We have a shower that is being used multiple times throughout the day. For each use the target temperature is always ~30C. Unfortunately, the water in hot water pipe tends to cool down if someone was not using shower for longer time. If this happens, then the next person using the shower have to either:
- start at 100% hot water and 0% cold water. And drain the cooled down water from pipes. Only then ramp up intake of cold water. OR
- leave the shower to previous setting and drain/waste even more water because cold intake would be delivering water while the hot water temperature is still ramping up.
I was wondering if there is a valve, that I could preset to specific target temperature and it would automatically intake only hot water until the egress water temperature reaches the target temperature. Once target temperature reached, then it would start to mix the cold water so that the egress water temperature would not go over the preset temperature. How is such valve called in English?
Also, it may be a big problem for us if the temperature ever gets too hot. If such valve exists is it fool proof not to go over the target temperature?
The main goal here is to save water and reduce time that person has to wait in the shower for target temperature to be reached. While not mandatory, perhaps a digital screen with two buttons plus and minus to fine tune temperature would be a great plus too.
Best Answer
These shower controls seem to be common in the UK, I've never seen one in the USA. I'd be very happy to find one here. I expect importing one and connecting it would be a pain with the different pipe threads and sizes between there and here.
One knob sets temperature (thermostatically to a specific temperature, so you don't have to fiddle with it each time, but you can set it warmer or cooler to suit) the other sets the flow rate.
Thermostatic shower valve seems to be the right term, but not all results on that term are actually ones that work that way, so look to the details. There do seem to be (severely overpriced, IMHO) digital options out there, and now some in the US market at nosebleed pricing even for basic rotary control.
The OP should insulate the hot water pipe serving the shower as heavily as possible.