional in. The cost more than makes up for the reduction in stress!