A manifesto on shower temperature control

Post by userbinator » Fri, Feb 03, 2023, 1:31 AM UTC

amluto wrote: post #35

Nifty3929 wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also we have body sensors which detect acute over-temperature situations and cause us to remediate the situation before damage can occur. Usually while screaming something profane.

In case you have never been in a slippery shower or encountered anyone with one of many possible disabilities, excessively hot shower water is a genuine hazard. For example: Slow reaction time (you can get burned very quickly by excessively hot shower water) Limited sensation in some part of one’s body Balance issues or movement issues. Anything preventing one from getting to the control or out of the water very very…

Post by pubby » Fri, Feb 03, 2023, 1:40 AM UTC

klondike_klive wrote: post #42

I always wondered if Britain turned out more than its fair share of safecrackers because of our traditionally crappy shower controls and how a sixteenth of a turn meant the difference of maybe 30 degrees of heat.

Post by 0x457 » Fri, Feb 03, 2023, 1:53 AM UTC

rconti wrote: post #100

russellbeattie wrote: post #61

The amount of water wasted waiting for the water to warm up must be astronomical. In my place it can take three or four minutes of the water running to get warm - if not longer - and I don't think that's atypical. Multiply this by 7 days a week by everyone who showers in California alone and it seems like an issue that should get some serious attention.

It's particularly bad with my tankless hot water heater that apparently doesn't even turn on for 15 seconds, and then you wait for the hot water to get to the shower. I swear the whole thing takes 60-90 seconds, and I live in a tiny house. I can't fathom what the hot water is doing on its way to the faucet. (well, yeah, some of that time is also spent heating the cold uninsulated under-house pipes).

Post by nick123567 » Fri, Feb 03, 2023, 1:54 AM UTC

sokoloff wrote: post #5

PaulHoule wrote: post #2

I think the current ones are the way they are because the input temperature is not well controlled. I live in an old farmhouse where the cold water gets really cold in the winter and for years we've had a tankless water heater that has never worked that well but lately has gotten full of scales. We haven't tried descaling it because we're concerned that we'll kill it in the process of descaling it and won't try it un…

It's obviously your risk not mine, but I wouldn't be particularly concerned with descaling a tankless with vinegar causing a problem. I'd be more concerned with the uneven heat transfer causing damage (by overheating the metal that doesn't have adequate cooling from the water [that you're intending to heat]) than I would from the descaling causing damage (or more precisely, revealing existing damage).

Post by olliej » Fri, Feb 03, 2023, 2:02 AM UTC

achenatx wrote: post #4

I have one of these grohe thermostatic valves. You can set the temperature and then use a push button to turn the shower on. The temperature is always set correctly as the on/off is separate from the temperature control. A majority of the range of the dial is usable. We still use cold water for cleaning the shower, or when you want a cold shower. During the shower, I have it set to hot, then slowly turn up the heat.…