What is a crane aerator and why is it needed?

At the tip of the spout of modern faucets there is necessarily a cap with a mesh, which is called an aerator. This seemingly insignificant detail actually performs a number of important functions, the main of which is the reduction of water consumption. Below we take a closer look at what aerators are used for and how they work.

The design of the device and the principle of operation

As a rule, the water-saving nozzle of the crane aerator consists of three main elements:

• Enclosures;
• Filter systems;
• Rubber seal ring.

The body of the product can be made of different materials:

When choosing a new mixer, be sure to pay attention to the method of mounting the aerator and its quality. On sale you can find nozzles with external and internal pipe threads.

The principle of operation of this device is quite simple - passing through filters, which are several grids, water is mixed with air. As a result, the output is a “soft” foam jet of a milky hue.

Due to the mixing of air, the pressure in the mixer remains unchanged, however, water consumption is reduced. Moreover, the savings are quite substantial - if without an aerator, water consumption can be 15 liters per minute, then with an aerator - 6-7 liters.

Thus, in the first place, a crane aerator is used to save water, however, in addition, it performs several other functions:

• Improves jet quality. If you dismantle the aerator, you can see how the water flows randomly, and the spray will fly in all directions.
• Purifies water from large particles..
• Weathers chlorine and oxygenates water.

From this we can conclude that the aerator is indeed a rather important element of the sink mixer.

Special features

Merits

Among the positive aspects of using this device are:

• Reducing the noise level when working plumbing, as oxygen-enriched water creates less noise.
• Savings - the price of the device is minimal and at the same time it can significantly reduce water consumption.
• Performs as a coarse filter.
• Ease of maintenance - from time to time you have to unscrew the aerator with your own hands and clean it of debris. Below we take a closer look at how this is done.

disadvantages

As for the minuses, there are not many of them:

• The device is short-lived, i.e. fails earlier than the mixer. If the pipes are old, then the aerator will have to be changed every year.
• Water is slowly drawn into the tank, this is especially noticeable when typing bathroom.

For the rest, this device has no disadvantages.

Dismantling and cleaning

Instructions for maintenance of the aerator as follows:

• First of all, the device must be unscrewed, rotating it clockwise. If it is impossible to unscrew by hand, you can use a wrench or pliers, however, this must be done carefully so as not to damage the surface of the product.
• If the rubber gasket does not fall out immediately, it must be carefully removed and then assessed.
• Next, by pressing a finger on the grid from the outlet side of the jet, it is necessary to remove the cylinder with filters.

• After dismantling the grids, they should be cleaned with a jet of water, a toothpick or a needle.
• When all the elements of the device are cleaned, it must be assembled and set in place, twisting counter-clockwise by hand. In this case, you need to remember to install a rubber gasket.

Tip! In order not to damage the coating of the aerator when unscrewing with pliers or a key, it should be wrapped with a napkin.

Everyone can perform the above procedure, and moreover, it will take only a couple of minutes of time.

Illuminated aerators

Connoisseurs of aesthetics and pleasant trifles will certainly appreciate the water-saving nozzles on the faucet with illumination. As a rule, the shells of these devices are made of brass and have a chrome-plated coating. Inside the case there is a microturbine with an electric generator, a thermal sensor and a system of diodes.

Such an aerator is connected to the spout as easily as a regular one, and, moreover, it does not require any additional power sources, since electricity is generated by a generator that rotates when exposed to a jet of water.

Thus, when you open the faucet, the light turns on automatically, and, depending on the water temperature, it can glow in different colors:

As a result, the backlight performs not only an aesthetic, but also a practical function - it reports the temperature of the water.

Note! The operating temperature of the device is up to 60 degrees Celsius.

Here, in fact, all the basic information you should know about aerators.

Conclusion

As we found out, aerators perform a number of important and useful functions, such as saving and cleaning water, and some models can even decorate plumbing. The only thing they require periodic maintenance and, if necessary, replacement.

From the video in this article, you can learn some additional information on this topic.