Mixer taps in new build baths

[MixerTaps]

My grandma has been in a new build HA property for half a year now. I have noticed when I visit (and heard them complaining about it often) that the bathwater is always lukewarm, no where near as hot as me or her would have a bath. In her old flat, separate taps, water came out very very hot.

Had plumbers here and they have told her it is part of new buikd regulations that mixer taps (what she has) fora bath have to run cold once they reach a certain temp "to prevent scolding" so now her and my granddad are having to run the sink tap and uae a jug to help fill the bath with actual HOT water. If you just use the bath taps it is warm only and then cold after 5 mins.

Plumbers said no certified plumber can override it as "regulations". It is already set to max before it will shut to cold water to gradually allow warm in again.

Imagine running a whole bath and every time the tap water actually gets hot, it starts running ice cold, then heating slowly back up to hot for a couple second and then COLD again. More cold water goes into the bath than hot!

AIBU to think this is nanny state dictating bath temperatures now? Just because some people get in a bath that is too hot ands scald themselves new build mixers can't have proper hot bath water!? Why have they done something so stupid?

Live in a new build and we were told about a temperature thing for safety (have two young children so didn’t see an issue) before we built it (was also mentioned in the home guide). However, we don’t have the issue you describe nor has it popped up on the community chat about anyone else having this issue on our estate. Our water gets hot quickly and is scorching without turning on the cold tap. Also have amazing water pressure in the shower, better than any house we’ve lived in or stayed at and that is at a 5 and it goes up to 10. People have actually had plumbers come in to turn temperature and pressure down here.

Not sure what is going on there..

AIBU to think this is nanny state dictating bath temperatures now? Just because some people get in a bath that is too hot ands scald themselves new build mixers can't have proper hot bath water!? Why have they done something so stupid?

In the States, I grew up with outlets in the loo and had to get used to having to get an extension cord to blow dry, straighten or curl my hair here. Can only guess the reason there aren’t any outlets here is because of safety.

Unfortunately, common sense is not common.

Mine has something similar on it. And I’m not even ina. Bloody new build!!
But I have learned after much experimentation if I have the tap on full blast it kicks it in but if I have it just over a trickle it doesn’t and I can have a nice hot burny bath 😁

I moved into a new build in September and definitely don't have this issue. It doesn't sound right - she should still be able to get a hot bath.

My new build is the same and was told it can't be increased (in temp) bc of regulations but the bath is literally like warm. I hate it. I did read somewhere you can take the regulator thing off. I end up filling the bath from the shower as that doesn't have a heat regulator on it but it takes a bloody age.

I must admit when I read your post that I thought your plumber was telling you porkies, as the story sounded so unbelievable. However, having Googled it, I find that it appears to be true, and totally agree with you that it's bureaucracy gone mad!! How dare they dictate to us how hot we can have our baths. We're not allowed to burn our feet but are allowed to burn our hands under kitchen and sink taps, how absolutely ridiculous!!

I know that Princess Margaret scolded herself once, getting into a bath that was too hot, but think it highly likely that with her reputation, that she may have been the worse for booze at the time! Surely anyone in their right mind, checks the temperature of their bath before getting in, don't they?

It’s a thermostatic mixing valve and yes they’re a standard feature of new build properties, to prevent young children from scalding themselves. If you google it you’ll find instructions for increasing the temp (though only by a few degrees) or you can remove it though that may not be permitted in a HA property - we took it out of our en suite in our new build property, but left it in the main bathroom which DS uses.

you mention bathtaps.

Do they have a hot-water cylinder or a combi boiler?

Is there a shower over the bath? Does it have an override button on the temperature knob?

It does appear that you can override the system that causes it, there is a mixing valve. The plumber won't do it though, you have to take it off or raise the allowed temp yourselves and I'm not even sure if she would be allowed to do that as it's HA.

It’s true and very annoying. Nanny state gone mad.

It running hot then cold doesnt sound right. Surely the hot should just be set to a maximum temperature? Unless the mixing valve isnt actually mixing at all? The valves we use mix the water to a certain temperature rather than alternating between hot and cold. Alternating the temperature wouldn't prevent a child from scalding themselves if they turned on the hot tap?

It has a button on the taps but I've tried using that and it doesn't seem to make a difference. Shower attached to bath taps, same temp. The only way to get hot water like we used to is through kitchen and bathroom sinks or the separate shower (which grandma does not like to use as she never had a shower in her old flat and doesn't find them relaxing). I believe combi as no cylinder to be seen

Meant to say she has a shower head aytached to the bath taps but same temp thing as from same sysyem. There is a separate shower that has hot water but that shower hose does not reach to the bath tub. Which is why she is using jugs of hot water

I had this issue and I found that by running the cold water tap in the bathroom sink as the hot water tap in the bath was running, then the bath tap temp increased a lot.
I also found that turning the tap down until the hot water ran cloudy also increased the temp.
Maybe she could try that?

The regulations set a maximum temp of 48 degrees. When we get complaints about taps being far too hot they normally measures around 44-45 degrees. So 48* sounds about right for a piping hot bath. It sounds like a crap valve to me. Some of them can be a pain to change especially if they are in an awkward spot under the bath. I reckon that's your issue, the plumber didnt want to do the job.

Mine doesn't have one I don't think but it was a new build in 2007 so I possibly just escaped! Mixer tap but if you just run the hot, it's hot enough that you can't get in the bath

Let me put it this way... I don't use the cold water at all when running the bath - tap is set to hottest, fullblast, and the bath is only lukewarm when finished running.

We have the same problem in our new build. The plumber did increase the temp but I love a piping hot bath. I keep a jug and put hot water from the sink into the tub. Which kind of defeats the purpose really.

The world has gone mad.

There are different maximum hot water temperature for new build domestic homes, hospitals, care homes and Housing association.
The valves are pre set and cannot be adjusted.
The information is in building regulations G3.
Yes it's annoying but over the years children, the elderly and adults have been badly burnt.

The regulations set a maximum temp of 48 degrees.

It's 38 degrees on ours. Which is barely more than blood temperature. Our shower (from the same thermistatic mixer) OTOH is dangerously hot.

It's obviously buggered so we're swapping to a "normal" mixer tap this week and I can't wait.

In the meantime OP, run it slow and I'm going to try running the cold on the sink as suggested above.

They'd never know. I would do it. But if ever they moved put it back to regs..

Sounds daft but try running the tap at a like a quarter turn?

Ours runs to 36-38c if it’s left open full blast but the bath thermometer read 51c when I accidentally let it go too long at a quarter turn. It’s obviously to stop a child blasting the hot tap and scalding themselves while in the bath. But it’s a bugger when you actually like a properly hot bath.

Plumbers from the HA definitely won’t remove it, more than their jobs worth and the risk is when they move out the next tenant has kids who get scalded n they sue because the required safety valves gone.. keeping track of who has n hasn’t got one would be a pita for the HA,

You say you think it is a combi

Because of the way combis work, when the water is gushing out at high flow it will not be at its hottest. Turn the flow down a bit and the temperature will go up. There will be a point where the flow is small enough to maximise the temperature, and large enough for the boiler not to turn itself off. This might be around 10 litres per minute but you need to try it.

Also, we are now in winter and, again because of the way combis work, the water they deliver wil not be at its hottest when the incoming supply from the watermain is cold. Let's suppose the combi can raise the temperature of the bathwater by 35C. In summer, the incoming water might be 15C so the tapwater can be 15 + 35 = 50C. In winter if the incoming water is 5C the tap will be (5+35) = 40C

I had the same. It has something on that restricts the hot water but the restrictor thingy can be adjusted and still be within the regulations.

I had a huge argument with Taylor Wimpey when my bath was only getting to approx 25C (they didn't believe that I could use a thermometer accurately myself!)

They eventually sent a plumber who found that the restrictor wasn't set high enough and he changed it without needing to remove it or go above the temperature they have to set it below.

I have just found the most incredible life hack… immediately ran to Google to see if this is something I should have already known.

Moved into a new build in November 2021. Was gutted to learn that all new builds have this lukewarm bath situation! Tried to get a plumber to override the max temp but he wasn’t interested in losing his job over it (fair enough)…. Anyway, I don’t have children and would quite like the autonomy to choose if I’d like a bath over 43 degrees thanks. I’ve just turned the water temperature to max directly on the boiler, then came upstairs and filled the bath from the over head shower. It’s totally circumnavigated the temperature limit on the taps!!

My bath is scorching. Even had to add cold water… imagine!! Nice glass of red and a candle 👌🏾 making baths great again!!

You’re welcome ☺️