Is there a new tap in your kitchen? If you’ve had one installed recently, you may have noticed it’s behaving differently from your previous one. Open the tap and the water that comes out seems to froth. There is also less of it. Fill a glass, for example, and close off the flow when it nears the top. Notice anything different? It seems to settle out before the glass is full. Why is that? Air. Your new faucet has an aerator inside it. Some may be aware of this little water-saving gizmo from having it installed on their existing faucet. It’s a small part that can be screwed onto the end of the tap. Many new taps these days already have an aerator located on the inside. Bathroom and kitchen faucets are the most common.
The aerator adds air into the flow of water from the tap, reducing the amount you use. The pressure of the water may increase and the amount of splashing may decrease. The result of all this decreased usage is your water bill will go down and some will say, you are helping to save the planet too. What’s not to like? Faucets are becoming positively trendy with many new elements that take them way past innovative design and the variety of finishes that are currently available. Did you know, for example, that you can control a faucet with your voice?
Enter the “Smart Faucet”. Moen has introduced one that functions as a kitchen assistant to help with a variety of tasks. The U by Moen™ Smart Faucet offers “convenience, precision, and intuitive voice-activation” saving time and effort in four different categories: baking, hand-washing, bottles, and plants. Ask Moen to fill your coffee pot or pour a cup or two of water. Choose the quantity you want in either metric or imperial. How about a specific temperature? You can ask for that too. Or program your tap to pour the desired amount for plants. It eliminates the potential for over-watering, which is known to kill plants during the winter months when they require less water. The ability to determine the number of ounces and temperature when filling a baby bottle reduces the risk of it being so hot it burns.
On the topic of safety, one of the best ways to stop the spread of Covid-19 and stay safe is to wash your hands thoroughly and regularly, according to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. The Smart Faucet makes it much easier with its no-contact, voice-activated approach to hand-washing. Say the command, water will start coming out of your faucet to wet your hands. Then it pauses for you to soap up and wash thoroughly. After 20 seconds, it restarts to rinse your hands. The Smart Faucet can be controlled in four different ways: by voice, hand motion, the Moen Network app, and/or a wave sensor. Located at the front of the faucet, the wave sensor allows you to turn the water on or off with a simple hand movement. No contact. Manual operation is also available along with the ability to adjust flow and temperature.
For all your installation needs, call Plumbtech Plumbing at 705-722-7209.
