Any clever plumbers out there? Is there any regulation, or is there any convention, that determines which side of the basin/bath/sink a hot water tap is fixed? It makes sense to me, as a non-plumber, that hot should be be universally sited only in one position, which would not only help the poorly or non-sighted, but cut down on the number of scaldings that accidently occur. If there isn't a regulation or convention, then I can't believe the authorities have been so negligent in not thinking this one out. It just makes so much sense!!
HOT TAP - WHICH SIDE OF BASIN?
- Thread starter Simeon
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For goodness sake, we don't need MORE regulations, this country's bad enough already. There's little point in one anyway. I go round many houses and the taps could be either way round, and not always the same way in different rooms in the same house.
What are you going to do? Have all taps moved to the correct side, and how are you going to cope with disabled people, and if you want to get scalded, how about the wonder single lever flow and temperature taps?
Fortunately the powers that be have this in hand as all new installations will shortly have to have thermostatic control (probably using mixing valves) on the hot taps. This will of course bring more problems as we will have to fit scale reduction devices, and they'll need maintaining, and if anyone has any sense this will be siliphos units (unless you use a water softener) as the alternatives are unreliable in domestic installations.
What are you going to do? Have all taps moved to the correct side, and how are you going to cope with disabled people, and if you want to get scalded, how about the wonder single lever flow and temperature taps?
Fortunately the powers that be have this in hand as all new installations will shortly have to have thermostatic control (probably using mixing valves) on the hot taps. This will of course bring more problems as we will have to fit scale reduction devices, and they'll need maintaining, and if anyone has any sense this will be siliphos units (unless you use a water softener) as the alternatives are unreliable in domestic installations.
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On my plumbing course a few weeks ago the tutor asked us this very question. She said that the reason that hot taps are traditionally on the left is for blind people. She didn't say that there was a regulation about it.
If I was blind, however, I don't think I would trust plumbers to always put hot taps on the left.
If I was blind, however, I don't think I would trust plumbers to always put hot taps on the left.
With reference to three documents-
BS CP 310 1965 stated that when hot and cold taps are provided together the hot water tap should be on the left.
BS 1010 Part2 1973 stated that for combined assemblies it is recommended that the hot tap should be on the left hand side when viewed from the front.
EN 200 1989/92 states that in the case of taps with separate control devices, the cold water shall be on the right and the hot water on the left.
Alan
BS CP 310 1965 stated that when hot and cold taps are provided together the hot water tap should be on the left.
BS 1010 Part2 1973 stated that for combined assemblies it is recommended that the hot tap should be on the left hand side when viewed from the front.
EN 200 1989/92 states that in the case of taps with separate control devices, the cold water shall be on the right and the hot water on the left.
Alan
Thanks to all who replied to my query. SPECIAL THANKS TO AlanE who quoted the regulations: I assume you are a REAL plumber, who knows his regulations, Alan !! You wouldn't believe the number of so-called plumbers I have asked about this, who couldn't give me a reply, or even said it didn't matter !! I know you are right, Alan, as I built my own house 20 years ago (still in it) and fixed the taps as per the regulations, but I've had hard times ever since convincing so-called plumbers that there ARE regulations. So there!!, to all those who say otherwise - what other, more important, regulations don't you know about. Beware !!
Most plumbers will be working to the water regulations guide which makes no mention to which side the taps should be on. To be honest what is the point of a regulation with the word 'should', this means it is a recommendation rather than a regulation. I don't really do the wet side much any more but when I did I would ask the customer which way round they preferred the seperate taps to be.....haven't had a complaint yet 
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AlanE, do you own the document you got the BS recommendations from? They're so expensive aren't they? I don't really understand why they can't be made freely available online. I bet very very few plumbers actually pay for them and so don't know exactly what is in them. Is there information about where the cold and hot water taps should be in the Water Regs Guide does anyone know?
I've just moved into my new house, an old lady lived there before and all hot taps are on the right, I was very confused at first as brushing your teeth with hot water is not too nice
I'm having the bathroom replaced and the kitchen too so I'll get that sorted out soon.
Marvin.
I'm having the bathroom replaced and the kitchen too so I'll get that sorted out soon.
Marvin.
Simeon don't know about the 'real plumber' bit but yes have my own company carrying out boiler, heating and plumbing maintenance.
Peter sorry don't have hard copy of the regulations - as you say the regs are there but cost an arm and a leg to buy.
Gripes me. All the time it's do this or that in accordance with this or that BS but to get them costs an arm and a leg.
Best suggestion is to visit local library. The larger ones often have the British Standards available.
Alan
Peter sorry don't have hard copy of the regulations - as you say the regs are there but cost an arm and a leg to buy.
Gripes me. All the time it's do this or that in accordance with this or that BS but to get them costs an arm and a leg.
Best suggestion is to visit local library. The larger ones often have the British Standards available.
Alan
HI OLLSKI. You are quite right about the word "should" - it should be deleted from the English language, along with "nice", "cannot", "can not" and "can't". However, wouldn't it be nice if everyone conformed to the recommended "should", then we'd all know where we stood!! After all, the Highway Code is full of "shoulds", and if you cause an accident after not carrying out a "should" you are likely to be done for a Due Care and Attention offence!! Thanks for your replies, guys.
seems to me the problem with such regulations are that they inadvertantly make the situation worse.
in this case if everyone expects the hot to come out of the left hand tap - they will more likely get scalded when it doesnt.
but if there is always a degree of uncertainty then we would all have to think (heaven forbid) and perhaps resort to cunning ploys like touching the tap to see if it is warm before immersing our fragile bits into the scalding superheated steam vent of a tap.
it also occurs to me that the sense of sight isnt the best one for determining wether or not water is hot or not - it all looks much the same. no! sight is better at determining wether the plumber stuck the blue centre in the tap or the red - which as we all know isnt an infallible guide to what may emerge from the tap.
so the blind person ruse is just a cover - what this is all about really is making examinations harder to pass so that a whole proffesion of educators can sleep easily knowing that thier jobs are a growth area and that they will never have to fit a tap themselves ever again.
perhaps I am cynical but speak with experience as a university lecturer sick of the unneccessary invention of trivial correctnesses that in the end just relieves students of common sense and banishes any grain of creativity that they may try to exhibit.
rant over - and thanks for listening
in this case if everyone expects the hot to come out of the left hand tap - they will more likely get scalded when it doesnt.
but if there is always a degree of uncertainty then we would all have to think (heaven forbid) and perhaps resort to cunning ploys like touching the tap to see if it is warm before immersing our fragile bits into the scalding superheated steam vent of a tap.
it also occurs to me that the sense of sight isnt the best one for determining wether or not water is hot or not - it all looks much the same. no! sight is better at determining wether the plumber stuck the blue centre in the tap or the red - which as we all know isnt an infallible guide to what may emerge from the tap.
so the blind person ruse is just a cover - what this is all about really is making examinations harder to pass so that a whole proffesion of educators can sleep easily knowing that thier jobs are a growth area and that they will never have to fit a tap themselves ever again.
perhaps I am cynical but speak with experience as a university lecturer sick of the unneccessary invention of trivial correctnesses that in the end just relieves students of common sense and banishes any grain of creativity that they may try to exhibit.
rant over - and thanks for listening
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