Pressure-balanced valves are usually the way to go, good call on installing one yourself—it's rewarding when you tackle something like that and it actually works. Did you notice any changes in overall water pressure afterward? I've had a couple clients mention their showers felt slightly weaker after upgrading, but most said they didn't notice a difference. Wonder if it varies by brand or something...
Nice job tackling that yourself—always feels good when things go smoothly. I've noticed the pressure drop you're mentioning, but it seems pretty subtle most of the time. Might depend on the valve brand or even your home's plumbing setup. I helped install one recently, and afterward the homeowner said their shower felt a bit softer, but nothing drastic. Honestly, I'd take slightly lower pressure over getting blasted with ice water mid-shower any day... especially if you've got kids or elderly folks around. Sounds like you made a solid choice overall.
I've noticed the same thing about pressure drops, but honestly, I think it varies a lot depending on your home's plumbing layout. At my place, we installed one of those anti-scald valves a couple years back, and while it definitely helped with the sudden ice-water shock, the pressure drop was pretty noticeable at first. Funny enough, after a few weeks we barely noticed it anymore—guess you just get used to it?
One thing I've wondered though: does anyone know if pipe diameter or material makes a big difference here? Like, would upgrading from older galvanized pipes to copper or PEX help keep pressure steadier when someone flushes? I've heard mixed opinions on this from plumber friends... some swear by copper for consistent flow, others say it's more about overall system design. Curious if anyone's got experience with that.
Had a similar issue at my old place—galvanized pipes were ancient and clogged up pretty bad. Switched to PEX during a remodel, and the difference was night and day. Pressure stayed way steadier when someone flushed or ran water elsewhere. Copper's solid too, but honestly, I think just getting rid of those old galvanized lines made the biggest impact. Pipe diameter matters, sure, but clearing out decades of corrosion probably helped more in my case.
"Copper's solid too, but honestly, I think just getting rid of those old galvanized lines made the biggest impact."
Yeah, totally agree. Galvanized pipes are notorious for corrosion buildup—it's like trying to drink through a straw that's half clogged. Switching to PEX or copper usually solves the pressure drop issue right away. Also, installing a pressure-balancing valve in the shower can help a lot. Had one client who didn't want to redo all their plumbing right away, and that valve alone made showers way less miserable when someone flushed.
