Outdoor tap

[eandg]

Is there any reason that an outdoor tap couldn't be a mixer (or hot) tap? Thinking for filling paddling pools and hot tubs. Any particular implications of it, costs etc?

[Ferdinand]

Various people here have installed hot taps iirc, especially for showers or dog wash points.

 

 

[Big Jimbo]

No problems at all. Outdoor shower, for when you step out of the pool.

[nod]

I’ve a hot and cold side by side 

[MikeGrahamT21]

Just make sure it isn't freely accessible by any random person, can guarantee some idiot will come and turn it on and run off, running up a huge bill.

[Ferdinand]

27 minutes ago, MikeGrahamT21 said:

Just make sure it isn't freely accessible by any random person, can guarantee some idiot will come and turn it on and run off, running up a huge bill.

 

One lesson there is a master tap inside. But that is standard anyway.

[JFDIY]

8 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

 

One lesson there is a master tap inside. But that is standard anyway.

I would also make sure the master tap has the outgoing pipe looped up and over the height of the outside tap,  and supply the tap from above, so if you isolate it in winter you can drain the water easily to prevent freezing. 

 

Mine is fed from beneath and you can not drain it easily

[Ferdinand]

1 hour ago, JFDIY said:

I would also make sure the master tap has the outgoing pipe looped up and over the height of the outside tap,  and supply the tap from above, so if you isolate it in winter you can drain the water easily to prevent freezing. 

 

Mine is fed from beneath and you can not drain it easily

 

I have a couple which are difficult, and we fitted an extra stop valve at ground level - so that could be closed and the upper tap left open to try and prevent freezing by permitting expansion.

 

Not ideal, though.

[ProDave]

I use MDPE for outside taps.  The building site standpipe never gets turned off and survives Highland winter freezing without issue.

[Jeremy Harris]

MDPE seems to be pretty frost resistant.  Never yet seen an MDPE pipe fail from frost damage, even when just run over fields to water troughs.  Seen a loose fitting blow off from the expansion of an ice plug once, but that was only because the fitting hadn't been tightened up properly.  We have three outdoor taps here, all fed from 25mm MDPE, and none have any frost protection.

[eandg]

Thanks all - now on the definite list.