Had the same issue for years, finally went with a mid-range pressure-balancing valve and some pipe insulation—honestly, best money I've spent lately. Not perfect, but way better...and my kids stopped yelling mid-shower, so that's a win in my book.
Yeah, pressure-balancing valves are pretty solid for that kind of issue. Had a similar situation at my parents' old place—every single morning, someone would flush the toilet downstairs and whoever was showering upstairs would scream bloody murder. My dad tried everything from yelling at us to "time our flushes" (like that's realistic with four kids...) to messing around with random DIY fixes he found online. Eventually, he caved and installed a decent pressure-balancing valve, and it made a huge difference. Not perfect, like you said, but at least it stopped the morning screaming matches.
But here's something I've always wondered about: has anyone tried upgrading to a thermostatic valve instead? They're pricier, I know, but I've heard they can maintain water temp even better than the pressure-balancing ones. My current apartment has one (I think?), and I've never had the cold-water shock happen here, even when someone runs the dishwasher or flushes. Curious if anyone else has experience comparing the two directly, or if it's just marketing hype?
I've actually had experience with both types of valves, and I'd say thermostatic valves are definitely a step up from pressure-balancing ones. When we renovated our bathroom a few years back, I did quite a bit of research on this. Thermostatic valves don't just react to pressure changes—they actively monitor and adjust the water temperature itself, which makes them more precise and consistent.
In my case, the thermostatic valve completely eliminated those sudden temperature swings, even when someone flushed or ran the washing machine downstairs. The only downside is the upfront cost; they're pricier, as you mentioned. But if you're planning to stay in your home long-term or you're particularly sensitive to temperature fluctuations, I'd say it's worth the investment.
One other thing to consider is that thermostatic valves can also help save water and energy, since you're not constantly fiddling with the controls to get the temp right again after a flush. So, from an eco-friendly standpoint, there's definitely an added benefit there.
Totally agree on thermostatic valves being worth the extra cost.
"you're not constantly fiddling with the controls to get the temp right again after a flush."
Exactly! Plus, from what I've seen during installs, they're usually pretty durable too, so fewer headaches down the line...
Thermostatic valves are great, no doubt, but honestly they're not always a perfect fix. I've seen a couple installs where even with thermostatic valves, the temp still dips a bit when someone flushes—especially in older homes with wonky plumbing setups. They're definitely durable though, I'll give you that.
"you're not constantly fiddling with the controls to get the temp right again after a flush."
True, but sometimes it's worth checking if your water pressure or pipe sizing is part of the issue too... thermostatic valves can't always compensate for everything. Just my two cents from what I've seen so far!
