What Side is the Hot Water On?

The Hot water tap is on the left side of faucets, taps, and mixer valves.

This is a universal standard that applies to virtually all plumbing fixtures, including kitchen sinks, bathroom basins, showers, and bathtubs. The hot water tap or handle is always positioned on the left when you are facing the fixture, while cold water is positioned on the right.

This left-hot, right-cold configuration is not just convention – it’s required by building codes. The International Residential Code (IRC 2722.2) mandates that hot water be on the left as you face the water outlet. Similarly, Australia’s National Construction Code and Plumbing Code require that hot water taps be installed to the left of cold water taps for horizontal installations, or above cold water taps for vertical installations [1].

The left-hot standard has practical historical origins. In the Victorian era, the UK passed laws requiring hot water taps to be on the left to prevent confusion for blind, elderly, and disabled individuals. When indoor plumbing was first introduced in the 19th century, cold water pumps were positioned on the right side of sinks to accommodate the right-handed majority. When hot water was later added, it was logically placed on the opposite side – the left.

The positioning also serves important safety purposes. Since most people are right-handed, placing cold water on the right means people naturally reach for the less dangerous option first. This reduces the risk of accidental burns, especially for users unfamiliar with a particular faucet system.

For vertical tap arrangements, hot water is positioned at the top and cold water below. For single-handle mixer faucets, the same principle applies – turning the handle left (counterclockwise) provides hot water, while turning right (clockwise) provides cold water.

In shower installations, some safety-conscious homeowners prefer hot water controls to be positioned away from the user (requiring a push motion) rather than toward them (pull motion), making it harder for small children to accidentally activate hot water.

Sources:

[1] – https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/