ELECTRIC FAUCETS

Don't Mess With A Good Thing

 Electronic Faucets May Not Be As 'Clean' As We Think

It seems that now days everyday appliances in our lives are constantly being transformed to simplify their function- in our homes, in our workplaces and in public facilities we see this constantly.

However, easier may not always be the best route, especially when it is considered to compromise our ‘clean’ standards.

Electronic faucets are everywhere, as they were long thought to be more sanitary, with better water quality than the traditional manual faucet;

it was a common thought of most people that manual faucets were less sanitary, and more likely to harbor harmful diseases in bacteria.

These assumptions were likely based on the ‘hands free’ highlight in electronic faucets, compared to a manual faucet where you would actually have to touch the handle to turn it off and on – an absurd concept to some.

This alone should make electronic faucets ‘cleaner’ right? Not necessarily; there have been several studies which demonstrate water quality that suggests otherwise.

To compare the cleanliness and water quality between the two variations of faucets, one must look to the plumbing used in both models.

In manual faucets, the plumbing is relatively straightforward; two separate pipes feed into the faucet, one providing cold water, and the other hot.

Electronic faucets are significantly more than complex in their plumbing design compared to manual faucets. They require several valves, screens and filters in the design; these various pieces provide an ideal nesting area for several types of bacteria to grow.

Although, studies testing the water quality show more bacteria in electronic faucets than manual, the amount present isn’t necessarily enough to harm a healthy individual..

In public facilities however, like hospitals and other medical offices, these electronic faucets bring about causes for concern. Visitors/patients of these institutions are more likely to have weakened immune systems, where the bacteria found in electronic faucets could be harmful.

In our homes, it may very well be easier to have ‘hands free’ faucets, to complement our busy lives but those with traditional manual faucets should be in no hurry to adapt to the growing trends in home appliances.

Some things are just better left untouched, manual faucets might just be one them.

 

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