The top 7 shower thermostat maintenance Q&As for installers

What to do if the shower faucet is not working as it should? Here are the most frequently asked thermostat maintenance questions and answers to fix your customers’ faucets as quickly and efficiently as possible.

From low water pressure to temperature fluctuations, here are the seven most essential fixes to your customers’ shower faucet.

1. What to do if water pressure from the shower faucet is weak?

If the water pressure is low, clean or replace the litter filters in the thermostatic shower faucet and clean the aerator.

This can be done in seven easy steps:

1. Close the water inlet of the faucet.
2. Open the faucet.
3. Detach the shower faucet from the wall using a 30mm spanner or wrench by turning the connection nuts anti-clockwise.
4. Remove the litter filters from inside the connection nuts and clean or replace the filters. Check out how to best clean the litter filters by following our instructional video below:
   
5. Once filters have been cleaned or replaced, make sure they are correctly positioned, so that the convex side is placed against the water flow (see image).
6. Re-attach the faucet to the wall by turning the connection nuts clockwise.
7. Open the water supply to the faucet and test that the faucet works properly.

Changing litter filters in a thermostatic shower faucet.

For hand showers: Check the shower nozzles. Build-up, such as limescale and debris, accumulating in the holes can be removed quickly with the right cleaning method. Find out about how to best consult your customers on how to clean their shower head here.

If water flow remains weak, it’s time to clean the thermostatic cartridge (see question 4).

2. What to do if you can't set the water temperature or if the temperature fluctuates?

If there's only hot or cold water coming through the faucet or if the temperature fluctuates, check the connection at the rear of the faucet to make sure nothing is blocking the passage of hot or cold water.

Fluctuating water temperature can be a result of:

• clogged litter filters
• wrongly installed hot and cold-water connections (e.g., if hot and cold water inlets are reversely installed)
• clogged filters in the thermostatic cartridge

If you notice that the hot and cold water are reversed, you can install a shower thermostat with reversed cold-hot water connection. For this, you can use the Oras Nova 7471 with swapped cold/hot water connections.  

3. Is it possible to limit or lock the temperature and water flow for a thermostatic faucet for safety reasons (e.g., in elderly case centers)?

Protection covers enable the control and limitation of temperature and water flow for Oras Nova thermostats. By using the covers, temperature and waterflow can only be bypassed with a special key. To order the needed protection covers, please reach out to Oras technical support or your local sales representative.

• For temperature control, order Oras part 187070
• For flow control, order Oras 187071
• Key is also needed 109536, the same key can be used for controlling temperature and waterflow

Protection covers enable the control and limitation of temperature and water flow for Oras Nova thermostats.

4. How to clean the thermostatic shower cartridge?

If, after cleaning the litter filters and the aerator, the cartridge filter is clogged or the faucet reacts poorly to temperature adjustments, the shower cartridge must be serviced.

Here’s how to check the cartridge:

1. Turn off the water supply to the faucet.
2. With a firm grip, open the faucet and remove the temperature adjustment handle. Remove the plastic limiter underneath the handle if it didn’t come out together with the handle.
3. Open the cartridge by using a 38mm spanner or a box wrench by turning its locking nut anticlockwise.
4. You can use the Oras key 910003 for this. Remove the cartridge from inside the faucet.
5. Clean the cartridge and the filters with e.g. a toothbrush under running water. If necessary, replace the cartridge with a newer model.
6. Lubricate the O-rings with O-ring grease and push the cartridge back into the faucet body and secure it with a locking nut by turning it clockwise.
7. Put the limiter in the correct position, so that its shoulder is aligned with the hole in the faucet’s cover.
8. Calibrate the water temperature (see question 5) and put the temperature adjustment handle back in place.
9. Check that the faucet operates normally.

You can also watch our instructional video below.

5. How to calibrate the temperature for thermostatic shower faucets?

For some installation locations, the water temperature needs to be calibrated.

This can be done in four easy steps:

1. Pull out the temperature control handle with a firm grip and open the faucet.
2. Adjust the water temperature to a suitable level by using the temperature adjustment handle while feeling the water temperature.
3. Push the temperature control handle back in place so that the mark on the handle is aligned with the 38 degrees marking on the faucet body.
4. Test that the faucet works properly.
   
   

Follow the steps by watching our instructional video below.

6. What to do if the faucet doesn’t provide enough hot water?

If the faucet doesn’t heat up the water to a sufficient level, check the heating installation for malfunction.

If the heating system works properly but the water temperature is still too low, then it might be time to replace the thermostatic cartridge.

For this, follow the steps in question 4, but instead of servicing the existing cartridge, replace it with the new one.

7. What to do if the shower faucet is leaking?

Replace the shut-off upper part.

1. First, pull off the shut-off handle and remove the plastic limiter under the handle if they have not been loosened together.
2. Unscrew the upper part with a 17 mm open-ended spanner and then replace it with the new upper part.
3. Mount the plastic limiter and the shut-off handle.

A malfunctioning faucet can have many reasons. Luckily, in most cases, all that’s needed to ensure proper functionality is a professional and efficient maintenance service.

If you did not find the answer to your question from this article, don’t hesitate to contact our customer service.