People always strive for comfort in their home. It is not enough to just have a water supply in your home and arrange for its heating, modern households already need constant maintenance of a certain temperature and water pressure. For this purpose, a thermostatic mixer was created, a popular device all over the world, which is currently actively conquering the domestic market.
What is a thermostatic mixer?
A thermostatic mixer is a programmable device that not only maintains a set water temperature. Most models are also able to regulate and maintain a constant water jet pressure.
Usually, a thermostatic mixer is equipped with two regulators. With the help of one, the desired temperature is set, the other – the pressure level.
There are two types of devices: electronic and mechanical.
The first option is easy to identify by the presence of a liquid crystal screen, which displays data on the actual water temperature. Such models run on batteries or a mains adapter. They can be equipped with button or touch control. There are options that respond to signals from an infrared sensor and work remotely.
Mechanical models have conventional regulators, of various designs. These can be levers, handles or valves.
By purpose, they are divided into: for the sink, for the bath, for the shower, for the kitchen, for the bidet. That is, in any place where you can put ordinary mixers, models with a thermostat are also produced.
According to the installation method, mixers are divided into external and built-in. The latter are usually used in the bathroom or shower and are built into the wall, and only control mechanisms remain outside. This is a very elegant solution, but it is much more difficult to install. And external mixers, which are more common, are mounted on the wall, sink or kitchen sink.
Operating Principle
The design of the device is quite simple. Each sink mixer with a thermostat, as well as other models, is equipped with a special mixing valve, which is regulated by a special cartridge. The cartridge, which is sensitive to the slightest temperature fluctuations, is made of bimetallic plates or contains wax. As a result, even with small changes in the water heating level, it begins to either narrow or expand. Temperature settings are transmitted to the cartridge using a mounting screw. For safety, a fuse is installed on the adjusting screw, which prevents the water temperature from rising above 80 C.
The fact of a sudden cessation of cold water supply will be a signal to block hot water. When the water supply is restored, the mixing process is automatically continued. Thus, the thermostatic shower mixer completely eliminates the risk of getting a burn due to a sudden temperature jump.
Installation
There are a number of recommendations for installing a thermostat, by following which, you will significantly increase its service life.
First, you should pay attention to the water pressure in the water supply. It should be in the range from 1 to 5 bar. The device is able to withstand short-term surges up to 8 bar.
Secondly, it is the difference between the pressure of cold and hot water, it should not exceed 10%. All this is solved after installing the reducer.
Third, it is the purity of the water. It is better to install a filter at the inlet or at least nets that will not allow particles larger than 300 microns to pass through.
Otherwise, you will have to change the cartridge periodically, and this is the most expensive part in the mixer.
During operation, it is not recommended to use the mixer if plumbing repairs are being carried out, as a rule, at this time a water hammer may occur, and also the water has an increased content of dirt, which will negatively affect your mixer.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Equipment
Convenient mixers are especially relevant for families with elderly people or small children. In addition, they are installed in rooms where adjustment is difficult due to the difference in pressure in the pipes with cold and hot water. A mixer with a thermostat has many advantages:
- Cost-effectiveness. Accurate system settings allow you to avoid excessive consumption of hot water, which is especially important if there are electric appliances in the house for its heating. The overall water consumption, which usually increases during the adjustment process, is also significantly reduced. In addition, the device is able to operate in a specially set economy mode.
- Absolute safety. During hygienic procedures, you can be sure that the shower mixer with a thermostat will not allow the water to overheat above the specified temperature and will not allow ice water to pour on the person. This is especially important for those who use an autonomous water heating system, for example, storage water heaters. Such devices bring water to a temperature of 80C, which is potentially dangerous. A mixer with a temperature regulator in such cases significantly reduces the possibility of accidental burns.
- Comfort. The system does not depend on pressure or water temperature fluctuations in the pipes. In any case, with the exception of a complete cessation of water supply, the mixer will supply water of the desired temperature with a set pressure. The device reacts quickly, within about 2 seconds, to the changes that have occurred and adjusts properly to the new conditions. At the same time, the result of its work does not change. A mixer with a thermostat will bring comfort to your home.
The main disadvantages can be identified two: these are the requirements for water supply and water, which were described above, and the second is the cost.
The price of a mixer with a thermostat can exceed the price of a regular one by two or three times, which can be decisive for many buyers.
It should be understood that by installing a mixer for the kitchen with a thermostat, a system for the bathroom or for the shower, we get an economical and practical device. It will allow you to save some money on energy and water supply, ensure complete safety and give you the pleasure of always comfortable water temperature for you.