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The faucet is the popular name for the water valve, which is used to control the size of the water flow and has the effect of saving water. The replacement of faucets is very fast, from the old cast iron process to the electroplated knob type, and then to the stainless steel single temperature single control faucet, the stainless steel double temperature double control faucet, and the kitchen semi-automatic faucet. Now, more and more consumers buy faucets, and they will comprehensively consider materials, functions, shapes and other aspects. Modern taps often have aerators at the tip to limit water flow and introduce air in the form of bubbles to reduce splashing. Without an aerator, water usually flows out of the tap in one big stream. An aerator spreads the water flow into many small droplets. In sanitary settings such as hospitals or laboratories "laminar flow devices" are used in place of aerators. Laminar flow devices restrict flow and direct the water into a smooth stream without introducing the surrounding air which could contain hazardous bacteria or particles. Modern bathroom and kitchen taps often use ceramic or plastic surfaces sliding against other spring-loaded ceramic surfaces or plastic washers. These taps exploit the uniquely low value of the coefficient of friction of 2 ceramic surfaces in contact, especially in the presence of water as a lubricant. These taps tend to require far less maintenance than traditional globe valves, and when maintenance is required the entire interior of the valve is usually replaced, often as a single pre-assembled cartridge.

According to the material, the faucet can be divided into stainless steel kitchen faucet, cast iron, all-plastic, brass kitchen faucet, zinc alloy material faucet, polymer composite material faucet and other categories. According to the function, it can be divided into basin, bathtub, shower, kitchen sink faucet and electric hot water faucet (porcelain energy electric hot water faucet) that becomes more and more popular. According to the structure, it can be divided into several types of faucets such as single type, double type and triple type. Also there is a single hole kitchen faucet. The single type can be connected to a cold water pipe or a hot water pipe; the double type can be connected to two hot and cold pipes at the same time, which is mostly used in the faucet of the bathroom vanity and the kitchen sink with hot water supply; the triple type can be connected to two hot and cold pipes. In addition to the pipe, it can also be connected to the shower head, which is mainly used for the faucet of the bathtub. The single handle faucet can adjust the temperature of cold and hot water with one handle, while the double handle needs to adjust the cold water pipe and the hot water pipe respectively to adjust the water temperature.

A shower is a place in which a person bathes under a spray of typically warm or hot water. Indoors, there is a drain in the floor. Most showers have temperature, spray pressure and adjustable showerhead nozzle. The simplest showers have a swivelling nozzle aiming down on the user, while more complex showers have a showerhead connected to a hose that has a mounting bracket. This allows the showerer to hold the showerhead by hand to spray the water onto different parts of their body. A shower can be installed in a small shower stall or bathtub with a plastic shower curtain or door. Showering is common in Western culture due to the efficiency of using it compared with a bathtub. Its use in hygiene is, therefore, common practice. A shower head is a perforated nozzle that distributes water over solid angle a focal point of use, generally overhead the bather. A shower uses less water than a full immersion in a bath. Some showerheads can be adjusted to spray different patterns of water, such as massage, gentle spray, strong spray, and intermittent pulse or combination modes. Hard water may result in calcium and magnesium deposits clogging the head, reducing the flow and changing the spray pattern. For descaling, various acidic chemicals or brushes can be used or some heads have rubber-like jets that can be manually descaled. A homemade remedy is to immerse it in a solution of water and vinegar for a while, since the vinegar is able to dissolve limescale. Some governments around the world set standards for water usage and regulate shower heads. For example, in the United States, residential and most commercial shower heads must flow no more than 9.5 litres (2.1 imp gal; 2.5 US gal) per minute per the Department of Energy ruling 10 CFR 430. Low-flow shower heads that have a water flow of equal or less than 7.6 litres (1.7 imp gal; 2.0 US gal) per minute (2.0 gallons per minute), can use water more efficiently by aerating the water stream, altering nozzles through advanced flow principles or by high-speed oscillation of the spray stream. The US EPA administers a voluntary water saving program, WaterSense, which can certify low-flow shower heads.