Is there any way to install anti-scald valve thingys while keeping my original hot & cold fixtures??

[Lisha]

Hello, I have a historic 1930's house and would like to keep it's original hot and cold fixtures. However, we also have original galvanized plumbing and would not like to keep that so my plumber said I need to find something that will act as an anti-scald valve while still keeping original separate hot and cold fixtures. Please help!!!!!

 

[Terry]

Yes.
A tempering valve on the water heater to limit temperature to 120 degrees does that.

This Honeywall kit mixes cold with hot and limits termperature to 120 degrees.

Or closer to the fixture you need tempering on . This one is under a lav cabinet.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jadnashua]

You can install a tempering valve in the wall for your tub/shower but it would need to be accessible. Likewise, they do make separate pressure balance valves, but again, it would need to be accessible for service via a panel. On a modern tub/shower valve, it would have a mechanical stop to limit the max mix of hot water and a pressure-balance valve to handle momentary pressure fluctuations. With a simple two-handle valve, that's why you'd need two devices to replicate that functionality. Somebody might make a device where they are combined for your application. If you want to throw in thermostatically controlled, it can still be done but is messier. There are some two handle devices that could give you the look of the old stuff, but the functionality of a code-compliant installation without the extra bits.

 

[Lisha]

Yes.
A tempering valve on the water heater to limit temperature to 120 degrees does that.

This Honeywall kit mixes cold with hot and limits termperature to 120 degrees.

We have a tankless water heater, and also I talked to a plumbing inspector yesterday and he told me it needs to be less than 110 degrees... I also called a plumbing warehouse and they suggested a pressure balancing valve... if it needs to be accessible can it be in the crawlspace under the house?

 

[Lisha]

You can install a tempering valve in the wall for your tub/shower but it would need to be accessible. Likewise, they do make separate pressure balance valves, but again, it would need to be accessible for service via a panel. On a modern tub/shower valve, it would have a mechanical stop to limit the max mix of hot water and a pressure-balance valve to handle momentary pressure fluctuations. With a simple two-handle valve, that's why you'd need two devices to replicate that functionality. Somebody might make a device where they are combined for your application. If you want to throw in thermostatically controlled, it can still be done but is messier. There are some two handle devices that could give you the look of the old stuff, but the functionality of a code-compliant installation without the extra bits.

I definitely want to keep my original fixtures... I personally don't care about the water change when someone is in the shower and someone else uses the toilet/dishwasher, etc. but I do need the repipe to pass inspection sooo... whatever is the cheapest option that will let me keep my fixtures and pass inspection I will get... what is a tempering valve? and how is it different from the pressure balancing valve? Also, the repipe is going to be in PEX... are these valve compatible with PEX?

 

[Terry]

We have a tankless water heater, and also I talked to a plumbing inspector yesterday and he told me it needs to be less than 110 degrees... I also called a plumbing warehouse and they suggested a pressure balancing valve... if it needs to be accessible can it be in the crawlspace under the house?

A tankless water heater can be set to whatever you want it to. There are ways to set that to 110.
Most come preset to 120.

You can install a pressure balancer near the faucet. If required you could do that. Does the inspector want all of that since your water heater temperature output is low anyway?

And 110? Really?

 

[Jadnashua]

120-degrees coming out of the shower is a bit hot, but is the max recommended for domestic supplies. A tempering valve like what was shown by Terry on the WH can be adjusted to most any temperature. And, you could put one anywhere. On a new code-compliant valve, there's a limit cam of some sort that prevents the maximum temperature from being too hot. A tempering valve at the WH (the tankless can be adjusted for this, but a tempering valve would be a secondary safety in case somebody turned the thermostat up or the tankless system went bonkers) may not be normally cool enough for a shower application. Some people still use hot water for clothes and your dishwasher needs warmer water to work well. Pressure balance valves prevent scalding if the cold water supply pressure drops means the outlet becomes mostly hot. They limit the hot output when that happens and in the worst case, will turn the water off altogether momentarily.

 

[techsan97]

I know this is an old thread but I have the same issue. Does IPC 2015 and 2018 make the use of an inline thermostatic valve out of code (If your municipality adopts the 2018 version)?

412.3 Individual shower valves

 

[Marlinman]

This should work in your situation. Check with your inspector.

https://www.pppinc.net/products/the...re-balancing-valve-12-fpt-trb-2-tcp-2hls.html