Showers are one of the most essential parts of almost every modern bathroom, but are that so easy to find out the best one among all? Not. Showers are actually not meant for hygiene only, but they are also a symbol of respite, peace, and luxury as well. Fully loaded up with various advanced features, a perfect shower can also sometimes ruin our experience due to the selection of some extreme features. You might feel extremely hot or cold water conditions and can jump, panic and scramble as well. The situation gets worse when we furiously slip and fall.
The boiling water can also cause severe scalding in just a few seconds. So to avoid thermal shock and scalding, one must need to use safeguard while using showers for your children and elderly adults. As per the best shower valve reviews, anti-scald devices are the right fixtures at such moment.
If you are going to install a shower valve, pressure balancing valves and thermostatic values are the two primary types to choose from. But do you know what exactly the difference between these two is. Making it much simpler for you, the thermostatic valve is used for sensing and controlling the actual temperature of water, whereas the pressure balance valve senses the ratio of hot and cold water only. Making a final selection between the two is quite challenging to do. One needs to consider their preferences, availabilities, and budget before making a final selection.
| Pressure Balancing Valves | Thermostatic Valves |
| It has a single control valve. | It has two control valves. |
| The only valve controls the temperature and pressure of water. | One control valve controls the temperature of water whereas the other controls the pressure. |
| Slightly minimum temperature limits. | Maximum temperature limits providing scald protection. |
| Temperature control is depended upon its volume as both are controlled by single handle only. | Temperature control is independent of its volume as both are managed by different handles. |
| No true volume control with a PB valve. 100% water volume goes through if the valve is turned on. | You can easily control the volume with a TV valve. |
| More will the valve will open, hotter will be the temperature gets. | Controls the temperature and volume both through two different handles. |
| Maximum temperature limit is being usually set during installation and hence prevents from scald. | Temperature has to set manually and hence can’t be prefer to use by kids and elderly adults. |
Working: Pressure-Balancing Valves VS Thermostatic Valves
The pressure balance valves include only one handle to control both the temperature and pressure of the water. One can easily balance the weight with the help of sliding disc on a piston or can also make use of a spool, that further react to changes and helps in maintaining the pressure ratio. Whenever one flushes the toilet, the maximum of the cold water will be sent out to the toilet tank that further reduces its temperature at the shower valve. The pressure balance valve will reduce the hot water and hence maintain the balance between hot and cold flows. As the valve we are going to use here is pressure balance valve and therefore does not cause any effect on the temperature of the water. It means that the valve is set at maximum temperature will send out the hot water as in the water heater.
Thermostatic valves: Thermostatic valves include two different handles, so one can easily control the volume and temperature of the water without affecting both. The main element that makes it natural happening is the wax element inside the valve that usually expands and contracts as per heat. Whenever the water exceeds its maximum set temperature, the part inside gets to grow and hence thus reduces the flow of warmth as well.
How to choose the right valve
If you are looking for a shower valve that seems to be beneficial for children elderly adults, or people with sensory disabilities, you can easily choose any one of provided. Just have a look at your preferences, expectations and budge before a final selection.
Which valve wins the race?
Every user has a set of rules, preferences, expectations, and budget range. So one can only make a final decision after considering all of these factors. Pressure balance is one of the most excellent options to choose on. It offers excellent ease of operations and controls and is quite safe for children and elderly adults.
