A mixer shower is a regular fixture in UK homes. Whether you already have one, or you are considering one for your bathroom, you may be wondering how they work. Read on to find out!
Mixer Shower
As the name suggests, a mixer shower mixes hot and cold water within the shower itself. This means you aren't limited to hot or cold water – you can combine both for the perfect shower temperature.
How Do Mixer Showers Work?
Just like mixer taps, mixer showers have two water inputs, hot and cold. The two are mixed within a central valve to provide water at your desired temperature.
Mixer showers draw directly on the mains water supply, which means their water pressure and temperature can suffer if someone else within your property turns on a tap. To help prevent this, you can install separate shower pumps to boost water pressure.
What Is a Thermostatic Mixer Shower?
Some models of mixer shower are also thermostatic, which means they can be kept at one temperature regardless of anyone using the water supply for something else.
There are several main parts to a thermostatic valve. The thermostatic element itself is sensitive to the temperature of the water in the valve. It will expand if there is an increase in heat, and shrink in cold. The element is attached to a piston, which moves across the entry holes for hot- and cold-water flows.
This adjusts the amount of hot and cold water entering the valve, helping maintain a constant temperature. You can adjust the temperature yourself thanks to an external dial. This dial is attached to the piston itself, meaning you are manually changing the proportion of hot and cold water within the valve.
Mixer Shower Valves
Mixer shower valves can either be exposed or concealed. Exposed valves are attached directly to the wall space, making them very simple to install. A concealed shower valve has all the working parts concealed within the wall space, and just the shower head and control panels on show.
A common feature of mixer showers is to have two shower heads: one fixed in place overhead, the other on a flexible hose. This allows you to toggle between water outlets and enjoy a fuller cleansing experience from your shower than you might if you just had an overhead outlet.
If you have any queries about mixer showers, or about any of our products, don't hesitate to contact us, and we’ll be only too happy to help.
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