Efficient: Foot Pedal Faucet Controllers

by Justin Thomas on April 23, 2008

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Foot pedal faucet controllers allow you to control a faucet hands-free. These devices are efficient and hygienic — they are commonly found in commercial kitchens and hospitals. I’m not sure why we don’t see them in more homes. You can reduce water use by 50% using pedal controllers, and if it’s hot water, you’ll be saving power too.

At a sink, you control the flow of a faucet with a pedal much like the accelerator in a car. It’s easier to turn off the faucet when you are brushing your teeth, shaving, or doing the dishes. In a four-person household, the use of pedal controllers in the kitchen alone can save up to 7500 gallons of water annually, as well as conserve the energy needed to heat those gallons.

Hand-free faucet controllers also guard against the transfer of bacteria between faucet fixtures and hand. They are particularly useful when your hands have paint or soil on them.

Pedal controllers can be installed relatively easily under the sink, although most do require an electrical connection.

Some foot pedal faucet controllers retailers are: Pedal Works Hand-Free, Foot Faucet and Chicago Faucet Shoppe.

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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }

Susan the Eco-Broker April 23, 2008 at 9:26 pm

This is a great idea! Makes it a lot harder to keep the faucet running when you’re not using it.

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Saul Wall April 24, 2008 at 1:59 pm

A great idea. I have seen them in the academic settings during my medical lab training, likely for the same reasons as commercial kitchens and hospitals; the sanitation aspect. Not having to touch the faucet when you have touched raw meat or held colonized petri dishes just makes sense.

Home users may wish to keep a squirt bottle handy until the cat learns not to fall asleep on the nice cool foot pedals on a hot day.

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Greener Pastures April 30, 2008 at 6:48 am

This is a great idea, but i think I’m getting old. It’s too much of a Jetson thing for me.

Best,
Lisa

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Vanessa May 5, 2008 at 5:53 am

Great idea. The sooner they install it in homes the better. It would be really good to regulate the flow of water instead of sticking with a heavy flow of water while washing dishes.

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jami September 11, 2008 at 1:10 pm

great idea. goes perfectly with my husband’s dream industrial faucet. but how do you stop your 2- and 4-year old from thinking it’s the most fun new toy in the house?

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bos ganto October 15, 2008 at 4:04 am

good. this can very help every people which clean their hand.Of course.Ha….I support the bright idea other.

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Jessica March 11, 2009 at 12:33 am

Hah! We had those in the dental clinic! I always thought they would be nice at home, too :-)

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David March 12, 2009 at 7:46 pm

Great idea… but how do you set the temperature just right? (i.e. a mixture of hot and cold?)

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chuck enlgand October 16, 2009 at 1:46 am

I am a very ‘green’ person, my wife is not. Is there any way that both
foot pedal controls and hand controls can be used from the same faucet?
Also, we have alot of power outages and I do not want any product with electric controls.

Thanks,

Chuck

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chuck enlgand October 16, 2009 at 1:48 am

I have no idea. Everyone says it can’t be done. One way in line valves to
prevent back flow? I’m not a hydrolic expert.

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Jessica October 16, 2009 at 3:46 pm

Wow, I guess I’m subscribed to this thread. I posted MONTHS ago.

I’ve seen two types in dental offices. With one type there are 2 pedals, and you can step on both for warm water or just one or the other for hot or cold.

With the other type, there is just one pedal. You turn the faucet on and adjust it to whatever temp you want the water to be. You just leave the faucet (the top part, by the sink) turned on all the time… no water comes out unless you step on the foot pedal. You can adjust the temp whenever you want.

http://www.kabdental.com/small-dental-equipment/automatic-faucets-eyewash-stations-soap/tapmaster.htm I don’t think there is any electricity involved, it just relies on the water pressure.

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Aaron May 15, 2010 at 8:39 am

Much more affordable and simple is the sort of flip-on-off options shown here:
http://www.metaefficient.com/bathroom-products/kitchen-faucet-aerator.html

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Manuel October 17, 2010 at 9:46 am

Como lo puedo adquirir en el comercio de Santiago Chile?
Favor darme refererencias
Agradecido

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Carpet Cleaning Melbourne December 18, 2010 at 1:51 am

Facet foot controls…now that is an INCREDIBLE eco and hygienic idea! You can reduce water use by 50% using pedal controllers, and if it’s hot water, you’ll be saving power too.”

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