THE FIX
ADVICE ON INS TALLING THREE-WAY, FILTER AND BOILING WATER TAPS
J E R RY W H I T E L E Y CIPHE technical manager Jerry has worked as a self-employed installer and also has experience teaching. He advises on technical issues and compliance jerryw@ciphe.org.uk
Go with the flow Filter, three-way and boiling taps are increasing in popularity, presenting installers with a lucrative line of revenue to tap into
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onvenience is a big factor when it comes to consumer spending, which is why innovations within the tap sector have focused on developing products that can dispense boiling, chilled and filtered water. Due to high demand, this market is growing every year. Safety first Popular with consumers wanting to simplify their kitchen and maximise worktop space by removing the need for a kettle, boiling water taps have become increasingly common and are now available from a number of manufacturers. “There are one million kitchens sold a year and there’s currently around 150,000 boiling water taps supplied per annum,” says Stephen Johnson, managing director of Quooker UK. “That number is growing
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significantly. As a company we grow by around 50% a year.” Although the idea of having boiling water on tap is extremely appealing for many customers, there are questions surrounding safety, particularly for households which include children or vulnerable adults. “Instant boiling kettle taps are designed with safety in mind,” reassures Dario Palumbo, marketing manager at Monarch Water. “These types of taps feature child-proof safety locks and are made using a specialised anti-scald material.” Safety features on a Quooker tap, like the one pictured above, include a mechanism where the user must press the handle twice and then turn it for boiling water; a light indicates when the boiling water feature has been activated, to warn the user. In addition, boiling water taps
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