Why isn't my shower getting hot enough?

TomsMom

I'd be grateful for any help from a plumber or anyone who can offer advice.

I have a thermostatic shower mixer which runs off my combi boiler, similar to this one



It's no longer getting hot enough. I know the hot water is getting through, the back of the bar and the water inlet thing is hot (on the hot side ) but the water is coming out only just warm. It doesn't matter what I set the temperature at, it put it up to 44 degrees this morning, and it didn't get any hotter, although if I turn it right down it does go cold.

I've had this with a previous shower mixer too and I ended up getting another one. When I had my boiler serviced (I know the plumber really well, he does it every year and is a friend of my son), he tested the temperature of the water with a tap fully open and it was coming out at the correct temperature.

There is no limescale, I live in Wales and the water is soft.

There's no problem with the flow, when I turn it up I get more water, when I turn it down I get less. It's just the temperature.

Am I just unlucky and the thermostat has gone for a second time - first one lasted just about five years, I've had this one for about a year.

Do I need to buy another one, and what is a good make?

TomsMom

Bumping in case anyone is around now that can help.

andyhop

Sounds like the wax cartridge s away

Buy mira , hansgrohe , grohe. You should be able to get a direct replacement as all these bar showers are 150mm centres. A hansgrohe ecostat would be possible do around £140 and from the hundreds we have fitted never had a failure yet

Akaaka

Sorry to butt in I can make my own thread, but I was wondering about my own shower, When set to low it seems to be determined by the ambient temperature rather than anything else, its a electric shower, so in wintertime turning the dial all the way has barely lukewarm water, in summer time its about half to be between lukewarm and hot, similarly if I have the heating on in bathroom the water is hotter(despite not being linked)

srm1

When you changed the thermostat previously, were the symptoms the same?

andyhop

Akaaka wrote: »

Sorry to butt in I can make my own thread, but I was wondering about my own shower, When set to low it seems to be determined by the ambient temperature rather than anything else, its a electric shower, so in wintertime turning the dial all the way has barely lukewarm water, in summer time its about half to be between lukewarm and hot, similarly if I have the heating on in bathroom the water is hotter(despite not being linked)

Standard this on a electric shower, winter time the ground is much colder so the heat exchanger has to work much harder.

TomsMom

srm1 wrote: »

When you changed the thermostat previously, were the symptoms the same?

Not quite the same but similar symptoms on the previous shower mixer. It was intermittent, some days everything was fine, another day the temperature would fluctuate and go cool then temperature would come back up and get hotter than before, and maybe go cooler/warmer again. Plumber tried to get a new thermostat but had trouble contacting the manufacturer (can't remember make now).

I was given the present one as someone had a complete new bathroom installed and there was nothing wrong with the shower mixer. It seems to have worked fine for about a year but I always had the temperature the same, never needed to turn it up or down until recently when the temperature has been cooler and turning it up is making no difference.

It did seem to go a bit hotter recently and I thought with the weather being so hot maybe the temperature of the water coming in was warmer anyway but not sure that would make a difference when you've got the temperature set, surely the thermostat should keep it at that temperature regardless.

alan.t

definitely sounds like the thermostatic cartridge has had its day, you could try buying a new cartridge and replacing IF you know the make and model, but easiest option as above buy new mixer shower, agree with the brands recommended but any british based manufacturer should be ok with decent warranties and available spares for just over the £100 mark

srm1

I guess it is a good thing that they fail to a cold /cool output.
The whole point of the thermostat is to prevent scalds.

TomsMom

OK thanks. A bit tough that two have had the same fault but at least the second one didn't cost me anything and I got a year's use out of it. I'm due a boiler service this month so I'll look at those makes and sort something out and getbit replaced at the same time. Thanks for the recommendations.

alan.t

If the shower is from a quality manufacturer and you have sourced from somewhere with a receipt, most decent showers now have a 5 years warranty on them where the manufacturer will send their own engineers to fix foc, but only if you have registered the product when installed.


If you haven't got the receipt or registered, check the warranty when you buy the new one and make sure you register, should give you 5 years peace of mind at least when you spend on a new one again