As we’ve discussed in previous blogs, sensor taps are very popular in healthcare environments such as hospitals, GP surgeries, dentists and veterinary surgeries – anywhere where hygiene is critical. Because of this people tend to think of sensor taps as being a solution only for professional environments and workplaces rather than for homes. However, we firmly believe that sensor taps are a great option for the home, for a number of different reasons.

Sensor taps are easily operated by people with limited motor skills

Now more than ever our homes are designed not just for how we live now but with an eye on what our future needs might be. For example, electricity sockets used to be placed just above the skirting board as standard, but building regulations now state that sockets need to be at least 45 cm off the floor, thus making them easier to reach by older people or those with limited physical ability. Sensor taps offer a similar benefit, being much easier to operate than traditional manually operated taps by anyone who has arthritis or limited motor skills for whatever reason. Modern sensor taps such as the Conti+ Ultra range enable you to control all aspects of the tap’s operation just by placing your hand in the direction of the spout, from starting and stopping the water flow, to controlling the temperature, to dispensing soap or other liquids.

Saving water and energy

One of the biggest benefits of sensor taps for businesses is the amount of water and energy that they save, and this is a significant benefit to households too, particularly when it’s more important than ever that everyone does their bit for the environment. Sensor taps typically mean a water saving of up to 70% compared to traditional taps. If you’re on a water meter then this saving can really add up. A secondary benefit here is of course the reduction in associated utilities bills. This is because sensor taps are much more efficient than traditional taps – dispensing water only in the precise quantities needed and with no way that they can be ‘left running’ like a traditional tap.

Cleaner and more hygienic

As already mentioned, this tends to be one of the biggest selling points for commercial users of sensor taps but it’s definitely relevant to domestic users as well. How many times have you needed to wash your hands midway through cooking and ended up with whatever was on your hands being all over the tap as well? With sensor taps you never need to touch the tap itself, thus keeping it cleaner for longer. Conti+ also offers a ‘best of both worlds’ solution for the kitchen which combines a traditional lever tap with a built in close proximity sensor, so you can use the tap in the conventional way when you like but activate it ‘remotely’ when your hands are dirty when working with, chicken, fish etc

Stylish, modern and attractive designs

As people tend to associate sensor taps with workplace environments they may think that they’re not stylish enough to be incorporated into domestic environments. In fact nothing could be further from the truth. Sensor taps are available in a wide range of award winning designs so make a great and stylish addition to any domestic kitchen or bathroom. Similarly, many people’s experience of sensor taps is in commercial buildings such as service stations, shopping centres and cinemas, where we’ve all had the experience of waving our soapy hands under a sensor taps and wondering why no water comes out. That’s because the products installed in these locations tend to be of fairly poor quality and are often badly installed, giving a very poor impression of what’s actually possible with sensor tap technology. Take a look at this video which demonstrates how Conti+ tap works to see that modern sensor taps are a world away from what you’re used to seeing in commercial environments.

As simple to install as a traditional tap

People may be put off the idea of installing sensor taps in their homes because they think that the installation process is going to be excessively complicated, but that’s not the case. Modern sensor taps are reliable and as simple to install as traditional taps with no special skills required. Sensor taps can easily be retrofitted to your existing sink. Indeed, taps such as the Ultra range from Conti+ are actually easier for a non-trained person to maintain as they have a built in above basin isolation feature. You don’t need mains electricity to run your sensor taps – taps like the Conti+ Ultra offer a battery powered version that has a four year life expectancy (based on a user turning the tap on 150 times per day – much more than would be the case in the typical domestic environment).  

As all aspects of our home are becoming ‘smarter’, with appliances from TVs and fridges through to light switches and thermostats being remotely controlled, why shouldn’t taps also be smarter?