Why Britain Uses Separate Hot and Cold Taps

It makes a lot of sense having them separate. Tom Scott explains [VIDEO] Here in California showers and much other plumbing are required to have backflow valves so that hot and cold don't cross contaminate.

Short video by Tom Scott on the subject for those interested. [VIDEO] tldw; Older homes in the UK had a water storage tank in the roof space that fed the water heating tank. This couldn't be classified as drinking water so wasn't allowed to be combined with the safe mains water that fed the cold tap. These days modern houses mostly use combi-boilers with no storage tank, so mostly both hot and cold are drinkable and it's not an issue. But preferences still lean towards the separate taps.

At least in Britain, if there are separate taps for hot and cold, you shouldn't trust drinking from the hot tap: [VIDEO]

On the topic of mixer-taps in bathrooms, the UK typically has separate taps due to the way the water is stored, or used to be stored: [VIDEO] I was pleased when I remodelled my bathroom there and installed a mixer. So much more convenient.

Hot water heaters frequently have sacrificial anode rods to prevent corrosion. The rods corrode over time and dissolve into the water. Lower cost aluminum rods have health concerns, not as much with magnesium rods. See also Tom Scott's video on Britain's history with separate hot and cold taps and why hot taps sometimes had unsanitary cold water tanks to supply them: [VIDEO]

Mandatory Giphy: [LINK] Also mandatory explanation why UK historically has had 2 taps: [VIDEO] Which in the end is understandable. It's outdated. What isn't understandable is having the light switch OUTSIDE of the friggin' restroom.

That's because it is primarily a historical artifact[0]. Most modern plumbing heats water on-demand, which pretty much entirely avoids the risk of storage tank contamination or Legionella. [0]: [VIDEO]

Obligatory Tom Scott video on the topic: * [LINK] Bonus: "Why Britain Uses Separate Hot and Cold Taps": * [VIDEO]