A pressure-balancing valve reacts to swings in hot and cold water pressure, like a toilet flushing; a thermostatic valve reacts to the temperature of the mixed water and lets you set volume and temperature separately. In Delta’s line, the Monitor 17 trim (T17059-SS) is pressure-balancing with a separate volume lever, and the TempAssure 17T trim (T17T059) is thermostatic. Both fit Delta’s R10000-series MultiChoice rough valve, and both still need the hot-water limit set at install.
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Handle count and a decorative collection name do not identify the mechanism. Check the full valve and trim model before comparing features.
What each type senses
| Type | What it senses | What still needs checking |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure-balancing, Type P | Incoming hot and cold pressures | Outlet limit setting, operating range and exact shower combination |
| Thermostatic, Type T | Mixed-water outlet temperature | Permitted supply conditions, adjustment and operating range |
| Combination, Type T/P | Inlet pressures and outlet temperature | Exact product classification and complete installation requirements |
These are general mechanism descriptions, not a promise that every product with a temperature dial has the same classification or performance.
Pressure changes and temperature changes are different
The ASSE shower-valve definitions (asse-plumbing.org) distinguish pressure sensing from outlet-temperature sensing. A pressure-balancing mechanism responds to changes in the relative hot and cold supply pressures.
A thermostatic mechanism responds to mixed-water temperature within its specified operating conditions. A combination design uses both sensing approaches. The exact product and its instructions establish what is supported.
For shopping, identify the actual problem: a pressure disturbance when another fixture runs, a change in incoming water temperature, or an inadequate supply. Do not assume that replacing the visible handle diagnoses any of these.
No compensating valve creates additional hot-water capacity. If hot supply is insufficient, have the complete system assessed rather than expecting a more elaborate trim kit to solve it.
Two controls do not prove a valve is thermostatic
Temperature adjustment and volume adjustment describe the controls the user operates. They do not, by themselves, identify the compensating mechanism inside.
Delta’s series explanation (deltafaucet.com) is a useful example: Monitor 13, 14 and 17 use pressure balancing, while 17 adds volume control. TempAssure 17T is a separate thermostatic series.
That makes the extra letter significant. T17059 and T17T059 are not two spellings of the same mechanism. Record the full model rather than choosing by a collection name or a photograph of two controls.
Other manufacturers organize their ranges differently. Use their actual technical identification instead of transferring Delta series numbers or handle assumptions to another brand.
Pressure-balanced example: Delta T17059-SS
Choose T17059-SS when the confirmed Delta system and pressure-balanced design suit the project. The current Rev K specification (media.deltafaucet.com) identifies the Monitor 17 family, separate volume lever and temperature dial, and R10000-series rough-body use.
Skip it for an unidentified valve body or when a different specified control type is required. It is a stainless-finish valve-only trim kit, not a complete shower set or a universal body replacement.
The checked standard new Amazon.com offer showed stock with T17059-SS in both the model and manufacturer-part fields. Verify the existing rough body and the exact supplied components before ordering.
Check Delta T17059-SS Monitor 17 trim on Amazon →
Thermostatic example: Delta T17T059
Choose T17T059 when the confirmed installation calls for this TempAssure 17T trim. The current Rev H specification (media.deltafaucet.com) identifies a thermostatic wax element, separate volume lever and temperature dial, and an R10000-series rough body ordered separately.
Skip it if the existing body is not confirmed compatible or if you need an included showerhead, spout or rough valve. The selected chrome model is valve-only trim.
The checked standard new Amazon.com offer showed stock with T17T059 in both the model and manufacturer-part fields. Its different finish from the pressure-balanced example is not a mechanism or performance advantage.
Check Delta T17T059 TempAssure 17T trim on Amazon →
Anti-scald is not a promise of burn-proof water
Use “anti-scald” as a prompt to check the exact device and installation, not as a blanket assurance. Both selected families require installation and maximum-temperature adjustment according to the applicable instructions.
The Monitor 17 manual, revised June 2026 (media.deltafaucet.com), warns that inlet-temperature changes can require further limit-stop adjustment. The currently linked 17T manual (media.deltafaucet.com) also requires setup and warns about changing supply conditions and failures elsewhere in the system.
A thermostatic label does not cancel those warnings. Have the installer establish the required outlet setting and leave the exact instructions and adjustment record with the owner.
Do not bypass a limit stop or add an unapproved outlet shutoff to work around a problem. Follow the model-specific requirements and have unexpected temperature behavior assessed.
Check the application standard, not just the word mixing
ASSE’s current product-standard list (asse-plumbing.org) identifies ASSE 1016/ASME A112.1016/CSA B125.16 for automatic compensating valves at individual showers and tub/shower combinations.
The same source separately identifies ASSE 1017 for mixing at the hot-water source. A heater-side mixing valve is not automatically a substitute for the required individual shower control.
Our mixing-valve application guide covers that distinction. Check the exact certification and application for the complete selected assembly.
A general standard description does not establish that every online product claiming “thermostatic” is listed for the job. Have the actual model, requirements and installation reviewed together.
Identify the rough body before replacing the trim
Find the existing maker, series and rough-body identity before buying replacement trim. Keep photos and any original parts information; the visible finish or decorative plate is not enough.
Our Delta MultiChoice compatibility guide covers related identification. Still confirm the exact existing body, generation and proposed trim combination.
Check the complete bill of materials for a new installation: rough body, trim and included internal components, outlet fittings, showerhead or hand shower, and any specified diverter or separate volume controls. For a new shower-only Delta install, Delta’s R10000-UNBXHF (deltafaucet.com) is its high-flow MultiChoice rough valve for shower-only models, with the tub port already blocked; Delta’s answers on that page list the 17 and 17T cartridges, which come with the trim. Check the Delta R10000-UNBXHF rough valve on Amazon.
A valve-only trim drawing can appear on a sheet that also shows complete shower and tub/shower variants. Do not assume every item pictured on that family sheet comes in the selected trim-only box.
Check the complete flow arrangement and future service
List every outlet that may operate and have the assembly checked for its intended flow range, supply conditions and control requirements. A showerhead’s advertised flow is not the same as the valve’s complete operating specification.
Do not add together separate maximum-flow figures without checking how they apply. Likewise, a compatible trim does not independently establish that the existing supply can serve a multi-outlet shower.
Keep the exact body and trim model, manual revision and installer’s adjustment record. That is more useful for future service than recording only the collection or finish name.
When budgeting, compare the full required installation and service parts rather than the trim alone. This guide does not publish prices or assume one mechanism is always cheaper to install or maintain.
Frequently asked questions
Is a two-control shower always thermostatic?
No. Delta Monitor 17 is a pressure-balanced example with separate volume and temperature controls. Identify the actual valve mechanism.
Will a thermostatic shower valve make more hot water?
No. It controls mixing within its operating conditions; it does not add heater capacity or correct an inadequate supply.
Does anti-scald mean the shower cannot burn someone?
No. Exact device selection, installation, temperature-limit adjustment and continued proper operation still matter. Follow the current model instructions.
Can a heater mixing valve replace an individual shower control?
Do not assume so. Source mixing and individual-shower compensating controls have different application standards and requirements.
Do the selected Delta trim kits include the rough valve and showerhead?
They are valve-only trim examples. Confirm the current exact package; the appropriate rough body and outlet components must be specified separately.
How we chose
This document-based comparison makes no hands-on testing claim. We checked current Delta product pages and their linked 2026 specifications, the June 2026 Monitor 17 manual and currently linked September 2023 17T manual, plus ASSE mechanism definitions and current standard scopes. On October 14, 2026, both linked standard new Amazon.com offers showed stock with matching model and manufacturer-part fields. No project-specific code approval or temperature performance test was performed. Read our selection method and about Plumbing Picks.
Primary sources
- Delta T17059-SS (deltafaucet.com): exact pressure-balanced stainless trim identity.
- Delta T17T059 (deltafaucet.com): exact thermostatic chrome trim identity.
- Delta Monitor 17 Rev K, 2026 (media.deltafaucet.com): separate controls and R10000-series body; family-sheet accessories not assumed included.
- Delta TempAssure Rev H, 2026 (media.deltafaucet.com): wax element, separate controls and rough body ordered separately.
- Delta 17 manual Rev H, June 2026 (media.deltafaucet.com): installer adjustment and supply-change warnings.
- Delta 17T manual Rev G, September 2023 (media.deltafaucet.com): current page-linked manual; setup and limits retained.
- Delta series explanation (deltafaucet.com): 13/14/17 versus 17T and independent volume control.
- ASSE low-flow showerhead paper (asse-plumbing.org): mechanism definitions only; dated paper not current numerical test criteria.
- ASSE current product-standard scopes (asse-plumbing.org): individual shower control versus hot-water-source mixing; no paid standard purchased.