How to Choose Your Thermostatic Shower Mixer

Contents

    – Advantages and disadvantages of the thermostatic shower mixer

    – Choosing a thermostatic shower mixer

    – Price of thermostatic shower mixers

The thermostatic shower mixer allows you to adjust the water temperature to the nearest degree and maintain it throughout the shower. It remains to choose between the various models adorned with many materials, shapes, and additional equipment. Our zoom guides you through this world of thermostatic shower mixers. 

Advantages and disadvantages of thermostatic shower mixers

The thermostatic shower mixer is equipped with two levers; one is used to adjust the flow of water, the other to adjust the temperature, which is thus fixed at the desired degree.

But this is not the only advantage. Here are the others:

    – The water temperature remains constant, even when the pressure drops, for example, when someone uses another faucet in the house.

    The thermostatic shower mixer saves water since the correct temperature is reached without fumbling unnecessarily. This saves up to 5 liters of water per shower.

The main disadvantage of the thermostatic shower mixer is that it is more expensive than a simple mixer or a shower mixer. A mixer is a faucet with 2 levers, one regulating cold water, the other hot water.

Good to know: the bathroom is the biggest consumer of water. A 4 to 5-minute shower uses 60 to 80 liters of water, while a bath uses between 150 and 200 liters, depending on the volume of the bathtub. 

Choosing a thermostatic shower mixer

There are several criteria to consider when choosing your thermostatic shower mixer.

Design of thermostatic shower mixers

There is something for everyone: retro, classic, or more contemporary with pure or original shapes. As well as the finishes:

    – Chrome, the thermostatic shower mixer, can be matte, brushed, or polished. It is easy to maintain and particularly resistant. Drops of water can leave marks on it.

    The thermostatic shower mixer is also resistant and less easily marked in stainless steel, but it is not scratch-proof.

    – Other finishes are possible, such as brass or inexpensive synthetic materials.

Optional features

Additional features of thermostatic shower mixers include:

    – A safety feature is present on most models; it allows you to set a maximum temperature that should not be exceeded to avoid any risk of burning. It is easily unlocked if you want hotter water.

    – The flow restrictor allows you to save water while maintaining excellent shower comfort. It inflates the water drops with air, or a resistance point, which blocks the flow at mid-stroke.

    – An infrared control triggers the operation of the faucet by simply passing your hands over it.

Good to know: the NEC, or NFPA 70 certification, issued by an independent organization, guarantees that the thermostatic shower mixer not only delivers water at the specified temperature but also that this temperature is constant, regardless of the pressure, flow rate, and temperature of the water. It also guarantees its resistance to corrosion, durability, flow rate, silent filling, and interchangeability. 

Price of thermostatic shower mixers

You’ll find thermostatic shower mixers starting at around $100 and going up to over $400, depending on materials and manufacturers, not including installation.

Thermostatic shower mixers are available in hardware stores, faucet and bathroom specialty stores, and on the Internet.

The warranty on thermostatic shower mixers is generally 5 years or even 10 years for some manufacturers.

READ MORE:

• Pipes and Wrenches | Installing a Shower Tray;
• How to Choose the Proper Bathroom Faucets;
• 6 Easy Steps to Descale a Faucet Aerator;
• How to Choose the Proper Bathroom Faucets;
• Pipes and Wrenches | Unclogging a Drain;
• 5 Steps to Dress a Bathtub.