Taps

As heating hot water represents about 17% of total typical household energy use, it’s good to consider whether water efficient taps that can help reduce the volume of hot water we use.

Our Taps category contains two main types of products that can help you to achieve reduced hot water use.

Flow regulators

The flow rate from our taps can be higher than we really need it to be, meaning that we waste more hot water when we turn the tap on for tasks. A flow regulator is a small device that is installed between the fitting and the tap outlet, restricting the water flow through the appliance.

Mixer tap

These are taps that combine hot and cold water together giving a range of possible temperatures. These taps represent highly efficient taps according to European Water Label rules.

It is not always possible for these products to be installed in your pipe system. For example, in some very old pipe systems, the pipe diameter of wastewater is significantly larger than in newer pipe systems. If in doubt, we would recommend getting in touch with a local plumber for advice on how to use less water. If you’re confident that your system is compatible, however, a competent DIYer should find installing a flow regulator or mixer tap to be a fairly straightforward process.

Our Selection Criteria details the minimum standards the products must meet in order to display on our site, including further information about efficiency.