One of the most frustrating things about any kind of home improvement, be that a full-on renovation project or smaller redecorating jobs is that, once done, they highlight all the other aspects of your house that need attention.
This has certainly been the case around my house ever since we finished renovating it almost 10 years ago. While the kitchen renovation has stood the test of time pretty well, there are definitely areas that need some attention, with the kitchen tap top of the list. The style didn't fit in with the rest of the decor, it had started to leak, was wobbling around in the sink hole and offered nothing in the way of fancy features.
I have long coveted other peoples' boiling water taps for their time-saving benefits – no more waiting for the kettle boil or even have one at all cluttering up the worktops. Having finally got my hands such a tap – and a pretty swanky one at that – my husband and I set about tackling the job ourselves. While it wasn't all plain sailing, it was definitely easier than I expected.
1. Which boiling water tap did I choose?
The tap we fitted is the Design+ Pro Pull 4 in 1 Brushed Brass Boiling Hot Water Tap from Wodar.
I chose this for a number of reasons – mainly because I loved the look of it but also due to the fact that I knew it had won several awards. The compact water tank was also a draw as we were limited on space under the sink – plus fitting a kitchen tap wasn't something I had done before and this one promised simple DIY installation.
I was also really drawn to the fact that it has a pull-out spray nozzle – our kitchen sink is really hard to keep clean and I felt that this would make the job much easier (which it does).
2. Gathering together the tools
Obviously before we got started we needed to pull together all the equipment we'd need for installation to go smoothly.
Thankfully, not too many tools were needed and, in all likelihood, if you've carried out any kind of easy DIY jobs in the past, you'll have most of these around.
All that's needed is a Phillips screwdriver, adjustable wrench and a pair of insulated waterproof gloves. Additionally, you might want to grab a few old towels and a torch to making seeing into dark corners of your under-sink cabinet easier.
Shop tap fitting toolkit
Having a whole set of screwdrivers is so handy when it comes to finding exactly the right tool for the job and this one has everything you need. The handles are comfortable to hold and the magnetic heads make even fiddly jobs easy.
With its soft-grip handle and smooth operation, this is such an easy-to-use wrench, plus the clear measurement scale makes it useful for all kinds of DIY tasks. The fact that it comes with a 10-year warranty is reassuring too – a toolkit essential.
Not only do these gloves protect your hands from moisture and heat, but they also help when it comes to grip thanks to their sandy latex palm coating.
3. Remove the old tap and waste
Obviously we first had to remove our old kitchen tap which no longer suited our kitchen design. First we turned off the water supply and drained the residual water from the tap.
Next, we disconnected the water supply pipes. We used a wrench to loosen the large nut and unscrewed the hot and cold water supplies from the tap tails.
Finally, we unscrewed the base plate on the underside of the sink. There was a long bolt holding it in place and we just used our wrench to release it. After that, the old tap could simply be pulled out, leaving an empty hole in the sink.
4. Unboxing the new tap
Within the very impressive packaging was everything we needed to get installation underway. I have to admit that when we first set eyes on the tap I was reminded slightly of some kind of strange Dr. Who alien due to what looked like a mass of tendrils hanging from the tap itself – the sheer number seemed daunting but, thanks to clear labelling, on closer inspection, felt less so.
Included in the range of pipes and tubes were the hot and cold water pipes, heating machine tube and plug-in filter hose, along with a selection of other connectors which were all push-fit, apart from the pipework which would connect to the mains water supply.
Also in the box was the gravity ball for the pull-out spray nozzle, a microfibre cleaning cloth and a range of other fittings, including lots of spares – something I found lacking when fitting some of our other kitchen appliances.
In separate boxes were the filter bottle and all its connections and the heating machine that would provide the boiling water, which had simple hot and cold outlets (in red and blue) and came with the plug needed to go into the electrical socket under the sink.
5. Get the tap into place
In order to deliver the boiling water, a water heater is needed for this type of kitchen tap. This is fitted beneath the kitchen sink and is surprisingly simple to do. Simply place the heater next to the waste pipe and mark its height on the pipe before drilling a hole just below this mark to fit the drainage kit to.
Next comes the tap. Luckily for us, the tap hole in our sink was the right size to take the new tap so it was simply a case of popping the base of the tap into the hole, threading the multiple pipes and tubes through first. In all honesty it was a bit of a squeeze but working one-by-one helped.
Once in place, you work from beneath the sink, using gaskets to hold all the pipes together, ending with a copper fastener that is screwed into place. I found this part a little tricky to get right. While this was partly due to the fact that our under-sink unit is a bit cramped, it seems like there is a bit of a knack to it, but after a few attempts it was fine.
6. Connecting all the pipework
Despite the number of tubes and pipes that initially seemed a little perplexing, this was one of the easiest phases of the project thanks to the fact that they were all so clearly labelled.
We began by connecting to the cold water mains then all the rest of the fittings simply pushed into place with no issues. It was even simple to attach the gravity ball to the end of the pull-out nozzle.
The water heater was also easy to attach – there are just three outlets which are all colour coded.
7. Getting the whole thing up and running
Once everything was in place we could heat up the water in the tank and start enjoying the boiling water function.
Again, this was easy. The power cord for the heater simply plugs in. You then set the heater to your desired temperature – we set it to 98°C and it took around five minutes to get to this.
Usefully, the tank is able to deliver 1.6 litres of continuously hot water, although obviously your model may differ from this. Surprisingly, I have found that boiling water taps can be more energy efficient than boiling a kettle repeatedly too.
Final verdict
While installation wasn't all plain sailing (getting the gaskets over the mass of pipework required a little bit of fiddling around, mainly due to our awkward under-sink space), I honestly never thought it would be so simple to install a boiling water tap on a DIY basis.
Obviously models vary, but for us, thanks to the clear labelling of all the parts, it really was a simple case of matching up the colour-coded tubes and pipes to the various outlets and wastes we already had.
The kettle has now been resigned to the back of a cupboard, we are all enjoying instant boiling water for hot drinks and cooking, and the sink has never looked cleaner thanks to the pull-out spray. All that's needed now is to change our kitchen cabinet hardware for brushed brass to get the whole scheme looking cohesive.
Shop other boiling water taps
Capable of dispensing water at 100°C and with a 2-litre boiling tank, this tap comes complete with a water filter system and two-stage safety system to prevent scalding.
With its sleek, modern matte black finish, this tap has easy-to-use controls, safety features and is easy to fit thanks to push-fit fittings and the fact that it comes pre-wired.
With a classic brushed brass finish, this elegant tap would slide into any kitchen scheme. It offers hot, cold, filtered and boiling water, good safety features and a 5-year guarantee.
FAQs
Do boiling water taps require lots of maintenance?
There is no getting away from the fact that boiling water taps, particularly those offering other functions, such as filtered water, cost more than standard taps – so looking after them to ensure they remain in tip-top condition makes sense.
In terms of boiling water tap maintenance, along with cleaning them using the method recommended by the manufacturer, it is also wise to give the tap regular checks for leaks and limescale build-up, although ensuring you change the filter regularly should help with this.
Swapping my kitchen tap was just the start of upgrading the kitchen appliances – I am now starting to look at the different types of cooker out there as our range-style model has an old electric hob which is so slow to respond compared to induction or gas. Watch this space.
