I went thermostatic a couple years ago and honestly, I'd never go back. Yeah, it's definitely pricier—think I paid around $200-ish for mine compared to maybe $80-100 for a decent pressure-balancing valve—but it's worth every penny imo. Install wasn't too bad either, just make sure you've got access behind the shower wall (maybe through a closet or something). Standard plumbing tools did the trick.
"if it means no more jumping out of the shower like I've been hit by an iceberg every time someone flushes"
Haha, exactly why I switched! You planning to upgrade fixtures while you're at it or sticking with what you've got?
I’ve been thinking about going thermostatic myself, but honestly, messing around behind the shower wall makes me a bit nervous. I’m still getting used to this whole homeowner thing, and plumbing feels like one of those areas where things can go sideways fast, haha. Did you run into any unexpected issues during install? I might just bite the bullet though—anything beats the mini heart attack every time someone flushes...
"anything beats the mini heart attack every time someone flushes..."
Haha, I feel this on a spiritual level. When I first moved into my place, I thought I'd tackle the plumbing myself—big mistake. Two hours in, I'm soaked, watching YouTube tutorials with wet fingers and praying I hadn't just flooded my walls. Ended up calling a plumber anyway. Thermostatic valves sound great, but maybe have a backup plan (and some towels) handy, just in case things get... interesting.
Haha, plumbing DIYs are always an adventure. I've had my fair share of tenants calling me in a panic because their shower suddenly turned into an ice bath mid-shampoo. Usually, it's older buildings with outdated plumbing setups—those pipes just weren't designed for modern water pressure demands.
Thermostatic valves can definitely help balance things out, but they're not always a guaranteed fix. Had one installed in a unit last year, and it did improve things significantly, but every now and then, someone still gets a chilly surprise. Turns out the real culprit was actually the main water line being undersized for the building. Upgrading that was expensive, but it finally solved the issue completely.
If you're considering thermostatic valves, they're worth a shot—just don't expect miracles if your plumbing's ancient or undersized. And yeah, always keep towels handy... learned that lesson the hard way more than once.
"Usually, it's older buildings with outdated plumbing setups—those pipes just weren't designed for modern water pressure demands."
Haha, you've nailed it right there. Honestly, plumbing in older places is like playing whack-a-mole... fix one thing and another pops up. Thermostatic valves are a solid suggestion, but yeah, sometimes the real issue runs deeper (literally). Glad you finally got it sorted with the main line upgrade—expensive but worth it in the long run. And hey, cold showers build character... or so I've been told.
