When a foot pedal hand sink gives no water, it is usually a closed supply stop, a pedal valve that is stuck or clogged with debris, or a kinked line between the valve and the faucet. When it will not shut off, the valve is usually stuck open by debris or worn inside. Start with the supply stops and the pedal itself, and fix it the same day, because a hand sink that does not work cannot be used for handwashing.
Shop the equipment in this article: dual foot pedal control, KV4 dual knee pedal valve and commercial hand sinks. Freight is included on every order.
How a pedal valve works
A foot or knee pedal valve sits between the hot and cold supply lines and the faucet. Pressing the pedal opens the valve and water runs; releasing it closes the valve. On a dual pedal, one pedal runs hot and the other runs cold, so the hot and cold lines are routed through the pedals instead of straight to the faucet. The product page for our stainless dual foot pedal control describes exactly this, and notes that a plumber usually installs foot valves because the lines are rerouted. The KV4 knee pedal valve page says the same for knee valves.
That layout tells you where to look: the stops under the sink, the lines into and out of the pedal valve, the valve itself, and the faucet spout and aerator. If you decide not to keep a pedal valve at all, a two handle commercial hand wash sink faucet is the usual alternative; more on that at the end.
What the Food Code expects from a hand sink
The FDA Food Code (section 5-205.11, which Virginia adopts as 12VAC5-421-2310) says a handwashing sink must be kept accessible at all times for employee use and may not be used for anything other than handwashing. A hand sink with a broken pedal is not available, so repair it promptly or arrange another hand sink for that station in the meantime.
The code also sets a rule for faucets that close on their own. Section 5-202.12 (Virginia 12VAC5-421-2190 C) says a self-closing, slow-closing or metering faucet must provide a flow of water for at least 15 seconds without the need to reactivate it. With a pedal valve, water runs for as long as the pedal is held; ask your inspector how they apply the 15 second rule to the pedal setup you have. The same section requires the hand sink to deliver tempered water through a mixing valve or combination faucet; the minimum temperature differs between the FDA model code and some state versions, so check yours. Your local health department has the final say on hand sink rules in your kitchen.
No water at all
- Check both supply stops under the sink. Someone may have closed them during cleaning or a repair.
- Press each pedal separately. If neither runs, check whether water reaches the valve: close the stops, disconnect the outlet line from the valve into a bucket, open a stop and press the pedal.
- Look for kinked or crushed lines behind a pedestal or cabinet, especially after the sink has been moved.
- Unscrew the aerator at the tip of the spout and rinse it. A blocked aerator can look like a dead valve.
If water reaches the valve but does not come out when you press the pedal, the valve is stuck closed or blocked inside. A common cause is debris after plumbing work in the building.
Water only on one side
On a dual pedal, if hot runs and cold does not, or the reverse, the problem is on that side: a closed stop, a blocked line or that half of the valve. Swapping which pedal feeds which line is not a fix; it only hides the fault, and the hand sink still needs warm water through a mixing valve or combination faucet to meet the code.
Water will not shut off
A pedal that sticks down, or a valve that keeps dripping after you let go, usually has grit or scale holding the valve off its seat, or a worn seal inside. Check first that the pedal itself is not jammed by a mat, a box or a bent linkage. If the pedal moves freely and the water keeps running, close the supply stops and call a plumber. Running water that will not stop is also a waste and, at a pedestal sink with no cabinet, a slip hazard.
Weak flow
Weak flow at a pedal sink has the same causes as at any faucet: a clogged aerator, partly closed stops, a kinked line or low building pressure. Our guide to commercial faucet low water pressure goes through them one by one.
Leaks at the pedal
Drips around the pedal body often come from a loose connection rather than the valve. Tighten fittings a little at a time with the water on, and check them again after a shift. A crack in the valve body means replacing the valve.
When to replace instead of repair
If the valve is worn out or parts are not available, you have two choices: a new pedal valve, or a standard two handle faucet. The Food Code does not require a hand sink to be hands-free; our article on whether hands-free hand sinks are required explains what it does require. On a sink with two holes 4 in. apart, center to center, a deck mount faucet such as our HFC-35 is a straight swap: its page lists a gooseneck spout, two handles, stainless steel construction and a lead free build. Measure your sink’s faucet holes before ordering, or compare other mounts and centers in our commercial sink faucets.
What to buy
- A new pedal valve if you want to stay hands-free: the dual foot pedal control in stainless steel, or the KV4 dual knee pedal valve with chrome plated pedals. Check the space under the sink and your line sizes first, as the pages advise.
- A replacement faucet for a 4 in. center hand sink: the HFC-35. Pedal valves, faucets and drains are together in our faucets and plumbing supplies.
- If the sink itself needs replacing, the HS-42PB pedestal hand sink lists 18 gauge 304 stainless steel, a 34 in. pedestal height, an 8 in. backsplash and 42 in. overall height, with a foot pedal faucet. Our HS-17SS wall mount hand sink runs on knee pedals instead.
The hand sinks and pedal valves are non-powered items with a 14 day return window from delivery, and freight to the 48 contiguous states is included in the price.