The Best Touchless Fixtures for Your Bathroom

touchless fixture
crawfordmech April 20, 2021

People always look for new ways to innovate and increase their efficiency in all aspects of day-to-day life. Touchless fixtures are an innovative choice and make the bathroom experience more beneficial for anyone who uses the restroom and those who embrace this technology for their home or business — going hands-free is a safer, more efficient and cost-effective option.

You have probably witnessed the convenience of hands-free faucets and touchless toilets in many commercial businesses, and these same fixtures will make a statement in your modern residential bathroom. Competitive businesses looking to level the playing field can similarly benefit from touchless fixtures. Save time and money when you invest in touchless fixtures for your business or home.

Standard Touchless Fixtures for Your Business and Home

As the name implies, touchless fixtures are any plumbing fixtures that do not require the user to physically touch a handle, button or knob to turn them on. These fixtures automatically complete everyday tasks and eliminate unnecessary touchpoints related to manual control. Touchless fixtures provide regulated, hands-free control and ensure efficient water usage. It’s no wonder business owners have installed touchless faucets and toilets in their public spaces.

In addition to public restrooms, touchless fixtures are becoming more prevalent in residential units and houses. Touchless fixtures may offer the perfect solution for your next home improvement renovation. You can install bathroom fixtures with the latest touchless technology in your home today. Over recent years, manufacturers have perfected multiple hands-free options to create the most valuable, advanced designs for your benefit.

How Do Touchless Fixtures Work?

Touchless fixtures use built-in sensors to detect when a user is near and shut the water flow on or off as needed. The best sensor appliances will turn on when a user puts their hand nearby and turn off after delivering the right amount of water for the task.

Touchless faucets have seen the most development over time, with several adaptations suited to fit multiple sink styles and locations. Kitchen faucets with hands-free technology may be vastly different from touchless bathroom faucets, including ones created by the same brand. This diversity allows you to find the tap that best meets your needs. Despite the variation in style, most touchless faucets work the same way — their intuitive, user-friendly design makes them easy to incorporate and use in daily life.

When the sensor detects your hand movements, the faucet turns on. Once you remove your hands from underneath the spout, the faucet turns off. This outwardly effortless system results from a more complicated interior, with a power source, sensor and rubber controls to monitor water flow all hidden from view.

Most touchless toilet models operate similarly. Depending on the model, the most relevant difference will be in the motion sensor’s location. Motion-sensor advancements have greatly improved upon the early hands-free designs, meaning that modern designs will likely be the most beneficial. Touchless toilet systems with the sensor facing out over the seat are the most common. These motion sensors use infrared light and trigger the flush when a nearby object moves a specific distance away. This technology still has a few kinks to work out, in that it sometimes results in premature flushing that conflicts with its intended purpose.

Models with newer technology have sensors located at the top or side of the toilet. Users wave their hand over the sensor to flush, addressing the inconsistencies in earlier models. Remember that these advancements and fixes come with extra considerations, though. You may need to use and replace batteries if you choose a model with side- or top-facing sensors.

Why Your Business Should Have Touchless Fixtures

For many people, stepping into a public restroom can feel like entering a war zone full of germs and bacteria. Nobody wants to spend more time than necessary inside a public bathroom, and when most people see unsanitary surroundings, they turn right back around with negative impressions of your business. Give your customers and employees peace of mind with the most efficient and hygienic experience possible. Touchless restroom systems are advantageous for your customers and business.

1. Satisfy Health and Safety Concerns

Touchless toilets and faucets lessen the risk of contamination through shared physical contact. Users won’t need to flush toilets or turn on faucets manually. Instead, they participate in a healthier experience than the one standard fixtures provide. Install hands-free fixtures and show you care for others’ health and safety.

2. Improve Efficiency

Improving health goes hand in hand with streamlined efficiency. When people use touchless fixtures, they can be more hygienic with less need to clean up after themselves. Eliminate contact by removing the need to touch germ-collecting toilet handles. Save water by ensuring wet, soapy hands never drip water all around the sink while turning off faucets. These details will increase efficiency and decrease the time spent cleaning dirty and wet surfaces.

3. Reduce Maintenance

Many people try to avoid public restrooms whenever possible. Promote a clean environment that people want to use and reduce maintenance costs with a hands-free design that’s easier to clean and replace. With fewer moving parts, touchless fixtures are more durable and can stand up to frequent daily use.

4. Save Money and Time

Touchless fixtures are a cost-effective solution. By limiting water waste and reducing maintenance costs, you will notice an increase in savings during the months following hands-free fixture installment. This technology will save your business time — employees can return to work more quickly and won’t have to spend extra time cleaning up.

Benefits of Touchless Fixtures in Your Home

Many people prefer the convenience and simplicity of touchless fixtures for their homes. Their modern design and hands-free capability make for quicker and safer bathroom breaks that increase your savings over an extended time. When you add touchless fixtures to your home, you can expect the following qualities and benefits to your lifestyle.

1. Convenient

Hands-free fixtures are convenient and easy to use, regardless of a user’s age or dexterity. Young children and mature users will appreciate the ease of flushing a toilet or washing their hands with a simple motion. Accommodate anyone living with arthritis or a hand injury and feel peace of mind knowing your guests will have an efficient, clean experience inside your home. Everyone can benefit from touchless fixtures and the impact of a more efficient daily routine.

2. Healthy

Multiple people may contaminate toilet handles throughout any given day. Sink faucets with knobs or handles can face as many germs or more with people using them after flushing, taking out the garbage, coughing or any other bacteria-spreading activities. The toilet is one of your home’s dirtiest surfaces. Germs and bacteria — like influenza or coronaviruses — transfer between surfaces by touch and remain there for hours or even days.

When you use touchless fixtures, you streamline daily hygiene, lessen shared contact and minimize germ and bacteria transfer. A touchless bathroom sink will prevent contamination from all the activities you do around your home — from yard work to handling garbage. Know that you’re improving hygiene and general well-being for yourself and others.

3. Cost-Effective

Rely on touchless fixtures to deliver the right amount of water every time. With motion-controlled water flow, you can rest assured that hands-free faucets shut the water off while your loved ones brush their teeth or shave. Prevent dripping faucets, regulate water usage and reduce your monthly water bill with touchless bathroom sinks.

4. Modern

Touchless fixtures’ modern design will impress guests and add value to your home. When renovating, it’s often better to upgrade to the most advanced technology you can afford. Touchless toilet flush systems are some of the latest hands-free advancements for your home bathroom. Newer models will have more advanced sensors that complete tasks more effectively than their older counterparts or traditional flush handles.

The Best Touchless Bathroom Faucets

Most touchless bathroom faucets can provide similar benefits for commercial or residential needs. However, to find the best, you must evaluate the essential qualities and narrow down your search.

The following is a list of what you need to consider when shopping for the best touchless bathroom fixtures for commercial use.

  • The number of touchless faucets needed: When supplying a business with hands-free fixtures, you could be handling several public restrooms with multiple sinks in each one. Consider how many taps you will need and choose accordingly.
  • Available budget and future savings: Touchless faucets can be relatively affordable and will save you money over an extended period. Your business’ touchless faucets should have an intuitive design that limits overall water waste. Ensure that a user’s hands must pass directly in front of the sensor for activation. You want your sensors to work when required and remain off when they’re not.
  • Ease of cleaning: A dirty sensor might work inconsistently or not turn on at all. Touchless faucets’ sleek form makes them simple to clean when compared to standard faucet styles. Improve the cleaning process even further and install touchless faucets with easy-to-reach sensors or those unlikely to get splashed by soap and water.
  • Amount of necessary maintenance: Consider the power source used in a touchless faucet before committing to a decision. While it’s true that all hands-free faucets have fewer outward moving parts than the standard versions, their interiors can be relatively complicated. Because everything happens on the inside, touchless faucets are less likely to need maintenance or face vandalism. However, some models may need frequent battery recharging or replacement. This factor is critical for a business that values reliability or must plan for battery replacements in multiple faucets.

When searching for the best hands-free residential faucets for your bathroom, you may want to keep the following things in mind.

  • Convenience: Practical benefits will continue to be a top consideration of homeowners looking to renovate their houses. When you upgrade or remodel, you want the result to improve upon the previous situation. Choose a faucet that promises ease of use and efficiency in your daily routine.
  • Limit the spread of germs: Touchless faucets promote a healthier and safer environment for yourself and your loved ones. Choose a motion-activated design that minimizes the surface area people must touch and potentially contaminate with bacteria.
  • Added value to your home: With contemporary style and advanced technology, touchless faucets will add value to your bathroom and may increase the property’s value. Most hands-free faucets will provide a sleek, modern appearance to impress your guests.
  • Environmentally friendly: When you choose touchless fixtures, consider their environmental impact. Touchless faucets will ensure water stays in the sink and limit waste with sensor-activated water flow. With no controls or handles, dripping faucets and water pooling on your countertops will be things of the past. Your next water bill and the environment will thank you.

The Best Touchless Toilets

Touchless toilets may address similar benefits and purchase considerations as any other touchless fixture. To find the best touchless toilets for commercial or residential use, think about the following factors and determine what’s essential.

When searching for the best touchless commercial toilets for your business, you may want to keep the following things in mind.

  • Toilets used at competing businesses: Touchless toilets have become standard in many hotels, airports and public restrooms. If competitors have already transitioned to touchless fixtures, it could be crucial for your business to follow their lead and provide your users with a similar restroom experience. Alternatively, your preparations may put you ahead of the competition as one of the few businesses in your area with hands-free fixtures.
  • The number of touchless toilets needed: As with any new fixtures, you should count how many touchless toilets you need. Make the best choice for your available budget.
  • Water efficiency and future savings: Touchless toilets can provide water savings of several thousand gallons per year. Pick touchless toilets that meet the EPA WaterSense Criteria and outperform their less efficient counterparts in water usage. You can save on monthly water bills without compromising the toilet’s performance.
  • Waste outlet: Consider your plumbing setup’s configuration. Ensure your new toilet is a suitable replacement for your restroom’s current structure.
  • Sensor placement: Go for modern designs that place their motion sensors at the toilet’s side or top. These placements are more effective, as they prevent the premature flush dilemma other models can have. Remember, these newer styles may use batteries that will need replacement.

Here are some considerations when shopping for the best hands-free toilets for residential bathrooms.

  • Convenience: As with touchless faucets, convenience is a top priority when purchasing a new hands-free toilet. You want your renovation’s result to be more convenient than the version you had before. Everyone in your home will have a more accessible and safer time with a touchless toilet.
  • Prevention of germ transfer: Toilets are a breeding ground for bacteria and germs. Touchless toilets should limit contamination by preventing unnecessary physical contact. Promote a healthier lifestyle when you install a touchless toilet.
  • Added value to your home: You may increase your home’s property value when adding hands-free fixtures. Touchless technology is the future of bathroom fixtures. Impress your guests and feel comforted by the sleek, contemporary style that hands-free toilets provide.
  • Waste outlet and sensor placement: These should be priorities for homeowners and business owners alike. Efficiency is the name of the remodeling game, and you want your touchless toilet to fit effortlessly into the space of your old standard toilet. Account for how a sensor’s placement will affect day-to-day use, and know where and how your bathroom eliminates waste.

Call a Professional for Installation

Installing your new touchless fixtures can be a unique and confusing process, especially when you first transition from a standard bathroom fixture. It is always best to bring in professional mechanical services for any installations, replacements and repairs to your property’s water system.

Your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover most DIY repairs because there is no guarantee the work will be up to code. The results of a self-repair or installation job will rarely reach a professional level. All plumbing work should meet local codes, so save yourself time, energy and the potential cost of additional repairs when you call a professional for your bathroom renovation and touchless fixture installation.

Contact Crawford Mechanical Services for All Your Plumbing Needs

Business owners looking to update a public restroom or homeowners with an upcoming bathroom renovation can find modern and efficient solutions when choosing touchless fixtures. With many outstanding benefits to user health, convenience and cost savings, touchless toilets and hands-free faucets are an optimal decision and the future of restroom technology.

Contact Crawford Mechanical Services for your commercial or residential bathroom plumbing needs. Whether you choose to go touchless or remain traditional, trust in our team of qualified plumbers with over 40 years of experience to handle your installation, replacement or repair. Call us at 614-802-6904 or contact us online to see how we can help with your bathroom fixture installation today.

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