• BlackLaZoR@fedia.io
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        5 hours ago

        Microplastics are the least of your concern in these houses. Dual tap design implies open hot water reservoir with things living and dying in it. (it’s dual because law forbids connecting undrinkable water to drinkable water systems)

        • AA5B@lemmy.world
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          4 hours ago

          Weird. I’ve seen plenty of dual tap systems but never an open water heater. Dual tap are simpler and cheaper - that’s what they used long ago. Where are you that you see this?

          I certainly remember a time when most faucets and valves were gate valves with rubber washers, because the o-rings needed for more complex faucets were expensive or not yet available

          • RiceMunk@sopuli.xyz
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            4 hours ago

            They still seem to be used a lot in countries like the UK where I guess they want to feel like steampunk engineers every time they want to get the correct temperature of water come out of their taps.

        • Sergio@slrpnk.net
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          4 hours ago

          (it’s dual because law forbids connecting undrinkable water to drinkable water systems)

          Are you implying that hot water is undrinkable? Sorry, I don’t understand but it sounds really interesting.

          • SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world
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            3 hours ago

            Even in NA you shouldn’t drink hot tap water. The tanks get covered in scale, there’s always the risk of legionaries.

            Where are you that they suggest drinking from the hot tap is okay? It’s not inherently gonna kill you, but hot water tanks aren’t pristine either… you can sure open your mouth and swallow a little while showering, but don’t be making your tea or using it to boil water faster for food.

            • Sergio@slrpnk.net
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              3 hours ago

              Thanks for the explanation. I don’t drink hot water (I filter drinking water in the fridge) I just didn’t realize hot water was undrinkable and that there were laws against hooking it up to cold water.

              • SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world
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                3 hours ago

                Even if you drain them yearly and “descale” them, it’s never gonna be pretty in there.

                You can use a backflow preventer so it doesn’t go back into the city supply which lets you do what you please inside. Even irrigation systems need them, if a main break or a hydrant gets used to fight a fire. There’s the potential for there to be a drop in pressure and it pull stuff out of the ground (or hot water tank) back into the municipal supply.

                • Sergio@slrpnk.net
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                  3 hours ago

                  Woah, that’s intense, at first I thought that was some kind of eldritch creature. The house I’m in just got a new hot water tank, I’ll ask what they’re doing about maintaining it.

          • BlackLaZoR@fedia.io
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            4 hours ago

            Same where I live - gas boiler in my parents house is programmed to heat water to 90C once a week. That solves the problem