Water that cannot come outhot enough to scald.
A tempering valve at the hot water unit protects every outlet in the house; a thermostatic mixer protects one shower or basin. Both fitted by licensed plumbers.
Stored hot, deliveredsafe.
Hot water has to be stored above 60°C, because that is what stops Legionella growing in the tank. Skin scalds at well under that — a few seconds of contact is enough for a serious burn, and less than that for someone whose skin is thin or whose sensation has changed.
That is the problem a tempering valve solves, and it solves it in the one place that works: between the tank and the house. The stored water stays hot enough to be safe from bacteria, and the water that arrives at the tap is brought down to a temperature that cannot scald. The Australian plumbing standards set that delivered figure at 50°C for a home, and 45°C for early childhood, aged care, and healthcare settings.
It is worth saying what not to do instead. Turning the hot water unit down to a safe skin temperature does stop the scalding, and it creates a bacterial hazard in the tank that is considerably more dangerous. The valve exists precisely so that nobody has to choose.
Types of tempering valveand thermostatic mixer.
Whole-house protection, or one fixture. Which you need depends on who is at risk and where.
Tempering valve
Fitted at the hot water unit, so it governs every outlet in the house at once — bathroom, kitchen, laundry, and any tap that has not been thought about yet. The most thorough answer, and usually the one an occupational therapist specifies after a scald.
Thermostatic shower mixer
A mixer at the shower itself that holds the temperature steady even when another tap in the house is turned on. Usually paired with a handheld head on a sliding rail, and can be arranged alongside a weight-bearing grab rail where one is needed.
Shower mixers
A shower-only mixer giving safe, adjustable temperature from a single control, and able to be combined with any of our handheld shower options.
Mixer taps at basins, sinks, and troughs
We change over existing mixers or install new ones in a bathroom vanity, a kitchen, or a laundry. The right item depends on your existing set-up, so these are quoted case by case — email us a photograph of what is there now.
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Projects completed
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Agreements with Home Care Package and NDIS providers
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Valued customers
Who we fitthese for.
Anyone whose skin sensation has changed
Diabetes, neuropathy, spinal injury, or simply age. The danger is not that the water is hot — it is that it does not feel hot until the damage is done.
Households with young children
A child cannot judge the mix and cannot get out of the way quickly. Whole-house protection is the only version that covers the tap nobody thought about.
People with limited hand strength or dexterity
Where getting the mix right at the tap is difficult, having the maximum capped removes the need to get it right at all.
Anyone who has already had a near miss
A scald that did not quite happen is the reason most of these get fitted, and it is a good reason.
Before you book,two things to know.
It is licensed plumbing work, and it is certified
Tempering valves and hot water work are licensed plumbing in Victoria. This is not a handyman job and not a DIY one — a valve fitted incorrectly is more dangerous than none at all, because from that day forward everybody in the house trusts the tap.
It is fixed work
The valve is plumbed in at the hot water unit; a shower mixer goes into the wall. If you rent, you will need the owner’s or the agent’s permission — though many are glad of it, since it protects them as well.
Valves do not last forever
A tempering valve is a mechanical device and its manufacturer will state a service life, typically measured in years rather than decades. If there is one on your hot water unit already, it is worth knowing how old it is — an expired valve looks exactly like a working one.
Do not turn the hot water unit down instead
It seems like the free version of this and it is not. Storing water below 60°C is how Legionella grows in a tank. The valve exists so the stored water can stay hot and the delivered water can still be safe.
Specificationsand brochures.
The documents an occupational therapist, a plan manager, or a plumber usually asks us for. We are preparing these now — ring or email in the meantime and we will send what you need.
Product brochures
- Tempering valvesComing soon
- Thermostatic shower mixersComing soon
Product guides
- Tempering valve — servicing and replacementComing soon
Quote request requirements
- Tempering valves and mixers — what we need to quoteComing soon
How the jobactually runs.
Quoting
Quoted to the occupational therapist’s specification where there is one. A photograph of the hot water unit or the existing taps is usually enough for us to quote from. Funding is approved before we start.
On-site consultation and installation
A licensed plumber comes out, fits the valve or the mixer, sets and checks the delivered temperature, and certifies the work. A single visit, and the water is back on the same day.
Warranty
The work is carried out by licensed tradespeople and backed by the relevant warranties. If something is not right, ring the same number you rang the first time.
The other half ofthe tap problem.
A valve makes the water safe. It does not make the tap any easier to turn, and for most of the people we visit both are true at once.
Lever handles work with a closed fist and go in on the same trip.
Questions
What people ask abouttempering valves & mixers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature will the water come out at?
Why not just turn the hot water system down?
Do I need a valve for the whole house, or just the shower?
I already have a tempering valve. Is that enough?
Will the NDIS or my Home Care Package pay for a tempering valve?
Can’t see your question? Call us on +61 3 8658 1358 — we’re happy to talk it through.
More from Vital Ease
The rest of whatwe do.
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