Pressure Balance vs. Thermostatic Valves

"What is the difference between a thermostatic valve and a pressure balance valve?" I get this question pretty often.  In fact, I get this question so often that I am writing a post about it.  You'll most likely be given the choice of one of these types of valves when you plan your new shower or tub.  Here are the basics:

Pressure Balance Valves (PB)

A pressure balance valve has a single control that regulates the ratio of hot to cold water that flows out of the fixture.  There is no true volume control with a PB valve.  When the valve is turned on, 100% water volume passes through.  The more the valve is opened, the hotter the temperature gets.  Pressure balance valves have a maximum temperature limit that is set at the time of installation, which provides scald protection for families with children.  The most common scenario that people think about is how the shower reacts when a toilet is flushed.  The tank of the toilet will need more cold water to refill after the flush, so there will be less cold water for the shower.  In this scenario, the PB valve automatically reduces the amount of hot water as it senses this.  The pressure remains constant and so does the temperature.

Thermostatic Valves (TS)

Thermostatic Valves have two control valves.  One controls the pressure and one controls the temperature.  TS valves also provide maximum temperature limits that provide scald protection.  These valves allow the user to set the temperature completely independent of the volume.  It makes it easy to find the correct temperature every time.  Thermostatic valves also allow the user to control the volume, so if you're interested in having a very hot temperature water at low volume, you can do that.  PB valves do not have that capability.

Which is best for you?

For the most part, thermostatic trims are more pleasing to look at than pressure balance trims, and you'll find that thermostatic valves are used almost exclusively in luxury showers.  However, pressure balance valves are much lower in cost (sometimes less than half a comparable thermostatic)  Both of these types of valves will last a long time provided you purchase a quality brand that stands behind their product.  Personally, I prefer thermostatic valves: they look better and have a better functionality.

Here are a few thermostatic trim packages I really like:

Transitional White Kitchen - Greenwood Village

This is a snapshot of a kitchen I just finished in Greenwood Village.  The perimeter cabinetry is matte white; the island cabinetry is what's called a "rub-through black". The owners wanted to incorporate brick into the kitchen to tie into the 20' fireplace in the great room which opens up off of the island.  A thin brick veneer was applied to the back of the range wall.  The herringbone inlay behind the range adds character to the detail.  The arched window is something I added into the architectural plans before the house had even been approved for construction.   (originally, the sink was in a corner and the range was off center sort of pushed off into a corner - terrible!)  Anyway, we fixed the layout early enough in the process.  The island has comfortable seating for this family of five and there is a buffet area that connects the kitchen to the breakfast nook (not shown in picture).  Integrated appliances by Thermador.  Countertops are polished white carrara marble.

My photographer will take photos of this project in February.

Cherry Hills Village - Master Bathroom

We finished this bathroom late in the summer.  I was referred to the client by Jones Custom Builders, a really great building company that I have worked with on a few projects.  It's a classic styled bathroom.  The flooring in the bathroom is basketweave carrara and black marble.  The countertop is Super White Quartzite.  Brizo fixtures are installed throughout the bathroom. My favorite part of this bathroom is the inlay of Italian marble on the back wall of the shower.  This decorative danse pattern is cut using water jet technology and comprised of thassos and carrara marble.

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Custom Glass Wine Enclosure with a View!

My clients asked me to design an area to store their wine inside their corner unit on the 28th floor of The Spire building, in downtown Denver.  I found the wine racking system locally here in Denver.  VintageView; a Denver based wine cellar company provided the interior racking system.  None of their standard units were perfect for our application, so they made a custom rack for us and delivered it directly to the building.  The sides of the racking system are made out of a high quality clear acrylic that is 3/4" thick.  Each rod is polished stainless steel.  In all, the unit weighs in at over 250lbs and is extremely sturdy.  It is a free standing system that can be placed anywhere. We chose to enclose the 350 bottle capacity wine rack with a custom glass surround.  1/2" industrial grade tempered glass was used and we worked with Denver Glass Interiors to create the finished product.  Not shown in this photo: LED lights are strategically placed along the floor.  They shine upward - creating a really unique effect for entertaining.

I know what you're thinking - with all that light, it's really going to mess with the wine!  AHH HAAA - I brought in a special commercial window tinting specialist to advise on this.  As it turns out, the windows in this LEED certified building are all super Low E...meaning they block 99% of all UV rays, and a lot of the heat.  Also - the patio of the unit above this apartment casts a year long shadow over the windowed area where we installed the glass enclosure.  But just to be sure, the homeowners also had auto-blinds installed behind the wine rack.  The blinds are operated by remote control and can be closed in any situation where directly sunlight makes its way into the apartment.

I think this wine enclosure is awesome.  It was the first one I had ever designed and I think that it turned out amazing.  I can easily see using this version or a modified version of it (possibly temperature controlled) in any wine enthusiast's home.

Water Jet Technology in the Bathroom

I've posted in the past that water jet technology is making its way into stone and tile manufacturing.  It's allowing the manufacturers to cut really intricate designs into the stone and create some very elegant mosaic patterns.  Below, a quick shot of a water jet natural stone mosaic (created out of thassos and calcutta gold marble) that I received in my office this week.  We are using 8 of these beautiful mosaic tiles to create a 2' x 8' mural in a shower in Cherry Hills Village.  I will post photos of the finished bathroom once we are done and include some detail shots of the mosaic as well.

Bathroom Project Featured in 5280 Home Magazine June 2013 Issue

A bathroom project that I finished about a year ago is featured in this month's 5280 Home Magazine. Here is a link to the article:  TotalTranquility_June2013_5280Home

Historical Remodel in Cheesman Park

My client has painstakingly restored this beautiful Denver Square over the past three years.  I was fortunate enough to work with him on the kitchen and three bathrooms in this residence.  We carefully planned each space to have its own unique character.  I respected the history of the home as much as possible throughout the design phase.  We saved items from each room and integrated them into the new design so that our new kitchen and baths had a similar feel to the rest of the home. Photography by Teri Fotheringham.

The Kitchen

Exposed brick walls in the kitchen thoughtfully contrast the stainless steel range and pro hood.  It's the classic, "Old and New", theme that I like so much.  Also in the kitchen, original leaded glass panes of glass were preserved from the original cabinetry and integrated into the new cabinetry.  I literally designed the kitchen around these glass panes.  We removed a large load bearing wall and replaced it with a 20' long steel beam to gain some much added space.  The client desperately wanted an island - any island - in his kitchen.  I designed a small functional island with a lot of storage in the middle of the kitchen and it even has space for two small bar stools...

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The Bathrooms

We gutted all three bathrooms in the home, and all three now have their own unique feel and charm.  The powder room is simple and sophisticated.   A white porcelain vessel sink sits atop a piece of granite.  The wall mounted bridge faucet adds interest.  A tin ceiling, adds a bit of drama to the space.

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The Master Bathroom again utilizes an exposed brick wall.  Interestingly enough, the brick wall was not part of the original design.  It was covered in plaster and we had no idea it would look so stunning when we took the plaster down.  However, after seeing the space with the brick exposed, it was a no brainer to just restore the brick and leave it as a statement wall in the bathroom.  All the surfaces are custom concrete forms that I designed myself.  An integrated planter tray, with its own drainage system is actually the same piece of concrete as the shower bench.  A piece of frameless shower glass separates shower bench from planter.

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The upstairs hall bathroom was a different style all together.  The owner wanted to provide a very sophisticated, clean, white space for his guests to use.  To capture that dynamic, I utilized an antique white penny round flooring tile, and sourced a very simple white pedestal sink and free standing tub.  The waincot paneling, which I also designed, has white glass center panels.  The mixture of glass and wood updates the space and gives it a glamorous feel.

Central Park West in Cherry Creek

This apartment located in the Cherry Creek neighborhood of Denver could very easily be transported to New York's Upper West Side and feel right at home.  My client wanted something small and elegant, but still functional.  I was hired to design the kitchen, hall and butler's pantry, master bathroom, and one guest bathroom. I employed a pure white cabinet scheme in all the spaces for a dramatic contrast vs. the dark ebony floors.  Glass, white marble, and polished nickel hardware are used throughout the entire apartment.

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Classic White Kitchen - Observatory Park, Denver

Believe it or not, I started working with this client in the summer of 2011, and today is March 27, 2012 - which means I've waited a long time to see this project come together - I think it's going to be worth the wait. This is new construction in the Observatory Park neighborhood of Denver.  The house would feel right at home in any cozy New England town (New Canaan?) , so we took great care to make sure the kitchen and other rooms (we are installing cabinetry in 11 rooms in this home) had the feel of an updated colonial classic that would fit right into any New England colonial.  The pure white paint in the kitchen makes the space really light and airy.  The floors will eventually be stained dark, so there will be a very dramatic contrast there between floor and cabinet.  This classic kitchen will really be fantastic when complete...

Here are a few installation pics of the kitchen.  I'll update when I have some better finished pictures.

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