Valves – the hidden solution
June 1st 2007

Cottam & Preedy say Isolation valves could be the answer to reduced water use in taps. You can change the style of your taps yet the water savings remain

ith the launch of a Code for Sustainable Homes and the proposed change in Building Regulations to include water efficiency in new buildings one of the areas that people will naturally focus on will be the taps: as we all assume this is the source of water because it is where we turn it on and off.

This will no doubt result in the tap manufacturers developing taps that include some kind of flow control.

But is this the best solution for everyone? The isolation valve has, for a long time, played a hidden supporting role being originally developed to save time, allow ease of maintenance and reduce the amount of water wasted. By including flow regulation in the isolation valve gives everyone wider choice and flexibility from the specifier to the merchant, the contractor, plumber and more importantly the homeowner.

People choose taps for aesthetic reasons and may well be put off by the knowledge that their performance has been reduced, even though you would not in reality notice the restriction. The beauty of controlling the flow in the isolation valve is that they will never go out of fashion and are unlikely to be off-putting to the homeowner as they will probably never even be aware that they are there.

These valves are already available now.They are tested, approved, patented, can go with any fittings, can have different flow rate options, are a cheaper and more flexible option than changing expensive fittings and address any future changes in regulations relating to existing building stock - being simple to retro-fit.

So why aren't these valves, and other currently available water saving measures, being more widely used now? Why are we all waiting until we are forced to change by legislation? The answer is undoubtedly lack of awareness and education as to all the options available.

Whilst most of the general public could not be expected to know what a valve is: every plumber already knows what an isolation valve is! What they should also know is that there is an isolation valve which can now offer flow regulation. It is particularly important that the plumbers are aware of all the options to themselves, and the homeowners, as they are the ones homeowners will turn to for advice on water efficiency in the future.

In many commercial buildings valves such as the CP961 are already being specified as designers and architects see the benefits that these offer to their clients by way of reduced build costs and significant savings in both water and energy charges. There are also tax benefits as these valves are included on the Government's "Water Technology List".

Therefore the solution may not be as hidden as you think – more people just need to know that it already exists.

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