Several pipes and components are connected to hot water systems. These pieces of equipment are responsible for delivering hot water into any part of the building. The tempering valve is among those components that ensure safe and reliable delivery of hot water. This valve provides water at a temperature desired by adequately turning the handles. It is a great convenience when you find yourself wanting to have a hot shower during winter or when you just need cold water to wash your clothes.
At The Local Plumber, we have the most skilled emergency plumbers ready to help with all plumbing needs in homes and commercial buildings. Whether you want a new tempering valve installed or need an expert who can diagnose why there’s no hot water, we have the essentials to provide the best solution.
What is a Tempering Valve?
The tempering valve mixes hot and cold water so that water temperature comes according to an individual’s liking. It is a mixing tool that combines cold and hot water to produce the right water temperature that comes out of the faucet and showerhead, among other fixtures. These valves also come in different types, which include the following:
- Orange cap tempering valve – Mostly used in heat pump hot water systems and solar-powered water heaters
- Green cap tempering valve – Recommended for use in gas-fueled hot water systems
- Blue cap tempering valve – Commonly found in electric hot water systems
- Black cap tempering valve – Mostly in use in large-capacity water heating systems
Hot water plumbers recommend having a tempering valve installed to comply with existing standards in the country. The Australian Standards (AS3500) require that hot water is in the following temperatures to prevent scalding. It also mandates:
- To store water to be at a minimum temperature of 60 degrees Celcius to prevent legionella bacteria growth
- Water that comes out of the faucet not be more than 50 degrees Celsius
What Are Common Tempering Valve Issues?
Scalding is the number one problem involving hot water systems and tempering valves. It can happen quickly once the water temperature reaches 60 degrees Celsius. Such temperatures can cause third-degree burns, even when the skin is exposed for merely seconds. Mineral deposit buildup is another problem impacting how hot water systems and tempering valves work.
The good news is that property owners can easily prevent such issues from happening. Regular visits from a trusted experienced “fast plumber near me” help ensure that both fixtures are working as they should. For those suspecting issues affecting their tempering valves, these signs usually indicate a malfunctioning fixture:
- Cold water – Hot water can get cold in an instant when there’s a major valve failure. Our plumbers recommend being cautious when this indicator exists as the next stream of hot water can be scalding hot.
- The water pressure is down – Low water pressure issues are common in ageing tempering valves. With mineral deposits and other contaminants building up, it is not hard to see clogging impact the tempering valve. This issue is common among relatively cheaper valves. Due to the threat presented by clogging, it is always best to have an experienced plumber nearby to regularly conduct maintenance and repairs.
- A dripping hot tap – The washer is the common factor responsible for a dripping hot faucet. This sign usually happens when the tap is completely shut off and warm water continues to drip. An unseated or dislodged ball-type mechanism found in the washer is usually the cause of this problem.
- Fluctuating water temperature – Ageing does not only impact water pressure but also affects the detection and control of water temperature. This problem is most prominent in hot water systems released years back without newer valves. These modern valves are more accurate in producing the correct water temperature as they come with temperature-balancing features. With this technology present in newer hot water systems, it is also easier to tell when it is it or the tempering valve is defective.
What Is The Difference Between a Thermostatic Mixing Valve and a Tempering Valve?
The thermostatic mixing valve is often mistaken for the tempering valve and vice versa. The confusion comes as both valves are used to mix cold and hot water to create the desired temperature. But these two have significant differences that allow anyone to tell them apart:
- Tempering valves are found in standard home water heating solutions while thermostatic mixing valves in hot water systems in facilities used by high-risk individuals like hospitals, childcare centres, schools and after-school care and shopping centres
- Thermostatic mixing valves are faster to respond to temperature changes than tempering valves. The aforementioned facilities significantly take advantage of this feature as they are required to have a reduced water temperature of 45 degrees Celsius
- Tempering valves are significantly lower in cost compared to thermostatic mixing valves
At The Local Plumber, we have experienced and highly trained professionals who can help install, maintain and repair these valves. All have spent over 20 years dealing with all plumbing issues in residential and commercial buildings across Melbourne.
Choose the Top Hot Water Systems Repair Expert in Melbourne Today!
For any water heater and other components used to deliver hot water, our passioante hot water plumbers have the necessary experience and knowledge to handle all installations, maintenance and repairs with all brands. We have more than two decades of experience helping locals deal with their plumbing needs. With fully qualified 24 hour plumbers, we have been offering locals across Melbourne top-notch emergency plumbing services, including blocked drain repair, pipe leak detection and gas fitting, among others.
All 24 hour plumbing repair and installation experts in our team hold a plumbing licence from the Victorian Building Authority after meeting the requirements set by the Plumbing Regulations Act 2018. With this set of qualifications, we are confident we can meet our customers’ plumbing needs and provide them with top-notch plumbing services any time of the day, anywhere across Melbourne. Contact The Local Plumber now to have the best hot water systems repair expert in Melbourne on your premises today!
