Single vs Dbl Handle Faucets
Hackinatit
| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
I wonder which design causes more water heating?
I theorize that normal operation of single handles often draws hot water from the tank because the user rarely moves the handle to the cold only position.
I have no data to back this up, but I only install two-handle faucets in our sinks as a result of my observation.
Maybe Riversong can give up some indisputable facts on the subject.
A La Carte Government funding… the real democracy.
Replies
I usuaally install only single handle unless the client wants a double for the style. For me I find it more convenient to use one hand to get the water for say my shower or rinsing dishes at my kitchen sink than playing with two. Used mostly Moen over the past 20 years.
Have a good day
Cliffy
I think you are right but don't have anything to back it up.
I think most people leave a single handle faucet somewhere in the middle almost all the time.
Even if they are just rinsing their hand something else real short hot water is drawn down the pipe a certain distance.
I have a two handle faucet in one kitchen and I almost always use the cold side only.
It is on the other side of the house and I don't want to wait for the hot water or waste water and heat.
I have two teenage daughters and when the use the kitchen sink they spend a lot of time with their hands under the warm water. It feels good. Washing a dish is more like playing in the water and they are 15 and 19.
I think if we are going to really conserve energy we need to make less convenient to waste it.
I don't leave mine in the middle, but the point made is much appreciated. There probably is savings in double handles. Most people don't have it in the far right. Then again, w/ double handles, how much of the time is only the cold turned on?
I can only speak for myself. If I need a little water to rinse my hands or something like that I just use the cold side.
It is faster just to turn one handle. So I don't have completely altruistic motives.
I like to get food preparation and cleanup done quickly.
If you think about it, warm water is a huge luxury for many people in the world.
I'm not sure when it happened, but the faucet manufactures sold us on single handle controls.
I don't think they are that good looking or that well made.
We are going to be buying a new kitchen faucet and I will be looking hard at two handled ones.
All this modern stuff is just that. Modern design. Not necessarily better design.
I don't know about water heating, but the heat rises every time my wife and I discuss single stick faucets.
I hate them. I want to throw ours into the fire filled gulch they were born from.
My wife thinks that two faucets in the kitchen are for cave men who can't figure out how to use the "better" type.
It's a small thing, but it makes us laugh and rant. Can you guess which one we have? As my friend says "I got out voted 1 to 1"
Keep your eyes out for the fine homebuilding issue in the coming years when we re do our kitchen- it will be easy to find. Ours will be the one his his and hers kitchen sinks.
I meditate, I burn candles, I drink green tea, and still I want to smack someone.
Happy wife equals happy life. (doesn't it?)
Have a good day
Cliffy
1) I can guarantee you it's not worth worrying about.
2) Most people, when using a faucet they're familiar with, get in the habit of turning the lever towards the temp they want as they lift it.
I love single-handle so much that we even have a single-handle lav faucet.
And no-one likes those.
We have a two handle faucet in the kitchen and I find myself usually holding something with my right hand and reaching for the left (hot) handle; while in our bathroom we have single handle that are usually set to cold. I was thinking to put in a single handle in the kitchen ( when a new on is needed)
I'm refreshed to know that people buy what they want regardless of the energy useage.
We prefer two levered handles for ease of use. I really don't care about using the hot water....
we'd pay for it if we wanted single handles.
I'm still interested to know the extra energy useage, though. Anyone seen "Streammoan"?A La Carte Government funding... the real democracy.
That was my opinion when they first came out. Was in optomitrist friends office one day and we happened on the discussion and my stated opinion was met with hesitation and then, "yeah, but so what"? I really don't think it makes a hill o beans anyway but where I am in Colorado, the water is naturally very cold and the older I get, the less I like cold, so I go for the hot side every time.