Knee & Foot Pedal Valves; Press-to-Start Valves

A recent query, about "automatic" faucets that stop functioning because of a power outage, reminded to tell you all how much we are all living in a previous century.

I'm upset, I'm frustrated, I've had it. It's so hard to find anything out when I go looking for (what I consider to be) simple Press-to-Start Valves like the kind I get when I buy an Instant Hot water tank. Don't anyone tell me that I can get these press-to-open valves by calling the Instant Hot manufacturer. They all say they get them from overseas so I'll have to buy the entire assembly (minus the tank). It's a lot of money for the whole thing when I want the little piece of brass and spring, that looks just big enough and solid enough that it could be sold alongside any other fitting (worth less than $5). I'll pay more than that, but where are they?


Now, Knee & Foot Pedal Valves are easier to find. They also cost a lot.

What I don't get is why nobody here has ever commented on them. And why I've never seen them sold to the average consumer. Am I the only home renovation person who wants one?

I came across a few people who rave about Tapmaster.ca/us/ for home use. It's a knee / foot valve that fits into your basic kitchen cabinet. It's a lot of money for a valve.

-d

The reason for the high price is like most other things priced high...demand...if there is little demand for a product few people will make it and those who do will get a premium price for the item because they take so long to sell and because they being the only or one of the few who do make and sell it can charge what ever the market will bear....

valves

What do you mean by "press to start valve"? A "drinking water" faucet is a press the lever faucet and parts are readily available for a bit more than $5.00. An "instant hot faucet" works differently so it is designed differently and CANNOT be replaced by the common lever faucet. BUT, there are companies that make instant hot units which WILL sell them separately, although it can take some ingenuity to make them compatible with your unit. Anyone who asks about foot or knee operated valves probably has NEVER used them. Doctors and medical personnel learn how to work them so they get the water temperature they desire, but the average home owner would probably stumbel/fall down when they try to operate two pedals with one foot, trying to adjust the temperature AND the volume at the same time.

I think what he is saying is he needs the tap for his insta-hot, and while the whole tap may be available on order ( a large plumbing supply might stock it) what he REALLY wants to do is just repair the innards of his valve. THOSE parts will be hard to come by. Who would stoct them? Probably not even the mfg.!

hj said:

..... Anyone who asks about foot or knee operated valves probably has NEVER used them. Doctors and medical personnel learn how to work them so they get the water temperature they desire, but the average home owner would probably stumbel/fall down when they try to operate two pedals with one foot, trying to adjust the temperature AND the volume at the same time.

Click to expand...

There are single valves sold as foot and knee pedals, in the residential market.

One would need to touch the faucet mixer handle to change the temperature.
It turns out that most people don't change the temp setting so they just keep using the on-off switch provided by foot or knee pressure. The valve is an on-off switch.

valve

Depending on the "InstaHot" make and model, there are many different valves. ISE does not sell repair parts, although their service departments might be able to repair it. But that would probably cost as much as a new unit.