Tap water contains various impurities, so most people who care about their health use various filter systems. One of the most popular devices that allow you to get high-quality drinking water is multi-stage filter with installation under the sink. The purified liquid is supplied from the filter through a special tap for drinking water connected to it. Let's find out how to choose, install and repair such a crane with your own hands.
How to connect an additional tap?
Filter installation made under the sink, where there is free space. It is connected to a cold water supply pipe.
It is irrational to filter all the water, since the filter cartridge will have to be changed too often: the consumption of domestic water, which does not need fine purification, is much greater than drinking water.
For periodic consumption of purified water, a separate tap is connected to the outlet pipe of the home filter. Installation is carried out on a sink or countertop cabinet, located nearby. The device for drinking water has a high spout that does not interfere with washing dishes and allows you to collect water in a kettle or other container.
Selecting a separate drinking tap
The filter faucet is bought at a specialized store that sells filters and other household plumbing equipment. It is subject to the same requirements as for a mixer connected to a central pressurized water supply. In both cases, the bronze device with a protective and decorative chromium coating has the best characteristics.
In most cases, a drinking water faucet comes with a filter system designed to be installed under the sink.
The installation site is chosen in such a way that it is easy to draw water into a pot or kettle. At the same time, the filled container should stand steadily in the sink, since it is inconvenient to hold it in your hands: the filter elements have high resistance and water is drawn in rather slowly. The spout of the spout should be directed to the sink: if the container overflows, the water will go down the drain.
Important! The installation of a drinking tap is carried out at a sufficient distance from the mixer so that they can be serviced separately (water supply, dish washing, cleaning and repair).
Drinking tap installation
The second hole on the sink is usually missing and needs to be drilled. Ordinary drills for stainless steel are not suitable. They must be diamond coated. First, a hole with a diameter of 7 mm is drilled, and then - 13 mm, under the diameter of the crane.
The tap is inserted into the hole and fastened with a nut. Then a flexible hose from the filter is connected to it.
Drinking taps can be lever type or axle box. Their design is simple, and the service life is quite long. The most common malfunction is incomplete closing, accompanied by dripping water through the spout.
All threaded connections should be sealed with hygienic PTFE tape or anaerobic sealant.
Repair
The installed faucet does not need to be removed from the sink for repairs. Information on how to disassemble the crane can be found in the instructions. Usually, when a leak occurs, the axle box is unscrewed and replaced with a new one. In the lever design, the spout is removed: if you pull it, turning it to the right and left, it is removed. After that, you can disassemble the lever. To eliminate leakage, the rubber nozzle of the stem must be replaced.
If water leaks from the tap, the rubber rings on the nozzle must be replaced.It is important to carefully select them in size, since thin rings will allow water to pass through, and thick pipes will not stand back.
Another unpleasant feature is the loosening of the spout attachment. It should be removed and the PVC split ring gasket replaced.
Combination faucet for drinking water
A separate faucet for drinking water is not always convenient. In some cases, the best solution might be combined device, from which both untreated and filtered water can be supplied. It differs from a conventional mixer in the presence of an additional channel with a hole on the common spout for drinking water, as well as a separate valve on the body. The device is much more convenient than two separate taps in a common sink: water of different qualities can be supplied from one spout.
Devices are made from different materials:
- stainless steel;
- bronze or brass;
- plastic or ceramic.
However, you will have to pay for convenience, and a lot: the price of such a mixer is high. You can choose cheaper plastic products, but they do not last long, although they have some advantages in terms of lack of corrosion and alkalization.
The best are bronze faucets with ceramics inside.
Products can have coatings imitating marble, copper, platinum, gold, silver. The mechanism of the handle can be lever or valve.
Installation of a combined crane
The installation of the combination mixer is similar to the installation of a standard device. The only difference is that you need to connect a third hose with filtered water.
- A filter is installed under the sink. At its inlet, a valve is installed that shuts off the supply of cold water from the water supply. It closes when the mixer is installed.
- In the regular hole of the sink, the mixer is fixed with a lock nut and sealed with rubber gaskets.
- Hoses of cold, hot and filtered water are connected to the mixer. They should not be twisted or tightened too tightly to avoid damaging the seals.
- The water supply to the mixer and filters is turned on, after which the operation of the system is checked for leaks.
Conclusion
Filtered drinking water from the purification system is supplied through a special tap. Its installation is carried out by a separate tie-in in the kitchen sink. For ease of use, you can choose a more expensive option - a combined tap for domestic and drinking water.
