Interior design is an ever evolving and ever-changing industry, with new trends for each room coming into popularity every year. When it comes to the more plumbing intensive areas of the home, installers not only need to fit the most up-to-date appliances but find the right tools and methods to fit them, too.

1. Instant hot water taps
The instant hot water tap has been cemented as a modern kitchen staple. Having gained more popularity in 2022, installers are going to be getting a lot of requests to fit these, and so it is extremely important that you know how to fit them correctly and safely.

Instant hot water taps are not just a regular hot water tap with a few upgrades. They are an entirely different entity that achieves a similar end result. Therefore, fitting them is a very different process too.

First and foremost, the safety valves required for an instant hot water tap differ to those of a typical hot water tap. This is because instant hot water taps heat water via means of an unvented hot water storage unit, not by mixing two streams of hot and cold water.

Instant hot water taps release water as hot as 100°C, which obviously presents the risk of scalding. This means it is recommended to install a tempering valve, such as the Heatguard Tempering Valve from RWC's Reliance Valves range. This type of valve keeps the water's temperature at 70°C, which is significantly safer than the usual holding temperature of unvented hot water cylinders, which is 110°C. Additional hot water protection is required in the form of a pressure relief valve, such as the 102 Series Potable Water Pressure Relief Valve also from the Reliance Valves range. Although the main cylinder itself has a mechanism that prevents temperatures, within the cylinder from rising over 110°C, pressure relief is still necessary as a failsafe.

Similarly, it is crucial to install the necessary pressure reduction valves, in domestic buildings in particular, to guarantee that the cylinder receives a steady, regular pressure. By efficiently reducing the pressure flowing through a system from as high as 6.0 bar to 1.0 bar, valves like the Predator Pressure Reducing Valve from Reliance Valves allow you control over both the pressure and the flow rate through the valve.

When it comes to installing hot water taps, check out the complete guide to fitting instant hot water taps.

2. Rounded kitchen cabinets and islands
Another more interior design focused trend is the popularity of rounded cabinets and kitchen islands. Rounded edges can initially appear a nightmare to work your plumbing around, which is where JG Speedfit pipe and plastic push-fit plumbing manifolds may be the ideal solution. The JG Speedfit push-fit manifolds can streamline piping by forming a single central hub as a distribution point for either hot or cold water supply. JG Layflat Polybutylene pipe may be used to connect a single run to an outlet without the use of extra fittings. This not only reduces leak spots but also simplifies maintenance because pipelines may readily fit into odd gaps made by rounded corners and cabinets.

3. Modern minimalism
The amount of pipework now required to fit the appliances in a kitchen or bathroom is more than ever. This can mean that. Even the tidiest of pipe work can look aesthetically displeasing to some. Having gained increasing popularity, minimalism is one of the top design trends for kitchen and bathrooms in 2023 and beyond, and indeed most people will want the pipes that connect to showers and sinks, to be hidden behind walls, under floors, or beneath free-standing fixtures. This can make fitting these systems difficult, both when the solution requires tools, or when it is just a rigid solution.

This doesn’t even mention the difficulties that can rear their head from second fix installations, which most installers will attest to be more complex across the board. Final connections from the first fix pipework to the outlets are often done blindly or in awkward locations, which means manoeuvring tools can become difficult.

Therefore, for many installers, flexi hoses might be a lifesaver. The hoses are flexible and may be bent around existing piping or obstructions without affecting connections since they are made of braided metal or white PVC. In general, utilizing flexi hoses with push-fit connections can save you up to 40% on installation time. And indeed, with push-fit hoses like the JG Speedfit Braided Flexible Hoses, seals can be created with only one simple push

4. Industrial design
Now, in stark contrast to the aforementioned minimalism is the current trend of industrial design. Industrial styles that feature exposed plumbing are still a popular niche trend. However, this aesthetic requires the use of traditional plumbing, using copper or brass pipes. Both metals make sense as their finishes pairs well with other materials such as tiles or be a statement piece against a plainer wall.

Using metal fittings does not mean sacrificing the ease of installation though. In fact, achieving this industrial look can be made much easier by using SharkBite’s slimline brass push-fit fittings, which are easy to install in awkward spaces and don’t require any tools, flux, or solder to connect.

By preparing yourself with the necessary equipment, you will be well prepared to fit solutions to perfectly suit any upcoming kitchen or bathroom trend.