Shower Mixers – Repair or Replace?
In New Zealand there are so many shower mixer brands. Local and imported models make it difficult to decide and select what you like VS what you need when you are renovating or when your shower mixer reaches end of life.
Unlike a tap that is accessible and easy to replace, a shower mixer is embedded into the wall behind a layer of water proofing which could be a shower liner or even tiles.
How can you easily replace a shower mixer?
How do you do this without being too evasive and having to involve other trades to do repair work after the job is done?
Euroware have been involved in thousands of shower mixer replacements. In this blog we will discuss the whys and how’s so you can make an educated decision next time you are having shower mixer problems.
For starters, we are going to focus on shower mixer repairs and/or replacements.
- First you need to identify whether your existing shower mixer is low or mains or mains pressure. For many the answer is obvious but if you are not sure, the best way is locating your hot water cylinder and see what the data sticker on the cylinder says. This should reveal the pressure type.
- Now identify the model and make of your shower mixer. By doing so, it will give you or your installer (Euroware) insight on how things could look like inside the wall if you need to replace it.
Here are some common older style shower mixers in New Zealand. As we list them, we will also clarify what’s worth replacing or repairing.
Gemini Shower mixer
Make: HMC/Methven
Model: Gemini
(NOT a Topliss made product)
Pressure: Low Pressure
Common Issues: Leaking cartridge, broken handle, unequal pressure, temperature drops, etc.
Repair VS Replace: Our recommendation is to replace this shower mixer. Considering the age of the shower mixer, it has lasted well past its manufacturer’s warranty date and it is not worth replacing parts where it may not seal or work. A repair of one thing also does not stop something else from leaking or breaking either. Felton, the shower mixer brand, sells retrofit kits for these types of mixers to suit any modern shower mixer.
Felton Shower Mixer
Make: Felton
Model: ’86 Felton mix
Pressure: Low and mains pressure
Common Issues: Leaking cartridge, broken handle, unequal pressure, temperature drops, etc.
Repair VS replace: Our recommendation for this shower mixer is to repair. Felton have been around for an exceptionally long time, and they produce spare parts to repair their shower mixers as far back as 1986. All the parts can be replaced without doing any damage to the shower lining.
However, sometimes we advise homeowners to upgrade this mixer to accommodate a shower rail as well. We simply add a chrome elbow where the shower head goes, and we can install a rail so you can use the shower with an adjustable vertical slider instead of having the fixed position normally with just the Felton mix.
Topliss shower mixer
Make: Topliss Bros
Model: TB2 – TB10
Pressure: Equal Low Pressure & Equal High Pressure
Common Issues: Worn valve seats & o/rings over time
Topliss Bros were the first company in New Zealand to manufacture a shower mixing valve back in 1956 and are still manufacturing them to this day.
There is a full range of kits and spare parts available to repair all their shower mixing valves, control sets and roses. So, repairing or replacing will depend on the age and wear on the unit.
For the shower mixing valve – most repairs can be done with the valve still fitted in the wall, or remove and fit a full-service kit
it is also very easy to fit a new TB10ELP or TB10EHP or TBS40 (ceramic) shower mixing valves into the existing pipework.
Methven shower mixer
Make: Methven
Model: Aio shower mixer
Pressure: Mains pressure, can be converted to low pressure. (Unequal low, equal low)
Common Issues: Leaking cartridge, blocked cartridge.
We recommend for Methven mixers and any other recently manufactured single level mixers that you repair the mixer that causes you an issue, to have someone inspect and make a recommendation on whether its worth repairing or simply upgrading. Whilst often repair is desirable, you may find that an upgrade may be better suited (Some areas can have worse water conditions than others). These mixers were made recently so hard water won’t have had a severe effect on the brass body of the shower mixer (Some areas can have worse water conditions than others). Because the cartridges are made of plastic, they do tend to break over time as it does have moving parts. These shower mixers can clog and slow down your flow as hard water builds up calcium in the body or cartridge. This is because mains pressure shower mixers have smaller bore holes to make the flow faster. On the other hand, low pressure shower mixers have larger holes to make up for the lost pressure to have more flow.
We recommend repairing shower mixers where possible and cost effective. Assuming the shower mixer is in repairable state, so if a repair took place, the problem would be solved long terms. We also factor in cost as well, sometimes it is cheaper to replace the entire mixer than to spend a fortune on repair costs that may not fix the issue with the shower mixer. Euroware employs inhouse plumbers that can assist you with any shower mixer concerns or upgrades .
If you are looking at replacing your shower mixer, Euroware offer an extensive 15 year warranty on all Euroware shower mixers installed by us.
Check out our Euroware models here