Bathrooms: recommendations and tips for rehabs | PART 2 |

The current bathroom faucets are surprising for their sustainability and aesthetics. The different types of jet, finishes and height of the spout expand the possibilities of choice.

The new faucet collections arise from advances, shapes and materials that complement the features and aesthetics of the past with advances capable of optimizing their decorative possibilities and their function. The finishes are diversified and more resistant to adapt to different environments and remain unchanged for much longer. Internally, improved mechanisms guarantee effective pressure, far removed from that offered by the old models with rubber gaskets. The ceramic discs are capable of adjusting the flow more efficiently and achieving a total blockage without leaks when we close the tap.

Wall-mounted faucets are fixed to the wall and until now were installed almost exclusively in showers, bathtubs, sinks and bidets. The current series also includes, for aesthetic reasons, taps of this type in the sink areas. The tabletop ones are fixed on the handbasin or on the countertop itself and are commonly used in the different functional areas of the bathroom. If we decide on this option, the number of holes in the sink, bathtub or bidet must match the elements that make up the faucet.

Other precautions before choosing a specific model are compatibility with the available space to support the base, the type of suitable hoses and whether it incorporates an automatic shut-off valve.

The cartridges replace the old rubber valves washer located inside the appliance. Most are made of ceramic material to ensure durability and effectiveness. Two of the most significant advantages of this substitution are that they guarantee smooth opening and closing and that they almost completely eliminate old drippings from the spout.

• Simple faucet: it has a single water inlet and a single outlet and works only with cold or hot water. They are not installed in toilets and are usually intended for sinks and garden taps.
• Monobloc: all the components are compacted into a single piece made up of a base, one or two handles and a spout.
• Single-lever faucets: they have two outlets, one hot and one cold, and can also supply mixed water.
• Battery: the jet and the levers are independent elements.

The latest advances in bathroom faucets save around 80% of water by having simple, economical and easy-to-install mechanisms. This also means a considerable reduction in energy expenditure, when it comes to domestic hot water.

• Presence detection: the faucet is only activated while it detects the presence of hands under the spout. These mechanisms are powered by small batteries located inside the tap, although some brands have already developed mini solar panels that capture ambient light.
• With button: by pressing on the head, they activate the water outlet for a predetermined time. In them, the conventional handles have been replaced by a timer and they are installed almost exclusively in public places.
• Less flow: some taps incorporate a device that limits the passage of water to the maximum and can be manipulated without disassembling the tap, turning the slot with a simple coin. They can be used both in the domestic sphere and in residences and hotels, and are prepared to save up to 50%.
• Air and water: the aerators spray water at continuous pressure, from a pressure bar and without increasing its flow rate at higher pressures. The volume of the water increases and the jet seems to decrease only the number of litres.