Are there any pre-reqs for installing a Thermostatic Shower?

[moore_ag]

Hello,

I understand the options for a shower where you have a ocmbination bioler only are a Pressure Balanced Mixer Shower, a Thermostatic Mixer Shower or an Electric Shower.

Looking at the pro's and con's for each I have decided a thermostatic shower is best - and you can buy a number from B&Q quite cheaply.

Is there anything I need to know before buying one? Do you need a minimum level of pressure? Will you be needing to fit an optional pump (prefer not to)? Etc?

This would be for an upsairs bathroom in a typical 1930's terrace house.

Thanks.

[gasman]

If you have a Combi boiler then min pressure will not be a problem as your hot and cold supplies are at mains pressure, though the hot may a be tad lower due to flow restrictions through the heat exchanger etc. You cannot fit a pump to a Combi system at all. just make sure the shower you get is suitable to run off a Combi system it will say so on the packaging somewhere that it is sutable for Combination Boilers. And make sure that Isolation valves and backflow prevention regs are addheared to other wise when you get it checked for bra (building regs approval ) it will be condembed and you're water will be turned off. The water companies do not like cross-contamination and will and often do fine !!! If you use a registered plumber then you will not have to worry about this as they can self certificate without the need for bra.

[ethandron]

we've just had an electric shower fitted, due to the one attached to the combi-boiler being totally and utterly useless. we must have wasted so much water by having to wait for the water to go cool enough, or hot enough, to stand under. a registered plumber fitted this new one, and we had an electrician here too, and there were lots of forms which had to be filled in because of the regulations which now exist.
honestly, it's money well spent getting an electric one installed. by the way, we bought ours from screwfix and it was quite a lot cheaper than anywhere else.
hope this helps.

[moore_ag]

Hello - what model of electric showr did you get?

My concern worry with electric showers is the water is cold at high flow and only hot enough on low flow?

Does it actually give you a nice warm/hiot decent pressure shower?

Thanks

[ethandron]

it's a mira sport max, which is a pretty powerful one. mira showers get a really good name and there are a number of different ones available. my son has a a mira sport, and that too is great. there is no problem at all with the heat and flow, well, unless you turn it up to maximum and then it goes a little less powerfully, but it would be too hot to use anyway!
and to answer your last question, yes, you get a really, really good, hot, decent pressure shower. i would totally recommend them. hope this helps.