Tempering valves: safe 50°C hot water in your bathroom
Hot water straight from the heater is hot enough to burn. A tempering valve blends it with cold water so the showers, baths and basins in your bathroom get water at a safer 50°C, while the kitchen and laundry can still have hotter water. We fit, test and replace tempering valves in homes across Matraville, Maroubra, Botany and the southern Eastern Suburbs, so your family, especially young children and older relatives, are protected from scalds.
Why bathroom water is limited to 50°C
To keep bacteria such as Legionella under control, stored hot water needs to be kept at 60°C or more. That's fine for the kitchen sink, but at the shower it's dangerous: water at 60°C can cause a serious burn in about a second, while at 50°C it takes far longer, giving people time to pull away. Young children's skin burns faster still.
That's why the plumbing rules in NSW require a temperature control device, usually a tempering valve, so that bathroom outlets deliver no more than 50°C. It applies whenever a hot water heater is installed or replaced, including a like-for-like swap. Our hot water temperature guide explains the rules in plain English.
What we do
New tempering valves
We fit a tempering valve on the hot water line to the bathroom, set it to 50°C and test the temperature at the outlets.
Valves with a new hot water system
When we replace a hot water system, the tempering valve is part of the job, set up and tested before we leave.
Testing and adjusting
If the shower is too hot, not hot enough or keeps changing temperature, we test the valve and adjust or repair it.
Replacing old valves
Tempering valves have internal parts that wear and clog over time. An old valve that can no longer hold the right temperature gets replaced.
Signs your tempering valve needs attention
- The shower runs hotter than it used to, or you can't get it hot enough.
- The temperature surges or drops when someone uses another tap.
- Hot water flow to the bathroom has slowed, but the kitchen is fine.
- Water is dripping from the valve or the fittings around it.
- The valve is many years old and has never been checked. Most makers recommend checking every few years and replacing internal parts or the valve itself after about five years.
Tempering valves in Eastern Suburbs homes
Many older homes in Matraville, Maroubra, Malabar and Botany still have a hot water system installed before tempering valves were required, so the shower gets water at full storage temperature. If you have young children, grandchildren visiting or an older relative living with you, fitting a tempering valve is a simple job that makes the bathroom a lot safer. You don't need to wait until the hot water system is replaced.
Local homes with high water pressure can also be hard on valves, and grit from older galvanised pipes can clog the small strainers inside them. If your shower temperature wanders, the tempering valve is one of the first things we check.
Why locals call us
- Local to Matraville and the southern Eastern Suburbs
- Free on-site quotes, with a fixed price before any work starts
- Lifetime labour warranty on our workmanship
- 100+ five-star Google reviews
- Licensed plumbers and gasfitters (Lic. 398171C)
Common questions
What does a tempering valve do?
It mixes hot water from the heater with cold water so the water reaching the bathroom is no hotter than 50°C, which greatly reduces the risk of scalding.
Is a tempering valve required in NSW?
Yes, when a hot water heater is installed or replaced, a temperature control device such as a tempering valve must be fitted so bathroom outlets deliver water at no more than 50°C.
Can I just turn down the temperature on my hot water system?
Storage hot water systems need to keep water at 60°C or more to control bacteria, so turning them down isn't the safe answer. A tempering valve keeps the stored water hot and the bathroom water safe.
Does a tempering valve affect the kitchen and laundry?
Not usually. The valve is normally fitted on the line to the bathroom, so the kitchen and laundry can still have hotter water.
How long does a tempering valve last?
It depends on the water and the valve, but many makers recommend replacing the internal parts or the valve after about five years.
Related help: our hot water temperature guide, hot water repairs and replacement, hot water servicing and TMV testing. Local pages: hot water Matraville, hot water Maroubra, hot water Botany and hot water Malabar.