Choosing the right faucet or faucets for your home can be a daunting task – there are so many great, reliable brands out there, faucets come in so many styles and designs, in so many price categories that making the best decision is surely a complex process. Many brands today provide top quality products, so rather than recommending specific brand names, here are some important factors that you should consider when choosing your fixtures.
The Looks
Faucets come in a seemingly endless array of styles – you can easily find units that feature vintage and classic designs, but modern styles are also available; you can choose shiny, matte and textured items and the range of the colors available is also very wide. When choosing the style of your faucet, consider the design that the fixture will be installed in, then choose the faucet design that either complements or contrasts the overall style of your space.
The various materials used for creating faucet finishes offer various levels of durability. Chrome is the most durable finish, the one that offers the highest level of scratch-resistance and is the easiest to keep clean. Nickel is used for creating satin or matte finishes and they need more frequent cleaning, while most colored faucets feature epoxy finishes.
The Functionality
The height and the reach of the spout and the type and number of the handles are the two most important operational aspects. To identify the perfect faucet, Denver plumbing professionals say to measure the sink that the faucet will be connected to – a spout that is too short or too long will hinder usability and so will an unsuitably selected curve.
You should also consider the number of holes on your sink – most sinks have three holes, one for the hot water handle, one for the cold and one underneath the faucet. Singled-handled faucets use only one hole and they usually come with integrated plates to conceal the unused holes, so if you are planning to replace the classing, double-handle configuration with a single-handle one, check for the availability of the plate, too.
The Sprayer
The sprayer is an optional accessory, but one that makes usage much more comfortable. There are basically two types of sprayers that you can choose from: more traditional side sprayers that are practically separate units and much more comfortable pull-down sprayers attached to the faucet. The second option will allow you to direct the jet of water more accurately and is also a more dependable solution.
The Interior of the Faucets
Faucets are not very complicated fixtures, but they are used all the time, so whatever components your fixtures feature on the inside need to be made from the best, most durable materials. The component that ensures long-lasting drip-free operation is the valve – the part can be made from many different materials, the best choice being ceramic. Fortunately, the faucets equipped with ceramic valves are not more expensive that the others, so all you will need to check to make the best choice is the product description.
