If you're considering installing a boiling water tap, it's important to ensure your family is home-safe first and foremost. Boiling water taps are incredibly convenient kitchen appliances that can be used for making hot beverages, cooking up veggies quickly or even sterilising utensils. But no matter how useful they seem, it's important that homeowners are clued up on any safety risks associated with a new appliance, particularly in homes with children.
In this blog post, we will examine the associated risks of having a boiling water tap in your home and look at ways to mitigate these to keep your family safe now and in the future.
Boiling water taps are a state-of-the-art household appliance that makes everyday tasks easier and more convenient. With the simple turn of a handle, they provide instant filtered boiling water suitable for making coffee or tea or sterilising baby bottles or knives.
Boiling water taps offer a fast and efficient alternative to using the kettle and can save counter space in compact kitchens where stovetop boiling of water may not be possible. They are also worth considering for homeowners looking for ways to update their kitchen appliances and make cooking faster and more streamlined.
Boiling water taps are a wonderful invention that has revolutionised the modern kitchen over the past decade. They are a great alternative to bulky and inefficient kettles, offering an instant supply of boiled water at the turn of a handle. Let's take a closer look at how a boiling water tap works.
A boiling water tap uses a boiler tank that is installed below the sink and plugged into your mains, maintaining a constant supply of piping-hot water. When you turn the boiling water handle on the tap, the water is released from the tank and is delivered instantly to your sink.
The boiler tank is often supplied with the tap and comes in a wide range of capacities, from 1 litre up to 6+ litres. All of our taps come with a 2.4L boiler tank included in the price, which is compact enough to fit into the majority of kitchen cupboards; 2.4 litres of water is roughly 7-8 cups and the tank takes around 4 minutes to reheat. Larger tanks require more space, of course, which can be difficult to manage in a small kitchen.
Absolutely yes – boiling water taps are safe to use. They offer many benefits, eliminating the time and energy spent waiting for a pot of water to boil on the stovetop or in the kettle. Not only that, but they are an excellent safety feature in households with young children, as they come with a child-safe spring-lock handle, which turns off when the tap is no longer in use. Compared to a kettle, which is usually hot to the touch and easily dropped, a boiling tap is a far safer alternative.
Boiling water taps offer a convenient and efficient way of quickly providing hot water with the simple twist of a knob. However, boiling water taps also come with some safety considerations due to the high temperature produced. First, it is important to ensure that these taps are kept out of reach of children or those who may not be aware of the danger they present. Although a child-safety handle will prevent most accidents, you should still try and supervise children using the sink - as you would if they were using a kettle.
Finally, when using hot water from these taps, it is essential to exercise caution and only fill containers that have been properly rated for high temperatures.
Yes, boiling water taps are safer than kettles in multiple ways. Firstly, they include a child-safe handle which turns off when the tap is not in use, preventing accidental burning. They also have built-in filters to remove limescale and other impurities for crystal-clear drinking water, as well as a temperature control feature that limits how hot the water can get.
Finally, boiling water taps are made from durable materials and come with a service warranty that covers any mechanical failures of the tap’s internal mechanisms, providing you with peace of mind.
While boiling water taps are a great convenience for adults, they can also be safe around young children. Of course, proper installation and precautionary measures must be taken to ensure the child's safety. This can include ensuring that the tap is installed in an area that is out of reach of small hands, as contact with hot water from these taps could cause burns.
Like any other part of your kitchen, keeping your boiling water tap clean is essential. Wipe it down with a soft cloth or sponge every couple of weeks, and make sure you don't use cleaning products that contain abrasive chemicals or harsh ingredients, as these can damage the surface of your tap and make it more vulnerable to wear and tear. Additionally, be sure not to use scourers or hard brushes, as this could scratch the finish of your tap.
If your boiling water tap has an integrated filter system, then you must change the filter regularly to ensure optimal performance. Most filter systems (including ours) will need replacing once every six months but check the manufacturer's instructions for details on how often you should replace yours. It's also important to follow the manufacturer's instructions when replacing the filter so that it works correctly and does not cause any issues with your boiling water tap.
For your boiling water tap to work properly, it needs to have clear access to clean drinking water - it needs to be regularly descaling. Most manufacturers recommend descaling once a year, but if you live in an area with hard water, you may need to do this more regularly - check with the manufacturer for advice.
Descaling is easy - pour some white vinegar into the tank and let it sit overnight before flushing through with cold water in the morning. This will help remove limescale build-up inside the tank, which can clog up pipes and prevent your boiling water tap from working properly.
Learn more about maintaining a boiling water tap here.
Boiling water taps offer a convenient and stylish solution to boiling water in the kitchen. With various styles, features and designs, these taps can provide a safe and aesthetically pleasing addition to any modern kitchen.
We’re confident in the safety of our boiling water taps, including in homes with young children and pets. Find out more about how a boiling water tap works or read our ultimate guide to boiling taps.