Mechanical valve: Traditional type valve that uses a rubber washer to create a watertight seal.
Ceramic disc valve: Valve that uses hard wearing ceramic discs to create a watertight seal. Popular due to low maintenance and easy quarter or half turn action to operate.
Ceramic disc cartridge: Cartridge utilising cleverly made hard wearing ceramic discs to create taps with single lever operation. Becoming more popular due to low maintenance requirements and ease of operation.
Single flow: Hot and cold water mixes within the mixer body. To comply with Water Bylaws fittings such as this require single check valves fitted to each inlet.
Dual flow: Hot and cold water mix at the outlet of the tap, thus no check valves are required.
Check valves: Check valves (or Non Return Valves) are required to comply with Water Bylaws on certain fittings. They allow water to flow in only one direction. Please contact your local water authority for details.
Pressure reducing valves: Sometimes required on systems using mixers and with a high pressure imbalance. (greater than a ratio of 5:1 generally)
Minimum pressure: Pressure required so that fitting performs adequately. Pressure depends on type of fitting and type of plumbing system installed. As a general guide, low pressure systems are gravity fed and less than 1.0 bar (1.0 metre vertical distance between shower outlet and base of cold water tank is approximately 0.1 bar), high pressure systems are mains fed, pumped or combination boilers.
Maximum pressure: Maximum safe working pressure. If this is exceeded all guarantees are void and fitting may get damaged.
Water Bylaws: All fittings must be installed to comply with these to ensure basic safety and legal compliance. Please contact your local water authority for details.
WRAS (Water Regulations Advisory Scheme): A product approval process whereby fittings are checked for mechanical reliability and material safety.
If you are in any doubt or need any assistance please feel free to call our Helpline on 0161 620 2029