Key Variables Of Bathroom Tap Design
Introduction
Fundamentally there are three variables governing the design of taps, details of which are listed below. For a full guide to all bathroom tap combinations, use the following link;
The number of faucets from which water flows
Unlike kitchen taps which must keep the hot and cold water supplies seperate, bathroom taps can mix the water supplies. Differences in design of bathroom taps are therefore purely for aesthetical reasons.
- Taps can either deliver the hot and cold water from separate faucets, or combine their flow into a single output.
- 'Mixer' taps mix the hot and cold water supplies before the faucet using a ceramic valve to control the flows. The desired temperature is controlled manually.
- 'Thermostatic mixers' use a thermostatic valve to maintain the water output at a desired temperature by automatically adjusting the flow from each supply. This means that the output temperature remains constant regardless of fluctuations in water pressure (for example when another tap in the house is used).
- 'Filler' taps combine the hot and cold water supplies within the faucet. The desired temperature is controlled by adjusting the flow of the hot or cold tap.
In a washbasin 'mixers' are nowadays the preferred choice since they can prevent scalding from the hot water tap. In a bath however, both 'mixer' and 'filler' varieties are common, with 'fillers' being the cheaper alternative.
The number of mounting points
The number of holes that are required in the washbasin/bath/bidet or wall is simply a matter of aesthetics, governed by how closely the supply and any mixer pipes are arranged. If the hot, cold and mixer are closely grouped together all three will usually pass through the fixture via a single hole. This is often the most popular arrangement as it is by far the neatest.
Alternatively, the hot and cold may penetrate the fixture separately, and any mixer may combine the supplies in pipework running above or beneath the fixture, requiring two or three holes, respectively.
The number of flow control valves
Hot and cold water supplies may each have a valve (tap head) for the user to alter their flow independently, or this control may be combined into a single valve which manages both flow and water temperature.
There are several types of valve components currently in use;
- A mechanical valve is the traditional type, using rubber washers to create the seal. They have the disadvantage of being prone to wearing over time, but taps with these valves will be cheapest to buy and rubber washers are easily replaced.
- Ceramic disc valves use ceramic washers to produce a watertight seal which requires low maintenance and is operated and controlled in a just a quarter turn.
- A ceramic disc cartridge is found in single lever mixer taps, using low maintenance ceramic discs that are arranged such that water temperature and flow can easily be controlled with one hand.
Further information and useful links
- Find a Bathroom Showroom near to you
- Find a Bathroom Fitter near you
- Find a Bathroom Fixtures & Fittings supplier near you
- Find a Bathroom Taps & Shower supplier near you
- Find a Plumber near you
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