Taps you can turn, and waterthat cannot scald.
Lever handles that work with a closed fist, and valves that cap the temperature before it ever reaches the tap. Installed by licensed plumbers.
Two different problems,both at the tap.
The first is turning it. A round tap handle has to be gripped and twisted, and that is exactly the movement arthritis takes away first. Someone can walk, cook, and dress themselves and still not be able to turn on their own bathroom tap.
The second is the temperature, and it is the more serious of the two. Hot water stored at the temperature it has to be stored at to be safe from bacteria is well above the temperature that will scald skin — and skin that has lost sensation does not report it in time to pull away. A scald in an older person is a hospital admission, not a nuisance.
A lever handle fixes the first. A tempering valve or a thermostatic mixer fixes the second, and it fixes it at the source rather than relying on anyone getting the mix right at the tap. Most households we visit need both, and they are usually done in the same trip.
Key features of our tapwareand hot water solutions.
Safe, accessible, and simple to operate — for the person who has to use them every day, not for a showroom.
Effortless operation
A lever needs a push, not a grip and a twist. It can be worked with a closed fist, a forearm, or an elbow — which matters when hands are wet, soapy, or full.
Temperature safety
Tempering valves and thermostatic mixers cap the water before it reaches the outlet, so a tap turned fully hot still cannot deliver a scald.
Fitted anywhere in the house
Basins, sinks, wall sets, showers, laundries, and garden taps. It is rarely just the bathroom — the kitchen sink and the laundry trough are used as often.
Vital Ease at a glance
- Projects completed
- 300+
Projects completed
- Agreements with Home Care Package and NDIS providers
- 100+
Agreements with Home Care Package and NDIS providers
- Valued customers
- 200+
Valued customers
Types of tapware andhot water solutions.
Two answers to two different problems. Each has its own page.
Lever taps
Quarter-turn lever handles for basins, sinks, wall sets, bib taps, and garden taps, plus complete vanity sets with a spout. The answer to grip, dexterity, and hand strength.
Tempering valves and thermostatic mixers
A valve at the hot water unit that protects every outlet in the house, or a mixer at a single shower or basin. The answer to scalding.
Before you book,two things to know.
This is licensed plumbing work
Tapware, tempering valves, and hot water work are done by a licensed plumber and certified. It is not a handyman job, and it is not something to attempt yourself — a tempering valve fitted incorrectly is worse than none, because it is trusted.
Changing handles rarely damages anything
Swapping a tap handle set for levers usually needs no drilling, no tiling, and no damage — which is what makes it the easiest thing on this site to get approved in a rental.
A tempering valve is fixed work
It goes in at the hot water unit and is plumbed in. If you rent, that one needs the owner’s or the agent’s permission, and often they are glad of it — it protects them too.
Send us a photograph of what you have
Tapware is the one thing where a photograph genuinely saves a visit. Existing taps vary enormously in fitting and spacing, and a picture emailed to us lets us quote the right item first time.
Specificationsand brochures.
The line drawings and documents an occupational therapist, a plan manager, or a plumber usually asks us for. We are preparing these now — ring or email in the meantime and we will send what you need.
Product brochures
- Quarter-turn lever tapsComing soon
- Tempering valves and thermostatic mixersComing soon
Product line drawings
- Quarter-turn lever tap — basin setComing soon
- Quarter-turn lever tap — wall setComing soon
Quote request requirements
- Tapware — what we need to quoteComing soon
How the jobactually runs.
Quoting
Quoted to the occupational therapist’s specification where there is one. A photograph of your existing taps is usually enough for us to quote from without a visit. Funding is approved before we start.
On-site consultation and installation
A licensed plumber comes out and carries out the work. Most tap changeovers and valve installations are done in a single visit, and the water is back on the same day.
Warranty
The work is carried out by licensed tradespeople and backed by the relevant warranties. If something is not right, ring the same number you rang the first time.
It goes in with therest of the bathroom.
Taps and a tempering valve are usually quoted alongside the shower work rather than on their own — the same visit that fits a rail, a seat, and a handheld head.
The shower hub sets out everything that goes into making an existing bathroom safe.
Questions
What people ask abouttapware & hot water.
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature should the hot water be?
Can I just change the handles rather than the whole tap?
Do you need a licensed plumber for this?
Can taps be changed in a rental?
Will the NDIS or my Home Care Package pay for new taps?
Can’t see your question? Call us on +61 3 8658 1358 — we’re happy to talk it through.
More from Vital Ease
The rest of whatwe do.
Let us make your homework for you.
Ready to start your modification journey? Contact our team.
Ready to make your home safer and more accessible? Our team is here to help from your first consultation through to the final handover. Let’s talk about what’s possible for your home.