Thermostatic mixer: principle of operation and features (20 photos)

The European community has long begun to save water and heat. That is why consumers in Europe were the first to use temperature regulators in sensors as well as faucets equipped with thermostats. All these technical devices can not only save the benefits of civilization, but also increase the level of comfort when using them. And the thermostatic faucet is one of the novelties that today you can increasingly find in the kitchen, in the bathroom or toilet room of our citizens.

How does a mixer with a thermostat work?

The main objective of a thermostatic mixer is to maintain a constant temperature for the water flowing out of the kitchen tap or tap in the bathroom, or from the shower head. Moreover, the thermostat mixer both for bath and shower, and for the kitchen, and for the bidet ensures the temperature stability of the water flowing out of it even when the pressure in the pipes of hot and cold water supply changes. It costs, of course, more expensive than usual, but not by much. The comfort provided by a universal thermostatic mixer pays for the money spent on the purchase.

Equipping a shower, washbasin or bathtub with such a faucet for water will eliminate the risk of a burn of too hot water leaking from the tap. Contrary to your desire, a contrast shower is also not going to threaten you, because both the thermostatic shower faucet and the thermostatic bathroom faucet have limiter-locks for maximum temperature.

The principle of operation of a mixer with a thermostat is easy to understand if you know how it works. Like a thermostatic faucet for a sink, a bath mixer with a thermostat or any built-in thermostatic faucets have a similar design, including:

• a control head for adjusting the water pressure with the designation of the positions corresponding to the on and off states;
• ceramic cartridge for changing the pressure of the water at the outlet of the mixer;
• the lock head of the maximum value of the water temperature, as a rule, pre-set to a temperature of 38 ° C (in this case, if you need warmer water, just press the stop in the handle and turn it);
• a regulating head for water temperature with a visible indication of the set value for hot / cold water;
• a special “smart” cartridge capable of instantly responding to changes in water temperature at the mixer outlet and constantly maintaining it equally warm.

For aesthetic reasons, all the aforementioned control and control heads can have different designs and can be made either in the form of handles, or levers, or valves.

Electronic Mixers

Most often, mechanical thermostats are on sale, but you can also find models based on electronics, which are powered either from batteries, or from an adapter connected to a wall outlet. In such electrical devices, levers, valves and handles are absent, and instead of them, either ordinary buttons or a touch type are used.

Such models are equipped with a liquid crystal or LED display showing the temperature of the water, and sometimes its pressure. Inside, in the mixer housing there is a thermocouple, according to the signals of which the temperature of the water is adjusted by changing the ratio of the amount of water coming from the pipes of cold and hot water supply.

Built-in faucets

The integrated mixer is a prime example of ergonomics. This is an example of a successful design of devices from the category of modern plumbing with hidden installation. Such mixers combine magnificent appearance with excellent operational characteristics and allow to save space in bathrooms, harmonize an interior of these often small-sized rooms. The aesthetics of built-in mixers is due to the brevity of their structural elements, the presence of a minimum number of technical installations.

The use of flush mounting makes it possible to remove some unaesthetic elements of the mixer and leave only attractive attributes in sight. In this case, the thermostat is placed in the wall, and only the spout of the mixer is visible from the outside, as well as a shower head and a decorative panel with controls.

The laws of aesthetics say: the smaller the technical structure of visible parts, the more graceful it looks. Therefore, sensor mixers for flush mounting (which are non-contact devices controlled by just a touch of the touch) and built-in thermostatic mixers will be most effective from a design point of view.

Rain shower

Built-in faucets are especially suitable for bathrooms equipped with a rain shower, which is one of the best designs of an overhead shower. The use of a rain shower refers to hydromassage treatments. When it works, an imitation of tropical rain is created. Water supplied from above passes through the grate, evenly distributed over its surface. There are models with LEDs, the glow of which allows a person who is taking water procedures to relax better.

The typical design of the "rain shower" type watering can is designed for mounting on the ceiling of the bathroom. Thanks to its upper position, the water flow dissipates, creating a rain effect. But by setting the control lever in a certain position, it is possible to achieve that the water will be torn down not in a continuous storm stream, but in separate drops. In general, those who use a rain shower have the feeling that they are “wrapped” in aerated water, dousing the body completely, instead of watering some of its parts, as when taking a normal shower.

Previously, “tropical” devices were used only in sanatoriums, but today they are often installed by ordinary citizens in their bathrooms. It is believed that with the help of tropical rain it is possible to relieve stress conditions well, to treat some types of nervous diseases. He also has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin, making them more elastic. Blood flow improves as a whole.

Which spout to choose - long or short?

Faucets with a long spout are considered more convenient. They are most often purchased by customers, as they have an aesthetic configuration and are universal: they can be used both in the kitchen and in the wash basin in the bathroom. A long spout was available in most of the first faucets that were once used in our country.

Subsequently, after European plumbing began to become fashionable, faucets with a short spout began to appear, which are often mounted on sinks. The same models are usually installed in public places.

Universal thermostatic mixers with a long movable spout can serve both the bath and the sink at the same time.And in the conditions of small bathrooms, this gives certain benefits, since there is no need to run pipes for the sink and install another such expensive mixer.

Thermostatic faucets will be a very valuable asset for families with children - such devices are easy to use and impossible to burn, so the flow of water is blocked if its temperature is above 38 ° C.

By the way, in many countries of America and Europe the thermostatic mixer is a mandatory attribute of a four or five star hotel.

Installing a mixer with a thermostat takes a little time, and there is a lot of benefits. After all, its presence provides additional comfort and allows you to turn the bathroom, especially equipped with a rain shower, into a full-fledged SPA zone.