Wolseley PRO Pipeline Blog
The benefits of touchless faucets and plumbing solutions are crucial for a contractor to learn. These innovative products are especially important to use after the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to faucets, touchless flush toilets and touchless soap dispensers are bathroom solutions the world demands now more than ever to stay ahead of best safety and cleaning practices. Whether it be for a commercial or residential application, touchless faucets are simple, fast to install, and are great to be prepared for the future of plumbing. Take the general interest of the public as an opportunity to learn about the eco-benefits of touchless faucets, their ease of installation and efficiency, plus the overall advantages of adopting this more hygienic plumbing technology.
The Eco-Benefits of Touchless Faucet Plumbing TechnologyAmerican Standard touchless faucets have an infrared sensor that detects motion and then activates the faucet. This helps control water consumption by limiting the duration the faucet expels water. While most standard faucets release 2.2 gallons of water per minute, touchless faucets, such as the Clean IR Touchless Faucet from American Standard, release only about 0.5 gallons per minute. It is a tremendous reduction, with an estimated 77% savings. This surpasses the standard industry levels of water savings in a faucet.
The Technology and Innovation of Touchless Faucets
American Standard touchless faucets typically come either hardwired with a power box that goes underneath the counter as with an electrical transformer unit, or the faucet can be battery-powered, with a battery pack which also goes under the counter. In the latter option, all the technology is inside the body of the faucet, including the battery pack.
With the Clean IR Faucet, the battery is good for seven years – however, other options include batteries recharged by turbines inside. The rechargeable turbines are common in higher-end commercial installations, but can be done for residential applications if you have a client that wants them. Typically, the standard battery for touchless faucets allows for 4000 times on and off within a 30-day period – a great eco-friendly solution. Does the average residential home go through 4000 on-and-off cycles? Not necessarily, but the capacity is there, and extends to commercial applications.
Installing Touchless Faucet Technology
In the case of the Clean IR faucet, installation is easy. For a commercial application, it’s a matter of fastening the nut and getting hooked up to the power source. Even on the commercial installation, you just fasten a nut and three additional screws to make it tamper-proof. Waterproofing with Teflon® is not necessary. Overall, it’s a very quick and easy process.
Technology to control the faucet’s settings during installation is also easy for the plumber. A remote control can adjust the faucet to the recommended or appropriate settings for when it is in use, and when it’s not. The detection of hand movement and the distance of handwashing can be set. This is great because if you are installing the faucet in an office, you can set the distance to be a bit further; if you are installing the faucet in an elementary school, where children’s arms will only reach so far, the distance can be set shorter.
Furthermore, the duration of handwashing can be programmed. While the standard is 30 seconds before being shut off, and then to be reactivated with hand detection, the remote allows for any desired length of time to be established. The desired temperature can also be locked into place. The touchless faucet can be programmed and adjusted to work during the respective times needed. This is especially suited for commercial applications—for instance, a school setting where the water is not being used on the weekends. The formation of bacteria may occur during those off days, but with a remote control and programming, the faucet can be made to release water every few hours, for 30 seconds or a minute. This also helps maintain the cleanliness of the water inside the faucet as well. Remote and programmatic features also apply to soap dispensers, and flash valves that go on the actual urinal or a toilet.
Residential and Commercial Applications for Touchless Faucets
Touchless faucets aren’t just for commercial projects. They too can be utilized in residential applications. For example, the average home has about three washrooms. This includes one powder room usually reserved for guests, which in recent years has often been a great choice for touchless lavatory faucets and touchless soap dispensers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It helps guests feel safer about using your bathroom, and there is less to disinfect or clean after each guest’s use.
Touchless toilet sensors are also an option, which can be placed within three feet of the actual toilet. It’s great for users who might feel uncomfortable touching a flush handle, especially in a commercial setting like a doctor’s office or a shared office. There are two versions of touchless toilets offered by American Standard which are popular— skirted and non-skirted. A professional commercial option would be a non-skirted Cadet® Touchless Toilet, whereas a residential or small professional office environment would benefit from something like the skirted Studio® Touchless Toilet.
Shop American Standard Cadet Touchless Tank
Shop American Standard Studio Skirted 2PC Bowl
Shop American Standard Cadet 2PC Bowl
Next, in master bathrooms, being typically more luxurious than other rooms, it is common to see these additional touchless accessories. Touchless faucets are designed to have no splash, eliminating the mess of water going everywhere. It keeps the sink and brass cleaner both in a home or otherwise. You can also offer the customer a whole set of touchless products if they really want the feeling of clean luxury.
Determine Touchless Technology Needs
When working with your customers, have questions in mind to determine what suits their needs, and what would steer them in the direction of these touchless products.
New builds will work with a contractor or builder to assess what services or products belong. On the other hand, renovations are where you probe for the end-user needs, and what they are ultimately looking for, whether it is for the long-term comfort of the current residents or to increase the value of a home to sell. Is the bathroom for children? Touchless products are recommended for children’s bathrooms. In commercial applications going forward, choosing touchless is a given.
The practicality of American Standard touchless faucets and plumbing solutions cannot be denied, and you will find it’s a viable option for your customers, regardless of whether it’s a residential or commercial job. Touchless technology is easy to install, has great functionality, has room for adjustments, and ensures safety during these times and beyond. Plus, it’s the way that customers will be approaching bathroom designs in the future, so why not get started now?
To learn more about touchless technology solutions, visit Wolseley Express or contact your Wolseley representative today.
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