If you want speed and convenience, without completely sacrificing luxury, then you absolutely must have a shower as an integral part of your bathroom suite. The thing is, there is an awful lot of difference between the various arrays of shower setups out there – how do you know which way to turn?
So, let’s say you’re fairly fresh to this whole bathroom thing, and are looking for a straightforward guide to walk you clearly through the rudiments of what you need know about mixer shower units and their capabilities. Well, here I am…
Mixer Shower Valve
A mixer shower valve is the standard piece of equipment you will require when you come to put together a shower kit. At its most simplistic, and at the risk of patronising you, the mixer mixes the two separate flows of water – hot and cold – to create the perfectly heated flow of water for your shower.
For extra usability, you can get mixers with additional outputs on them. This means you can add other hand held shower heads or other accessories, such as body jets, to further increase the luxury of your shower.
Thermostatic – or not?
Now, I have to confess some level of bias here. You see, I think thermostatic showers are the best you can get, despite the slightly more weighty initial outlay. A thermostatic mixer valve does away with the irritation of having to turn and balance the taps yourself, which can turn into a right palaver when you are desperate to get ready in the morning! Plus, thermostatic valve mixer showers guard your flow against others who call for hot water from elsewhere in the house!
Any Other Advice?
Well, I suppose the other pointers are really generalist stuff that can apply elsewhere, put into a mixer showers context. First of all, and it is something people I write for know is always there, is that I advise to research materials closely, as they can make all the difference in performance and longevity. Always look for steel or brass valves, of whatever function, in order to guarantee toughness and a resistance to rust and other deleterious corrosive elements. The other is to ensure you get yourself a solid warranty of a good length, for free, if possible. Free guarantees are available of up to a decade now, so do make sure to search wide and long.
