Hello,
I need to choose a new tap for our soon to be fitted kitchen, and I have realised having a gravity fed system will limit my choice somewhat.
Cold water tank is in the loft approx 5m above ground level, but tap outlet is about 1m off the ground, so am I right in thinking this will give me a hot water pressure of about 0.4 bar? I've no idea what my cold mains pressure is, but I am presuming somewhat more than that!
From what I've read, the advice seems to be that if you have unbalanced pressures (and don't want to go down the route of fitting pressure reducing valves, non return valves etc as these reduce flow rate) then the best option is to fit a dual flow tap where the water only mixes at the spout?
I've read a few threads online where people with unbalances pressures who chose single flow taps are having all sorts of problems with backflow and no hot water etc etc.
However, casting an eye over our current tap (picture attached), it seems to me that it is not dual flow, becuase when I turn on the hot water, the spout gets very hot? Does this mean it is definately single flow?
We have never had any issues with this tap, we've always been able to get a nice temperature for washing up, cold water flow is fine. Looking underneith the sink, do those white isolating valves also incorperate a non return valve? Is that why I'm not having any problems?
My next question is, with my system, considering I appear to have a working single flow two lever tap - would I see any appreciable difference between that and a single flow single lever tap? Presumable they both mix the water in the tap body, and the only difference is using two quarter turn cartridges vs a single lever cartridge? Cos I quite fancy the look of the single lever taps.
Presumably I still need to go for a tap designed for low pressure systems, but it seems like my non return valves are solving the fact my pressures are also unbalanced?
Or should I play safe and by a dual flow tap? (I can see there is much less choice if I go down this route).
Many thanks for any advice!
I need to choose a new tap for our soon to be fitted kitchen, and I have realised having a gravity fed system will limit my choice somewhat.
Cold water tank is in the loft approx 5m above ground level, but tap outlet is about 1m off the ground, so am I right in thinking this will give me a hot water pressure of about 0.4 bar? I've no idea what my cold mains pressure is, but I am presuming somewhat more than that!
From what I've read, the advice seems to be that if you have unbalanced pressures (and don't want to go down the route of fitting pressure reducing valves, non return valves etc as these reduce flow rate) then the best option is to fit a dual flow tap where the water only mixes at the spout?
I've read a few threads online where people with unbalances pressures who chose single flow taps are having all sorts of problems with backflow and no hot water etc etc.
However, casting an eye over our current tap (picture attached), it seems to me that it is not dual flow, becuase when I turn on the hot water, the spout gets very hot? Does this mean it is definately single flow?
We have never had any issues with this tap, we've always been able to get a nice temperature for washing up, cold water flow is fine. Looking underneith the sink, do those white isolating valves also incorperate a non return valve? Is that why I'm not having any problems?
My next question is, with my system, considering I appear to have a working single flow two lever tap - would I see any appreciable difference between that and a single flow single lever tap? Presumable they both mix the water in the tap body, and the only difference is using two quarter turn cartridges vs a single lever cartridge? Cos I quite fancy the look of the single lever taps.
Presumably I still need to go for a tap designed for low pressure systems, but it seems like my non return valves are solving the fact my pressures are also unbalanced?
Or should I play safe and by a dual flow tap? (I can see there is much less choice if I go down this route).
Many thanks for any advice!