What about alternatives to the thermostatic shower
system? Not everyone or every bath in
your home is going to require that much water flow or that many outlets in the
shower. There has to be a simpler way to
get the kids, guests, and / or the mother-in-law bathed. Rest assured, there are…
The most basic is the pressure balanced valve.
Most people know what this is, even if they
don’t know what it is called. It is the
simple single handle control on a round plate that is found in mid-priced motor
inns the world over. A ½” valve capable
of delivering somewhere in the vicinity of 4-7 GPM, depending on the brand,
quality, and water pressure in your abode, to your tub spout and / or
showerhead. It really is simplicity
personified (in a way of speaking). You
begin to turn the handle on the valve counter clockwise, and water begins to
flow, from cold to warm to hot, but with no control over the volume, to your
tub spout or showerhead. In the case of
tub / shower combinations, or if a hand shower is being added, a diverter must
be incorporated. In the case of a simple tub / shower
combination, the diverter can be built right into the valve itself and
activated by pulling on a plunger usually located on the plate. Sometimes it is found on the tub spout. In the case where you are using three
outlets, such as a showerhead, hand shower, and tub spout, a three way diverter
must be used. This is always going to be
a valve independent of the pressure balanced unit itself. In an instance where a hand shower is being
used in lieu of the showerhead with a tub spout, a separate 2 way diverter is a
good idea, as that type of configuration tends to wear out integrated diverters
within about a year of being installed.
Of course, there are those old school folks out there as
well…you know who you are…They still love the three or even four handle tub /
shower valve configurations that they grew up with.
Mostly, but not entirely, these have vanished
from the plumbing landscape. Most
municipalities have banned them from use because they provide no protection
from being scalded. Most of you who have
used these systems are familiar with being in the shower, minding your own
business, when all of a sudden, Mr. Pink upstairs flushes his toilet, and you
end up with a back (or scalp) full of scalding hot water and no place to
run. Not a pleasant experience! However, if you absolutely dig these
configurations and must have them, there is still a way, that meets code,
protects you from that malicious toilet flusher upstairs, and maintains your
delicate design sensibilities. You need
to utilize independent volume controls (compression types if you can find them)
for your hot and cold controls, a diverter if required, and most importantly, a
Remote Pressure Balanced Valve.
This
chunky piece of brass is what equalizes the pressure between your hot and cold
flows and prevents you from being burnt if the cold water is suddenly pulled
from your shower. The valve itself is
buried in the wall. You’ll never even
see it. It gets installed between the
hot and cold risers and your hot and cold controls. If you go with a four handle configuration,
you still get only one of them. Tub
fillers generally do not require anti scald protection, only showers and hand
showers. Check with your builder,
plumber, or architect, to insure this is the case where you live! Very important…there is nothing worse than
finishing your plumbing install, and having your friendly neighborhood building inspector notify you that your
installation is illegal and needs to be removed. Your project is stopped, and there is much
gnashing of teeth and beating of breast.
Communication with the professionals you are working with is key here. Just remember to ask questions, and you will
get what you want!
Richard Segal
Jan 2, 2012
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