FAQs

There are a number of important points to consider when specifying, but it’s worth starting with the following questions:

1. Is the system for home or workplace use?
2. What water options are required?
3. How many people will be using the system?
4. How much space is there?

Once you know this information, why not try our product selector tool, or speak directly to one of the Zip team for advice on finding the perfect system.

At Zip we offer the widest choice of water options on the market, including filtered boiling, chilled and sparkling, alongside unfiltered hot and cold water.

We have systems that can deliver one water type (such as filtered boiling or filtered chilled) through to all five water types from a single tap and under-counter command centre.

Whatever you need, we have a system to meet your requirements, with an additional hot water range for showers, sinks and basins.

Yes – some Zip systems can be used in residential settings only, whereas others are designed exclusively for more demanding workplace environments. It’s important to select the correct model depending on use.

Here’s our quick guide:

• HydroTap – home and workplace models available
• HydroChill – workplace only
• HydroBoil – workplace only
• Hot water – home and workplace models available

There are a number of important points to consider when specifying, but it’s worth starting with the following questions:

1. Is the systems for residential or commercial use?

2. Which water options do I want?

3. How many people will be using the system?

4. How much space is there?

Once you know this information, why not try our product selector tool, or speak directly to one of the Zip team to make sure you find the perfect system.

No matter what product you’re looking for, the Zip range isn’t limited when it comes to capacity – see our quick guide below:

• HydroTap range – selected models can dispense up to 240 cups of boiling and 175 glasses of chilled or sparkling water per hour
• HydroChill range – selected models can dispense up to 200 750ml bottles of chilled, sparkling and ambient water per hour
• HydroBoil range – selected models can dispense up to 240 cups of boiling water per hour

At Zip, businesses of all sizes are catered for.

Standing for The Water Regulations Advisory Scheme, this standard is all about protecting public health by preventing contamination of public water supplies. Any water fitting which carries or receives water from the public mains water supply in the UK must comply with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations or Scottish Byelaws. These require that a water fitting should not cause waste, misuse, undue consumption or contamination of the water supply and must be ‘of an appropriate quality and standard.’

This approval is the best way of demonstrating that a product has undergone rigorous testing and is a great indication of the quality of a product. 

Our drinking water systems all contribute to attaining credits within the Water section of the BREEAM UK New Construction 2018 guidelines, helping a building to achieve its overall BREEAM rating. Speak to one of the team to find out more about how our products can help make projects more sustainable.

Zip offers dedicated, expert aftercare support from the point of installation. Our unique HydroCare service plans have been designed to ensure hassle-free maintenance and can be tailored to meet your exact needs, ensuring that products not only perform to the best of their ability, but also stand the test of time. 

HydroCare is a flexible way to care for your Zip product, and means we do all the hard work. The service plans include filter replacements, sanitisation, parts and labour, unlimited call-outs, an annual inspection, pre-scheduled planned services, extended warranty and priority response. On top of this, HydroCare Plus offers tailored limescale management, a particularly important element if your product is installed in an area where hard water is a concern. 

To find out more, you can explore our commercial or residential HydroCare plans.

Filtered boiling, chilled and sparkling plus unfiltered hot and cold water, any way you want it. We offer the widest choice of water options on the market, suitable for a variety of residential and commercial applications.

The HydroTap under-counter command centres vary in size depending on model. The smallest is 280 x 313 x 333 (W x D x H (mm)) and the largest is 500 x 520 x 373 (W x D x H (mm)). Check a product’s individual specification sheet for specific under-counter dimensions.

The commercial HydroTap range includes the Touch Free Wave, Arc, Classic Plus, Industrial, Celsius Arc, Arc All-in-One, Classic Plus All-in-One and HydroTap Classic Accessibility.  

The residential HydroTap range includes the Arc, Classic Plus, Celsius Arc, Arc All-in-One and Classic Plus All-in-One. 

Our finishes include our Standard range - bright chrome, brushed chrome and matt black - and our Platinum range, which includes brushed rose gold, brushed gold, gunmetal and brushed nickel.

Finishes can change depending on water functionality and if the product is for home or work usage, so please check a product’s individual specification sheet for further information.

The HydroTap has models that can deliver up to 240 cups of filtered boiling and 175 glasses of filtered chilled/sparkling water an hour. Check the individual specification sheets for exact capacity.

Our workplace HydroTap models can cater for up to 100 people at any one time (which equates to 240 cups of filtered boiling water an hour and 175 glasses of filtered chilled or sparkling water an hour), with the ability to install multiple systems to cater for larger spaces.

This will depend on how many people you are looking to cater for. It's also important to consider demand patterns – these are parts of the day (such as first thing in the morning and lunch times) when demand for water may be higher.

Don't forget to make an allowance for additional demand once the HydroTap is installed – improved quality and choice may increase demand for boiling, chilled and sparkling water! We can help you work out the HydroTap model(s) you need. Speak to one of our expert team today.

"Delivering 20 litres of 98ºC water per day from the HydroTap G4 will cost about 1.8kWh or 27p to heat. That’s just over £80 for 300 days in use per year. We estimate that dispensing 3 litres of chilled water per day will add about £20 per year to those costs. Total energy running costs based on this usage would be around £140 per year.*"

*Costs correct at time of publishing, will be variable dependent on various factors.

Read more.

Speak to one of our experts for our handy checklist to ensure you have everything you need to install HydroTap. It’s important to have access to water, waste and electric within one metre of the command centre, as well as adequate under-counter space to house the command centre with required ventilation.

"The HydroTap is over 95% efficient in turning electricity into hot water. That compares to induction hobs at 90%, kettles at 82%, standard ceramic hobs at 74% and gas hobs at a 55%."

Read more. 

When installed with vent trays the under-counter command centre does not require any cutting of the cabinet door for additional ventilation, meaning it won’t interfere with your kitchen design.

Zip engineers are able to cut into most worktops in order to install the HydroTap, however it is recommended you confirm before your installation with your account manager. 

The HydroTap is set to dispense water at 98ºC for the following reasons:

- To achieve WRAS approval, you can’t dispense water above 98ºC for safety and energy efficiency.
- Keeping water at 98ºC reduces power consumption compared to 100ºC models.
- A smooth stream of water instead of a mix of steam and water is dispensed from the tap, meaning that it doesn’t splash or spit.
- Tea and coffee benefits hugely in terms of flavour when water is dispensed slightly below 100ºC. In fact, pouring 100ºC water onto tea and coffee burns them, impairing the taste.

The HydroTap does offer the option to adjust the boiling temperature via the under-counter command centre.

Of course! To do this you will need one of our engineers to come and uninstall the product, reinstalling it in your new home. To organise this please contact us on 0345 6 005 005. 

Yes. When you choose to rent a workplace HydroTap it comes with a whole host of benefits, including free installation, flexible rental packages, hassle-free servicing, a full warranty and maintenance plan for extra peace of mind. To find out more please visit the rental section of the website.

At Zip we offer two HydroCare maintenance and servicing plans carried out from our fleet of over 90 fully trained, directly employed engineers across the UK and Ireland. The service plans can be tailored to meet your exact needs and include filter replacements, sanitisation, parts and labour, unlimited call-outs, an annual inspection, pre-scheduled planned services, extended warranty and priority response. On top of this, HydroCare Plus offers tailored limescale management, a particularly important element for products installed in hard water areas. Learn more about HydroCare here.

The HydroTap finishes are plated and are best cleaned using a microfibre cloth. Please note that chemicals in metal polishes may damage the finish.

When leaving an office/home for periods of time longer than 48 hours

1. Drain down the HydroTap
   a. This is achieved by dispensing each water type (Boiling, Chilled, Sparkling dependant on customer product). By use of the tap controls until no more water is dispensed
   
   
2. Isolate the HydroTap
   a. Turn the electrical power supply off
   b. If possible, isolate the mains water at the valve (This is not essential but preferred)

When returning to an office after periods of time longer than 48 hours

1. Turning the HydroTap back on
   a. If mains water was isolated turn back on at the valve
   b. Turn the electrical power supply on
   
   
2. Flushing the HydroTap
   a. 6 litres of each water type (Boiling, Chilled, Sparkling dependant on customer product) will need to be flushed through the HydroTap
   b. For instructions on how to flush through a HydroTap please visit www.zipwater.co.uk
   c. Your HydroTap is now ready for use

Please be aware you will be dispensing water up to 98°c and need to take all necessary precautions.

STEP ONE: Once the HydroTap has been turned back on at the water and electrical supply, you will need to flush through the filter. You will need a jug/container suitable to carry boiling water or if the tap is over a sink you can dispense directly to this (please be aware the HydroTap fonts are not designed to take this volume of water)

1. On the LCD screen, select [MENU] then [Install] and then [Filter Flush]. 
2. Open the filter flush stop valve and ensure the end of the hose is in a jug/container or sink.
3. Then select [Filter Flush - START]. This will start the flow of water. Flush for 30 seconds to remove any water sitting in the filter cartridge.
4. When the Filter Flush is finished, turn the stop valve to OFF by rotating the lever anti-clockwise until it is 90° to the hose. Replace the hose into the filter compartment.
5. Press [Filter Flush - STOP] to end the filter flush process. Use the [Home] key to exit the Flush Menu. Wait for lights on tap to stop flashing and the HydroTap will be ready for use.

STEP TWO: Flushing through the tanks – 6 litres of each water type (Boiling, Chilled, Sparkling dependant on customer product).

1. Place a jug/container suitable for boiling water under the tap or use of the sink is acceptable (please be aware the HydroTap fonts are not designed to take this volume of water).
2. Using the tap controls, dispense x6 full 15 seconds of each water type. Each 15 second dispense is approximately 750-1000ml.
3. Once the necessary flushing has been completed, wait for the lights on tap to stop flashing this will indicate the HydroTap is ready for use.

The G5 HydroTap is our most advanced product to date and represents a number of innovations that deliver higher quality, increased efficiency and improved hygiene. It offers the following benefits when compared to G4:

• Enhanced user experience with a new, intuitive command centre interface and CO2 level indicator that ensures you’ll never run out of sparkling water
• Hygiene focused design with SteriTouch® - which kills 99.99% of bacteria - embedded in key components of the water path and on the Classic Plus touch-pad as well as the Touch Free Wave which operates using 100% touch-free infrared sensors
• Enhanced environment credentials with environmentally-friendly R290 refrigerant gas and customisable energy-saving settings
• New rectangle fonts that feature even better drop capturing to prevent potential overflows
• More choice of tap operation functionality - alongside push and hold and timed dispense, we now have 100% touch-free operation on the Touch Free Wave and continuous flow on the Classic Plus

SteriTouch® is an antimicrobial additive for materials used in the Classic Plus and Classic Plus All-in-One tap operation controls as well as in key components of the water path to virtually eliminate bacteria. This built-in protection lasts the lifetime of the HydroTap and tests have proved to be 99.99% effective against bacteria like legionella in real world environments. SteriTouch® ensures users can feel confident and comfortable when accessing communal drinking water facilities in the workplace. 

The Zip HydroTap Touch Free Wave is a 100% contactless drinking water solution. Perfect for areas where health and hygiene are a priority, it operates using smart infrared sensors to detect when your hand is within 1.5-5cm of the tap, with water stopping as soon as a hand is moved away. You can find out more about the Touch Free Wave here.

The Classic Accessibility HydroTap can also be purchased with a touch-free remote control, providing enhanced hygiene protection to visually impaired, wheelchair and limited dexterity users. You can find out more about the Classic Accessibility HydroTap here.

Watch this video to find out more about how to use the G5 command centre:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vMvHWoQ_5Q

Watch this video to find out more about how to use the Classic Plus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoMoXOWTrkE

The person in charge of maintaining the HydroChill will be responsible for obtaining food grade CO2 canisters from their nearest gas supplier or online. For example BOC.

The HydroChill is a range of responsible, bottle filling drinking water solutions, with models capable of delivering your choice of filtered chilled, sparkling and ambient water.

The HydroChill range varies in sizes from model to model. Please check an individual product’s specification sheets for further details.

The HydroChill range has models that can deliver up to 200 750ml bottles of filtered chilled, sparkling or ambient water an hour.

Our larger 150 litre dispensers - available on the HC20 and HC50 models - can cater for up to 200 people at any one time (which equates to 200 750ml bottles of filtered chilled water an hour), with the ability to install multiple systems to cater for larger spaces.

At Zip we offer two HydroCare maintenance and servicing plans carried out from our fleet of over 90 fully trained, directly employed engineers across the UK and Ireland. The service plans can be tailored to meet your exact needs and include filter replacements, sanitisation, parts and labour, unlimited call-outs, an annual inspection, pre-scheduled planned services, extended warranty and priority response. On top of this, HydroCare Plus offers tailored limescale management, a particularly important element for products installed in hard water areas. Learn more about HydroCare here.

Yes. When you choose to rent a HydroChill it comes with a whole host of benefits, including free installation, flexible rental packages, hassle-free servicing, a full warranty and maintenance plan for extra peace of mind. To find out more please visit the rental section of the website.

The HydroChill range comes with options for floor standing, counter-top and under-counter models. Please see the range for further information.

Flushing through the tanks requires 3 litres of each water type (Ambient, Chilled and Sparkling - dependant on customer product)

1. Place a jug/container suitable under the tap or use of the sink is acceptable (please be aware the HydroChill fonts are not designed to take this volume of water)
2. Using the tap controls, dispense 3 litres of each water type (Ambient, Chilled, Sparkling dependant on customer product)
3. Once the necessary flushing has been completed, allow the product to chill. Once complete your HydroChill will be ready for use

The HydroBoil delivers instant boiling water from a reliable and safe wall-mounted system.

Costing little to run, its energy efficient design and electronic controls minimise power consumption, while simple-to-use fingertip control brings the user a cup or teapot full of boiling water at a time.

The HydroBoil is available in 1.5 to 40 litre capacities, dispensing a maximum of 240 cups of boiling water at any one time.

The HydroBoil is a convenient, reliable and safe wall-mounted instant boiling water system with advanced technology and electronic temperature control that delivers boiling water heated to within 0.2ºC of set temperature.

With all the benefits of the HydroBoil, the HydroBoil Plus also features energy-saving Power-Pulse technology, inactivity and low light sleep modes, an integral 24/7 timer and is equipped with a two-way cool touch tap and safety lock

At Zip we offer two HydroCare maintenance and servicing plans carried out from our fleet of over 90 fully trained, directly employed engineers across the UK and Ireland. The service plans can be tailored to meet your exact needs and include filter replacements, sanitisation, parts and labour, unlimited call-outs, an annual inspection, pre-scheduled planned services, extended warranty and priority response. On top of this, HydroCare Plus offers tailored limescale management, a particularly important element for products installed in hard water areas. Learn more about HydroCare here.

Yes. When you choose to rent a HydroBoil it comes with a whole host of benefits, including free installation, flexible rental packages, hassle-free servicing, a full warranty and maintenance plan for extra peace of mind. To find out more please visit visit the rental section of the website.

Please be aware you will be dispensing water up to 98°c and need to take all necessary precautions.

If the HydroBoil wasn’t drained down before leaving the office, you will need to flush the tank through. You will need a jug/container suitable for both boiling water and the size of your HydroBoil (For example, a HS005 is 5 litres). If the HydroBoil is over a sink you can dispense directly to this.

1. You will need to dispense the required amount of water - this is the full litre capacity of your product. 
2. Open the tap control and allow the required litres of water to dispense, note you may need to empty the jug/container you have in between.
3. Once the required amount has been dispensed flushing is complete.

At Zip we offer a range of instantaneous, unvented and open outlet hot water systems. 

Zip instantaneous water heaters include:

- InLine ES
- InLine CEX
- InLine DEX, DEX12 & DBX

Zip unvented water heaters include:

- Aquapoint 3, 4 & 5
- Varipoint 2
- AquaFlo 2

Zip open outlet water heaters include:

- Tudor 4

Zip’s hot water systems are available for both home and workplace settings. Some of our systems - such as the Aquapoint and Varipoint - are even suitable for healthcare and institutional settings as they feature anti-legionella functions to sterilise any water-borne legionella bacteria.

We understand that legionella is a real risk for many buildings, which is why we have developed a number of product ranges designed to prevent legionella from becoming dangerous.

The Zip Aquapoint 4 and 5 are efficient and durable wall-mounted hot water systems suitable for a range of applications. Not only do they boast a range of capacities and a ‘SmartEco’ mode for improved energy efficiency, but they also feature an automatic anti-legionella function. If the water does not reach 65°C for 14 consecutive days their anti-legionella function will heat the water to 70°C, maintaining the temperature for 120 minutes to ensure the product is sterilised.

In addition, Zip InLine is a range of instantaneous electric hot water products that only heat water as it’s drawn off, meaning there is no standing water. HSE document L8 states a low risk solution to Legionnaires’ disease-causing bacteria is to have hot water fed from an instantaneous water heater, making InLine an ideal system for sinks and showers in large institutions.