3 Myths About Touchless Faucets (and the Truth)

Sensor faucets have become a standard sight in commercial washrooms, yet a few persistent misconceptions still make specifiers hesitate. Here are three of the most common, and what actually holds up.

Are Touchless Faucets Reliable Enough for Busy Washrooms?

The first myth is that sensor faucets are delicate and forever breaking down. In practice, commercial touchless faucets are engineered for constant, heavy use. Stern’s Tubular series is built for high-traffic sites, and models with a dual power input carry an integrated battery backup that keeps the faucet working during a power failure rather than leaving a row of basins out of action. Reliability comes down to specification, and a faucet built for the demands of an airport or a stadium behaves very differently from a budget fitting.

Do Touchless Faucets Actually Save Water?

The second myth runs in two directions, that touchless faucets either waste water or make no real difference to it. The evidence points the other way when the faucet is set up correctly. A field study at Sacramento State recorded roughly 32 percent less water used with 0.5 GPM sensor faucets, rising to about 54 percent with 0.35 GPM models, compared with manual faucets. The saving comes from automatic shut-off, which stops the flow the moment hands leave the sensor rather than running on while someone reaches for soap. Stern’s Tubular faucets are available with PCA spray water-saving options down to 0.5 GPM and 0.35 GPM, in line with the 0.5 GPM maximum flow the EPA WaterSense program sets for commercial lavatory faucets. Less water drawn at the faucet also means less hot water called for, an indirect saving that adds up across a building.

Are Touchless Faucets Really More Hygienic?

The third myth is that going touchless makes little real difference to hygiene. The handle on a manual faucet is one of the most contacted surfaces in a washroom, and infection prevention specialists describe these fittings as reservoirs of microbial contamination that pass pathogens to the hands and on to the face through indirect contact. Removing the handle removes that transfer point. Many Stern faucets also offer an optional 24-hour hygiene flush, which runs after a set period of non-use to maintain hygiene and keep the trap seal from drying out during quiet spells.

The thread running through all three is specification. A well-chosen, well-configured touchless faucet is reliable, water-efficient and genuinely more hygienic, while a poorly specified one undermines every one of those claims.

To specify sensor faucets that deliver on reliability, water efficiency and hygiene, talk to Stern about the Tubular series and request the technical and LEED water-efficiency documentation for your next project.