Thermostatic Shower or Manual Shower

Thermostatic Shower or Manual Shower?

Manual Showers:

What is a manual shower?

Manual shower mixers are simple to work and relatively easy to install. They must be independently supplied with hot and cold water feeds. The single lever controls both the temperature and flow of the water.

The manual shower controls the temperature of the water by manually adjusting the valve to the desired temperature before showering. It will not shut off automatically if there is hot or cold water failure, it will need to be turned off manually. Like most mixer showers, manual mixers can be exposed, or concealed.

However they could be a safety concern as if not used cautiously a user could scold themselves.

Requirements: On gravity systems, the minimum distance from the underside of the cold water storage tank to the shower head must be 1 metre this produces 0.1 bar of pressure.

Generally the minimum water pressure required for a manual valve is 0.1 bar (1.45p.s.i), the maximum water pressure is 10 bar (145 p.s.i). The maximum hot water supply we recommend is 80°C.

Recommendation:

Yet it should be noted that on gravity fed tank systems with low pressure it is advised to use a manual shower. This is because a thermostatic shower requires a high pressure to work as it requires a backflow of water.

Thermostatic Showers:

A thermostatic mixer valve is a necessary part of a high-quality shower. Safe, suitable and efficient, it ensures maximum showering satisfaction while protecting you and your family from the risk of scalding.

What is a thermostatic shower mixer?
A thermostatic mixer maintains an exact water temperature for the length of your shower. It protects you from any unexpected changes in the water supply to the shower, so even if somebody flushes the toilet or turns on the kitchen faucet the temperature of your shower will remain constant.

How does a thermostatic mixer work?

The thermostatic valve mixes the hot and cold water to your pre-selected temperature and reacts instantly to any changes in the pressure or temperature of the water supply by re-adjusting the mix of hot and cold water. Should there be a failure in your cold water supply, the thermostatic valve will automatically shut down.

Benefits?

A thermostatic mixer valve offers three key benefits: safety, convenience and economy.

Safety – Your pre-selected water temperature remains constant for the duration of your shower, so there’s no risk of scalding from a sudden temperature increase and no surprising shocks should the temperature plummet.

Convenience – Our thermostatic mixers will maintain your pre-selected water temperature, leaving you to relax and enjoy your shower. Should you wish to stop the water, the thermostat will automatically find the exact same temperature when you re-start the flow.

Economy – Install a thermostatic mixer and you can save water and energy too.

Requirements:

· For our thermostatic mixer valves we recommend that you have a minimum of 1 bar pressure, this pressure will enable you to run a shower with a good enough water flow.

· If buying a 1 way thermostatic shower with an 8 inch head this requires a minimum of 1 bar pressure.

· If buying a 1 or 2 way thermostatic shower with a 12 inch (300mm) shower head we recommend a minimum 2 bar water pressure.

· If buying a 2 or 3 way thermostatic massage shower set we recommend a minimum of 3 bar water pressure.