Kitchen Area Faucets – Choosing A Good One

From Lamoosh

In this current era, kitchen faucets should no longer be any ole essential useful part of one’s kitchen. With the numerous sizes, shapes, finishes, and designs on the market, the sink is actually a factor in setting and hairstyling your kitchen. Whether your kitchen comes with an ultra-modern or classic rustic design, there is most certainly a faucet that will fit the atmosphere you wish to create where you prepare your food and spend quality time with family members.

Very well, first of all, you need to choose a faucet that really matches the links of your kitchen sink. Then, you will need to check to see the number of mounting holes in your countertop, or destroy there. Make sure that you choose a faucet that will be really easy to operate to roll out the connection to the drain, and choose one that is the right size for the family member to your kitchen sink.

You will find many kinds of faucet materials on the market. Whether you choose to pick an instrument or a glossy, copper, stainless steel, or stainless steel, you should make sure that the body of the faucet must be very durable for the top kitchen faucets, easy to maintain, heavy, should not be corroded or easily discolored, and must fit your kitchen theme well.

You need to know that kitchen faucet made from instruments are known to be very resistant to negative effects and stainless steel plated faucets are known to be quite affordable. It is very essential that you insist on buying a face that is durable – the faucet you choose should last for quite a long time without dripping and don’t you just dislike it when you notice that dripping sound? Just make an effort to choose a faucet that is of good quality and fits into your financial budget.

You also need to know that the spout and handle also determine the style of the faucet – there are also single and double handles. Sinks that contain a single treatment are very convenient if you want to control the temperature and level of your drinking water. A double-managed faucet allows you to move and control the temperature of the water accurately because it has separate controls, one for hot water and the other for cold water. It is considered that a double hose faucet is much more stylish than a single hose kitchen faucet. There are three types of spout styles that you can purchase.

Just sort out what you normally use the faucet for and go ahead and buy it according to your needs. You can even buy a wall-mounted faucet that doesn’t require an outdoor patio hole.

If you’re not the kind of person who wants to go shopping in stores, just go online and you’ll find a ton of online hardware stores offering pretty good deals on faucets.

The Basics Of Kitchen Faucets

From Justin Sivan

Every kitchen needs a faucet. When it comes to choosing these staples, style is secondary. We all want to choose a faucet that can survive very harsh conditions, including thousands of on/off cycles per year and hard water mineral buildup, and still provide defect-free service year after year.

This article provides answers to the most frequently asked questions about faucet selection. By following the advice given here, you will not only know how to choose a suitable faucet, but also how to get the most out of it. And, from choosing the type to the finish, there are many things for you to consider when choosing your next kitchen faucet.

Know your valves.

The valve is the part of the faucet that controls the flow of water. There are four types to choose from: ball valves, spool valves, compression valves, and ceramic discs. Let’s take a look at each type and get a general idea of how they work. Each type of faucet has an internal valve that controls the flow of water through the spout. The quality of the valve, with or without a gasket, determines the reliability and durability of the faucet.

Ceramic disc valve.

The ceramic disc valve, identifiable by its single lever on a wide cylindrical body, is the latest development in modern faucet technology. This type consists of two ceramic discs: one disc is stationary, while the other will move against it with shearing action, blocking water or allowing it to pass. Since the discs are almost flat, the seal is watertight. Although the most expensive, this is the most reliable valve and is less prone to breakage than some other types.

Ball valve faucet.

Very common in kitchen sinks, ball faucets are the first type of no-flush faucet. A rotating metal or plastic ball is used to regulate water flow, and they can be identified by a single handle that moves over a circular ball-shaped cover above the base of the faucet spout. The plastic balls eventually wear out, but the metal balls are designed to last longer.

Cartridge valve faucet.

Cartridge faucets have a hollow metal or plastic cartridge that seals to the spout or faucet body. Depending on how the series of holes in the cartridge align with the stem, the water is mixed and controlled. These faucets are very reliable, especially if equipped with a brass cartridge.

Compression valve faucets.

Compression is very much like your basic washer faucet in that it works by opening and closing the passage of water by the rise and fall of the stem, requiring you to tighten (compress) the washer to shut off the flow of water. These are the cheapest, but are more prone to leaks.

Faucet Materials

Any material that can hold water can be used to make a faucet. Typically, faucets are made from low-corrosive metals: copper, bronze, brass, stainless steel and zinc alloys.

Die-cast zinc alloy

Faucets with a die-cast zinc alloy body are less expensive. However, it is not as durable as brass and does not survive the harsh corrosive environments of faucets like brass or stainless steel. It is not recommended when considering the purchase of a faucet.

Brass

Brass is by far the most recommended choice because of its toughness and ability to handle extreme temperatures. However, brass faucets, which are composed of copper, zinc and lead, can leach trace amounts of lead into drinking water, posing a health risk. To minimize this risk, the Safe Drinking Water Act requires faucet manufacturers to use no more than 8 percent lead in brass faucets. Manufacturers are researching technologies to further reduce the amount of lead in brass.

Stainless Steel

Steel does not contain lead, which is a big advantage in today’s regulatory environment. Instead, stainless steel is a steel alloy containing at least 10.5% chromium. However, the stainless steel used for faucets is usually 304 stainless steel, also known as 18/8 stainless steel because of its composition of 18% chromium and 8% nickel. Nickel gives the steel its special crystalline structure, which increases its strength and ductility.

Faucet Finishes

If you like your kitchen to have a uniform look, coordinate the color and finish of your faucet with other fixtures and accessories. Bronze, chrome and nickel/stainless steel are available at every price point. Key options include.

Chrome – It’s durable, inexpensive, and easy to maintain. Polished chrome offers a shiny, glossy look that is well suited for modern kitchens. You can also find softer chrome finishes, such as matte or brushed, which can go with most kitchen styles.

Nickel – It can stand up to scratches and water damage. It also offers a more toned-down, softer look. It is usually a more expensive finish than chrome and works well in transitional-style kitchens.

Titanium – Super minimalist, offering a sleek casing and an advanced titanium mechanism.

Porcelain – Porcelain can add a touch of class.