We are all familiar with touch faucets. Touchless faucets can be a fresh addition to your bathroom and kitchen. Are you planning to buy a touchless faucet? What are the benefits and drawbacks of touchless faucets? Are they worth the money? If you are striving with these questions, don’t worry. Because I am going to discuss “Are touchless faucets worth it?” in this article.
During this pandemic, people are more conscious of germs and prefer to avoid touching things. Thus, touchless faucets are becoming more popular in public places these days. These faucets have many advantages and disadvantages. Because of poor knowledge about touchless faucets after buying them.
Thus, I will discuss “Are touchless faucets worth it?” to relieve you from confusion. Besides, you will get familiar with the pros and cons of touchless faucets and answers to some frequently asked questions. So, stay tuned with me.
What are the basic differences between touch faucets and touchless faucets?
Some may think touch and touchless faucets are the two sides of a pole. But there are many common features between these two. I have mentioned the basic differences between the two faucets below:
Activation
You need to pull or push the regular faucet to operate it. There are also touch–sensitive faucets. These faucets have sensors on the neck of touch faucets. One can turn on and off these faucets by touching the faucets anywhere.
In contrast, one needs to move his hand in front of the sensor of the touchless faucet. The sensor functions in a limited field. Once the sensor identifies one’s hand in the field, it opens the valve and supplies water flow. Then, when you are leaving your hands from the field, it stops the water supply.
Price range
Touch faucets use capacitive touch sensors that are expensive. But the touchless faucets use infrared sensors. Infrared sensors are common in many electrical devices and are less expensive. So, touch faucets are more expensive than touchless faucets. One may need $400 to $700 to buy a touch faucet, while touchless faucets will cost you from $300 to $400.
Water-saving
Touchless faucets are the winner in this case. They can save water up to 700 gallons per year. Thus they are cost-efficient by reducing your water bill. In contrast, a touch faucet saves 300-400 gallons per year.
Installation: Installation of a touchless faucet is a bit pricey than a touch faucet. One may spend $150 to install a touchless faucet in a bathroom and $250 for a kitchen. But the installation of a touch process is quite easy and cheap.
Are touchless faucets worth it?
Touchless Faucets use advanced technology to operate. Every technology has its merits and demerits. But the positive sides of the best device ultimately surpass the disadvantages. Besides, there are personal preferences. One may look to get rid of germs while another is trying to get a faucet that has an easy installation process. Thus, the preference also shapes if buying a touchless Faucet is worth it or not.
I have mentioned the key pros and cons of the touchless faucet. So, one can find out the key features and decide if the faucet matches their preferences. Let’s look at the benefits and drawbacks of touchless faucets:
Pros of a touchless faucet
- Modern outlook: Touchless faucets offer a modern look. So one can install a touchless faucet to add a luxurious vibe in the bathroom or kitchen.
- Hygiene: People are more susceptible to infectious diseases through touch or contact. It is difficult to identify who is infected with infectious diseases in public bathrooms. So, if you install a touchless faucet in your bathroom, you can reduce the risk of spreading germs and infectious diseases.
Moreover, our kitchen faucet also contains germs. We often touch raw meat, fish, food waste and then touch the faucet to wash them. Thus, the kitchen faucets are also prone to spread germs. Here, the use of a touchless faucet in the kitchen can be a vital device to keep us healthy.
- Easy access: Sometimes, children face trouble reaching the faucet because of their height. But a touchless faucet can remove this problem since it functions in a particular area. Moreover, it is convenient for people who prefer using touch faucets for various reasons.
- Easy usage: Sometimes, when people wash their bikes or work in gardens, the whole faucet gets dirty. Since a touchless faucet requires no physical touch, you can keep the faucet and bathroom clean after doing these hazardous works.
- Preserve water: sometimes, people run the faucet while washing their hands. It uses a lot of water and energy. People use 2 gallons of water per minute while washing their hands. But you will not face such problems in a touchless faucet. Besides, these faucets flow water slowly to save water which is also environmentally beneficial.
Cons of a touchless faucet
- Motion problem: Touchless faucets operate based on motion. Thus, the faucet can start operating when you or any object is passing in front of the faucet. This problem may appear when you are washing the dishes, and your hand comes under the faucet.
- Battery: Touchless faucet needs a battery to operate. If the battery dies, then the sensor will not operate.
- Water-saving: Though water saving is one of the key features of touchless faucets, in reality, they save water as the touch faucet does. Due to motion problems, the faucet starts operation when you don’t want it to operate. It wastes lots of water.
Myths about touchless faucets
Difficult installation
It is the most common myth about touchless faucets. Many people think that the installation of touchless faucets will be difficult. But the installation of a touchless faucet is not rocket science. Rather, it is child’s play. You will find a manual in the faucet box which will guide you step by step to install the faucet.
The faucet will start operating while cleaning
Many people get confused about this issue because of the motion dynamics. But the sensor of the faucet can determine the difference between typical hand movement and rubbing the faucet. So don’t worry. Your touchless faucet will not operate while rubbing the faucet.
FAQ’s
Can a touchless faucet work manually?
Yes, a touchless faucet can work manually. But in this case, one needs to know that the sensor of the faucet will not function in manual mode. One can follow the below process to make a touchless faucet work manually:
-Look for the valve box under the sink
-Rotate the bypass counterclockwise with a coin to make it a manual faucet
If you want the faucet to work automatically, then spin the bypass clockwise.
How long do batteries last in touchless faucets?
The battery is one of the vital components of a touchless faucet. If the battery expires, the faucet will stop working. Touchless faucets use lithium batteries. These batteries are long-lasting and spread power smoothly. These batteries usually last for two years on average. However, the time duration may differ based on the frequency of use.
Do touchless faucets break easily?
One of the disadvantages of a touchless faucet is that it is breakable because of its sensor. The sensor can be damaged for various reasons. Accumulation of soap dregs, grease, layers of calcium, and hard water are some of the common reasons for sensor damage.
Thus, it is wise to keep the faucet and sensor clean. So, grease and soap cannot pile up in the sensor.
Final verdict
In this age of science and technology, everything has been modernizing. Touchless faucets are nothing exceptional in this consideration. In this pandemic, ensuring sound health is one of the key challenges. Germs and infection rates are getting higher day by day. A touchless faucet can be a lifesaver in this consideration.
I have explored all the key features of touchless faucets. A touchless faucet offers more advantages than disadvantages. It is easy to use, water and energy-efficient. The affordable price and simple installation process have attracted many people towards touchless faucets. But there is no unmixed good.
However, I believe the advantages of touchless faucets outweigh the negative sides of them, so touchless faucets are worth buying. However, the final decision will depend on one’s personal preference. I believe you have found the article helpful.