Touchless plumbing features, like faucets, are not new technology – in fact, they’ve been around since the 1970s!
They weren’t common until about a decade later, though, when airports started to install them in their restrooms.
Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, touchless faucets seemed more necessary than ever, as we worked to avoid germs and slow the spread of the virus.
Installing touchless faucets is a solid investment for both homes and businesses. Let’s take a look at some of our favorite benefits to these fixtures.
- They conserve water. Because it turns on and off automatically, a touchless faucet can save you hundreds of gallons of water a year, significantly impacting your water bill. The Environmental Protection Agency has a program called WaterSense, which makes it easy for you to identity water-efficient products. WaterSense-labeled products and services, including faucets and aerators, are certified to use at least 20 percent less water, save energy, and perform as well as or better than regular models. And depending on what kind of touchless faucet you opt for, it might be able to detect leaks. (According to the EPA, the average household’s leaks can equal more than 10,000 gallons of wasted water annually!)
- They are easy to use! All you have to do when you want to wash your hands is place them in front of the faucet’s sensor, and the water starts to flow.
- They are more convenient. Who hasn’t had their hands full of dishes and wishing they had a third hand to turn on the kitchen sink? A touchless faucet solves that problem!
- They are more sanitary. Think about it – if you need to turn on the faucet to wash your hands after using the bathroom, then you’ve touched the faucet before properly sanitizing your hands, transferring germs onto the faucet. Yuck!
- They are easier to clean and maintain. Because you’re not touching them, the faucet will stay cleaner longer than your typical faucet would. You’ll also have less wear and tear on your fixtures, and there will be fewer parts to maintain.
- They help prevent burns from hot water. This is especially key if you have young children in your home. A touchless faucet will typically have a fixed temperature, meaning you don’t have to worry about your kids turning on the faucet and accidentally scalding themselves.
How much do touchless faucets cost?
Touchless faucets generally cost between $400 and $700, depending on the features you get, plus installation. If you opt for a battery-powered or plug-in faucet, you can probably install it yourself. A plug-in will require an outlet, so if you need to add one, call a professional electrician like our sister brand, Mister Sparky Electric.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is also here to install your touchless faucet if you don’t know how to do it yourself! Call us at 1-877-BEN-1776, or contact us online.
