Scalding in the Shower?
Install a Thermostatic Mixing Valve
Have you ever been enjoying a nice, warm shower when all of a sudden the water turns shockingly cold? Or even worse, someone flushes a toilet and the shower becomes unbearably hot to the point of burning your skin? Eliminate these major and potentially harmful shower temperature fluctuations by installing a thermostatic mixing valve.
Why is a thermostatic mixing valve so important?
Each year, thousands of people suffer injury as a result of surprising water temperature fluctuation. A common source of injury is slipping and falling in the shower as a reaction to a sudden increase or decrease in water temperature. A thermostatic mixing valve will also avoid scald incidents. This is a particular risk to young children, the elderly, and people with disabilities due to tender skin and slower reaction time. Legionella bacteria are responsible for Legionnaires’ Disease and Pontiac Fever and thrive in temperatures between 95-115 °F. It is common to maintain the hot water tank temperature at 140 °F because the legionella bacteria cannot live in temperature above 131 °F. A thermostatic mixing valve is a helpful tool to store the water at a temperature to avoid bacteria growth while also delivering shower water to the user at an appropriate temperature.
Why does my shower temperature fluctuate?
To achieve your ideal shower temperature, you are using a combination of hot and cold water. Since toilets only use cold water, when a toilet is flushed, cold water is temporarily siphoned from the shower to allow the toilet bowl to refill. The shower then gets extremely hot since there is less cold water available to mix with the hot water to create your perfect shower temperature. On the other hand, the shower water may become shockingly cold if someone is utilizing hot water when using the dishwasher or washing machine since hot water is being taken away from the shower to be used for other household appliances.
What is a thermostatic mixing valve?
A thermostatic mixing valve is a device that mixes hot water with cold water to provide a safe, accurate, and constant flow of temperature-controlled water. Regardless of how the supply temperatures or pressures vary over the time of use, the temperature will remain nearly exactly the same as desired. If cold water is reduced, due to a toilet flushing for example, the valve will automatically adjust the amount of hot and cold water being mixed to keep the temperature consistent and safe.
How does a thermostatic mixing valve work?
Hot and cold water entering the valve is mixed to a temperature selected by the user. A thermal-sensitive mechanism automatically proportions the amount of hot and cold water needed to create the correct temperature. The mechanism will automatically compensate for any reasonable variation in supply pressures or temperatures to maintain the pre-selected temperature.
Your neighborhood plumber, Pride Plumbing of Rochester, can help. Serving Rochester, NY, and the surrounding communities, Pride Plumbing offers a wide array of services including drain cleaning, water heater repair and replacement, elder care installation, and resolving bathroom plumbing issues. The licensed master plumbers take pride in providing high-quality customer service. Call Pride Plumbing at (585) 271-7150 or click here to schedule an appointment online.
