shower isolation valves

Lesley Letts · 15 Aug 2021

I have been told that the guarantee on my shower is invalid as I do not not have a shower isolation valve. The water stopcock for the house is only a few feet from the shower and the shower pipework is all concealed in the tiled wall behind the shower. is it a legal requirement to have a shower isolation valve?

JohnD · 15 Aug 2021

Lesley Letts said:
I have been told

By whom?

What triggered them to say it?

Is it an electric shower?

What do the installation instructions say?

Concealing pipework in a tiled wall will increase the cost, effort and damage of repairing any leak, but the shower guarantee would not cover that.

Lesley Letts · 15 Aug 2021

Thanks for replying. Triton showers say my guarantee is invalid as I do not have a shower isolation valve. It is a bar mixer shower, not electric. The problem is with the water temprature, not a leak. I have just checked the instructions and they do say it must have an isolation valve, but there is no pipework accessible to fit valves. The shower is downstairs, next to the kitchen where the main supply stopcock is. There is no problem turning off the water to make the repairs. I think they are using this as an excuse to invalidate my guarantee.

JohnD · 15 Aug 2021

So it has a cold water pipe and a hot water pipe.

"Problem" do you mean the water is too hot?

Do you have a combi boiler?

CBW · 15 Aug 2021

Sounds like a pathetic excuse, used by manufacturers these days, however if it’s in the instructions that they should be fitted, then that’s obviously the reason, as repair person can’t isolate the shower, in their eyes

Makes me laugh though - what if they were in the loft?

Lesley Letts · 15 Aug 2021

Yes, I have a combi boiler, yes there are cold and hot water pipes. The water temperature was fine, but it now is only lukewarm. Kitchen and bath taps temperature are fine, so the combi temperature is fine. The problem must be with shower mixer/thermostat.

CBW · 15 Aug 2021

Is the shower concealed or exposed?

Lesley Letts · 15 Aug 2021

There is no problem with isolating the shower for the repair, as I can turn off the stopcock if the plumber is incapable as it is only 2 meters from the shower.

dilalio · 15 Aug 2021

Argue it with them!
The stopcock IS the isolation valve!
It does nothing but STOP the water.
The thermostatic cartridge has failed and needs replacing, stopping the water enables the swap to be done without the operative getting wet! That's it! And it's in a shower (or bath) so not like any run off is going to harm things!

Lesley Letts · 15 Aug 2021

I have just had a look at another make, Bristan, their mixer tap has an isolater as part of it's kit. Surely if Tristan insist on having an isolation valve it should be part of the mixer bar kit?

dilalio · 15 Aug 2021

Aqualisa are the same when it comes to warranty callouts... I've watched them go through a checklist before even going to the "known" cause of the issue... Their product! Nothing to do with the installation, I know, because I fitted them

ktuludays · 15 Aug 2021

What's the wording in their documentation cos one isolation valve isn't sufficient for a mixer bar shower, you need 2, 1 for hot and 1 for cold. I agree they're being picky to probably avoid paying out for faulty product

Lesley Letts · 15 Aug 2021

On a previous visit our engineer advised that there was no separate water isolation to the shower. Can you please advise if this has been fitted.

spareshunter · 15 Aug 2021

Very, very, rarely have I seen isolating valves for bar mixers with the pipework behind the walls, let alone electric showers. A good reason for not fitting anything Triton,

you will learn as I did.

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shower isolation valves

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