Visible or placed inside a tap, shower or at the end of a hose are small components that regulate and restrict the flow: emulsifiers and flow regulators. The flow rate of taps and showers depends exclusively on the use of emulsifiers and/or regulators. It is, therefore, not a characteristic related to the body of the tap or shower, contrary to what one might think.
These components have several functions:
• Emulsify air in water, with the aim of changing the perception of flow. Although the flow rate is actually lower, the user maintains the feeling of using a high flow rate without splashing.
• Restrict the flow rate used, limiting it according to the characteristics of the emulsifier. It is important to highlight that there are emulsifiers in which the maximum flow rate is independent of the water pressure.
• The function of emulsifiers is to regulate the water jet, giving it shapes or simply making it uniform and reducing splashes.
All these characteristics may or may not be present in the same component.
By changing the emulsifier it is possible to change water consumption, restricting the flow rate and adding air. The function of emulsifying air in water will ensure comfortable use.
Although we can easily change the flow rate of taps and showers, it is worth keeping some advice in mind:
• Bathtub tap: Do not restrict the flow. The main objective is to fill the bathtub in the shortest possible time, avoiding the water cooling.
• Hand, ceiling or wall shower: Restrict the flow, ensuring shower comfort/efficiency, taking into account the size of the shower.
• Sink and bidet tap: Restrict the flow, ensuring comfort/effective cleaning.
There are European standards on water consumption, but certification is voluntary.
CIFIAL follows American standards, which require mandatory certification, which are more restrictive in terms of flow than the current European Standard reference. Furthermore, it actively and directly participates in the development and approval of European Standards for Sanitary Faucets, through participation in the Technical Committee CT 117, whose work is based at CATIM – Metalworking Industry Technological Support Center.
The emulsifiers and flow regulators applied to CIFIAL taps and showers are from “Neoperl”, the largest and most recognized manufacturer of this type of components in the world.
WATER QUALITY: EUROPE & AMERICA
In the water there may be components without smell, taste or color, invisible to the consumer, but which can not only affect the purity of the water, but also harm health.
According to the ICNF (Institute for Nature Conservation), 82% of the world’s population is exposed to high levels of pollution in the water supply. One of the possible polluting components is lead, which easily contaminates water, through, for example, the taps in your home.
All CIFIAL taps comply with European Union standards, although these are not legally binding, with regard to the characteristics of the taps (examples: NP EN 200, NP EN 817, NP EN 1111) and the materials used. As for materials, the current common approach, subscribed by five European countries, is followed: France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Denmark.
In fact, as a result of the brand’s high presence in the American market for several decades – it should be noted that the White House taps were produced by CIFIAL (get to know ‘Edwardian’) – the majority of our taps comply with American standards for the sector. These standards are very demanding and mandatory to comply with, unlike those in force in the European Union.
There are three mandatory standards that allow consumers to be sure that sink and kitchen taps, through which drinking water is usually consumed, do not transfer lead or other substances that could endanger health.
What’s more, its components are restrictive in terms of water consumption.
The NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 standard, “Drinking Water System Components – Lead Content”, defines the limits of Pb (lead) in components in contact with water. Currently, in the USA the limit for Pb (lead) in tap volume is 5mg. It will go up to 1mg in January 2023, in California. In January 2024, the measure will be extended to the remaining States. CIFIAL has already started development processes to respond to this requirement.
More broadly, the NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 standard, “Drinking Water System Components – Health Effects”, establishes strict criteria regarding the transfer of substances that may be harmful to drinking water. Equally important is regulation on performance and design for valves and taps.
The ASME A1112.18.1/CSA B125.1 standard, «Plumbing supply fittings», which, among other topics, addresses and regulates the water consumption of taps.
It should be noted that, in addition to the common water consumption test, CIFIAL has internal laboratories capable of testing the passage of harmful components into the water, such as lead.