Scalding hot water coming out of shower heads is a common complaint we get here at Ken's. If you're a parent of a small child, you know it's the kind of hot where you forget (only once) that your kid doesn't know to check the temperature before stepping into the tub until you hear the screams down the hallway. It's a kind of hot that makes your pets stay away from their bath schedules, too.
And while hot showers are nice, no one enjoys third degree burns because you slightly turned the knob and your water went from lukewarm to blistering. So today, we're going to solve this issue by telling you a little bit about a dream tool that prevents a sudden change in water— a dream tool called Anti-Scald.
How Anti-Scald Works
Installing an Anti-Scald valve in your showers allows for the water and volume to be maintained to a certain degree without a sudden flux in temperature.
Pressure-Balance Valves
On a regular day without an anti-scald valve when you're taking a shower and someone flushes a toilet, you will feel the change in temperature. However with this gadget, it will sense pressure differences and compensate for the change by altering the flow of another temperature supply, not your shower's. Fun fact: Hot water has low water pressure and cold water has high water pressure, so in the case that your cold water drops, your pressure-balance valve will change to a higher pressure to reduce the hot water. The downfall of only having a pressure-balance valve is that it only controls the pressure and not directly the temperature. So let's discuss Thermostatic Valves while we have you here.
Thermostatic Valves
This type of valve senses the temperature of your water supply and works to mix the hot and cold temperatures in order to adjust the heat directly from your shower. It works to allow your water to get hotter in other water supply spots in your home, without getting the extremely hot water directly in your shower. With this valve, if another person flushes the toilet, the valve will make sure the water in your shower won't be affected or altered.
Using Both Valves
Combining both pressure-balance and thermostatic valves does just what you think it will: regulate both pressure and temperature of your water. Installing anti-scald valves allows for a safe and protected environment in your home. It seems silly because it's "just hot water," but the potential harm to your health is what is concerning. Water that rises to over 140 degrees Farenheit can cause third degree burns in less than 10 seconds and it's a major risk for kids, middle-aged adults, and the elderly.
Call Us At Ken's
If you need any help installing your valve or fixing a broken one, contact us here at Ken's! We specialize in more than plumbing, water heaters, and drain services—we specialize in making sure your home is running properly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call us at 864-242-5511 if you have any questions or schedule a service online by clicking the banner below!
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