By Gene and Katie Hamilton

A pressure shower valve is designed to control the flow of hot and cold water, protecting you from a blast of scalding water when someone flushes a toilet or turns on a dishwasher. If you've ever experienced such a blast, you know its jolting effect, which can be especially harmful to children or the elderly while they bathe.

These anti-scald controls are designed as replacement units and eliminate the need to tear open the wall to remove the old valve and lines, a major concern when remodeling. The design provides access to remove the old valve from the supply lines and space to install support blocking between wall studs for the new valve. A wide escutcheon or faceplate conceals the opening.

DIY Hassle Alert

This is not a quick swap, so if you're at all intimidated, hire a plumber. You'll pay $276 for labor and material to replace an old shower valve with a new thermostatic valve control. By hiring a pro, you're assured the installation will meet all the building code requirements, a worthwhile investment. If you have plumbing experience and tools, you can do it yourself for $140, the cost of the new control and save 49 percent.

The Spruce has more information about a Pressure Balance Shower Valve.

Now you know the average cost to install a pressure shower valve, which includes the labor and material, and what’s involved, so you can decide to do it yourself or hire a contractor. Don’t forget to adjust the cost to where you live by adding your ZIP Code.

Improvement and Repair Cost Updated 2019

The cost and time data is generated by averaging labor and material data from annually updated cost books used by contractors and refined by the authors' experience remodeling 13 houses. They are authors of 20 home improvement books and Do It Yourself or Not, a weekly column syndicated by Tribune Content Agency. The national cost can be adjusted by ZIP Code.