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Are you responsible for upgrading the plumbing fixtures at an educational institution? Whether you are the facility manager, the dean, or the developer hired for the project, you'll want to know the most suitable faucets for schools and universities.
These faucets should be eco-friendly and water-efficient. You'll want them to be stylish and functional, and they will need to be ADA compliant.
School faucets get a lot of use, so the ones you choose should also be durable and withstand the test of time. So which ones are right for your facility?
Key Takeaways
- Overall, only about 58% of people wash their hands with soap after using the restroom. Installing touchless faucets in a school’s public restrooms is a great way to reduce the spread of harmful bacteria. Metering faucets also help mitigate risks associated with contaminated surfaces.
- Pre-rinse sprayers in the kitchens on campus help reduce water usage in commercial facilities. You could wash 4,800 racks of dishes with the water you could save using a pre-rinse valve.
- If your facility has laboratories, you will want to install the best faucets appropriate for these settings. There are several on the market, so you may need to speak with a professional to ensure you get the correct ones for your school.
- Safety fittings like eyewash and shower stations are essential for the health and well-being of the students who attend your school. These fittings must be easily accessible without obstructions. You should include eyewash stations in kitchens as well as laboratories.
- Drinking fountains installed around campus will ensure that students, faculty, staff, and visitors stay hydrated and satisfy their thirst. The larger your campus is the more fountains you should install.
7 Best Faucets for Universities and Schools
Unlike most commercial buildings, schools and universities require more specific types of faucets and fittings. There are more than 130,000 schools in the United States and over 6,500 universities.
Each one has different needs regarding the number and types of faucets and fittings they need. Here are the seven faucets for schools and universities most suitable to meet those needs.
1. Metering Faucets
Installing metering faucets for schools and universities is beneficial for two significant reasons. The first is that you can monitor water usage and set how much water the faucet dispenses with each push of the handle.
Another benefit of a metering faucet is that users don't have to touch a contaminated faucet handle with clean hands. The water will shut off automatically, so the user won't have to.
2. Touchless Faucets
Research on handwashing habits found that, after using the restroom, only 31% of men and 65% of women wash their hands. The younger a person is, the less likely they wash their hands frequently and correctly.
Less than half (48%) of people from 18 to 24 wash their hands after using the restroom. Children are less likely to use soap or do so for the recommended 20 seconds. These are all great reasons to install touchless faucets in your facility's restrooms.
The fewer surfaces a person must touch when using the lavatory, the less likely they are to encounter harmful germs. There are even touchless faucets with a metering option. Have the best of both for the faucets around campus.
3. Kitchen Pre-Rinse Sprayer
By installing a pre-rinse sprayer valve in kitchens on campus, you could save enough water for more than 4,800 racks of dishes. That is more than 7,000 gallons of water each year for a single sprayer valve. If you have more than one, you could help conserve even more water.
4. Laboratories Fittings
If your school or university has laboratories (and most do), you will want to ensure that all the fittings are up-to-date and working properly.
There are several types of faucets for laboratories to choose from, and you'll need to know whether your lab has wall-mounted or deck-mounted fixtures. It's best to consult with a professional before purchasing the faucets you'll need.
5. Safety Fittings
Another faucet fitting you will need for your school’s laboratories (and kitchens) is those with safety fittings – also known as eyewash stations. These fittings allow people to wash harmful substances from their eyes when contamination has occurred.
You will most likely also need safety shower stations in your laboratory setting. The safety shower and eyewash station must be accessible within 10 seconds from any workstation, and there must not be any obstructions like doors.
6. Glass and Pot Fillers
Placing glass fillers in beverage areas or pot fillers in cooking areas adds convenience for those attending or working at the school or university. Glass fillers allow people to fill a cup or reusable water bottle when necessary.
Pot fillers over cooking ranges make it easier for cooks to prepare food because they can fill a pot of water without carrying it back and forth from the sink. It is not only more convenient, but it is also safer.
7. Drinking Fountains
One must around any campus is a drinking fountain fitting. You should install several around campus. The larger your schools’ grounds are, the more drinking fountains there should be for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to use.
Get the Faucets and Fittings Your Campus Needs from a Trusted Source
You can find all the faucets featured in this article at Chicago Faucets. There may be some that your facility needs that did not get covered in this post.
If the faucets in your facility require an upgrade or you are expanding your campus, these seven are a great place to start. However, if you aren't sure what you will need, you may want to speak to a plumbing specialist.
If you are an architect or designer, we can help you select the most suitable faucets for your project. That way, when you consult with your client, you know what faucets, fittings, and fixtures to discuss with them.
Contact us here at Chicago Faucets. We can help ensure you get the most suitable faucets for your schools or universities.
