Bathroom Facuets
Bathroom Faucets
We are so used to them that, until they stop performing normally, we don’t notice them. And when the late-night drip, drip, drip starts interfering with our sleep, leaving water stains on the bathroom sink bowl, confronting us with the need for a new bathroom faucet, we may feel, in our inexperience, as if we are still a bit wet behind the ears.
Walking into a plumbing fixtures store, and being confronted by wall after wall of bathroom faucets, in wide arrays of finishes and styles, can be, to say the least, intimidating. But a little advance preparation can save you from making (excuse me) a “faux-cet-pas” in your decision.
Plumbing manufacturers, like all home materials producers, adhere to a group of standard faucet sizes. And bathroom faucets are produced in either four-inch, or eight-inch, widths. The four-inch faucets are available as centerset-for a three hole sink, and with a water spout either connected to the two handles, or positioned very close between them.
A widespread-and not because it’s so commonly used-bathroom faucet is the eight-inch model, having its two handles installed separately from the spout. A widespread faucet requires that your sink has three holes drilled from eight to sixteen inches apart; if your sink is without hole drillings, the widespread faucet can be positioned on the counter behind it.
Widespread faucets can be mounted on sinks that have three-hole drillings spaced between 8 and 16 inches apart, or they can be mounted on the counter behind sinks with no hole drillings.
Check, before you look for your new bathroom faucets, on the size of your existing water lines-they usually measure three-eighths, or one-half, inch. And make a note of whether they are smooth, or braided, and copper, or plastic. Have the service person at the plumbing supply store help you determine which of their bathroom faucets will work with your particular water supply setup.
Should you be of the mindset that the fewer moving parts bathroom faucets have, the less trouble they will be, think about replacing your two-handled model with a single-handled unit. And don’t worry about that left over hole in your sink; single-handled faucets can be purchased with coordinating deck plates to hide it.
If you’re wondering how to keep your new bathroom faucet looking its best, there are faucets with special non-corroding finishes; but you can probably get by with a damp cloth and mild dish detergent. And a post-soaping swipe with a cloth dipped in a vinegar-water solution will keep the soap scum away. Stay away from abrasive cleaners.
And buy the best quality bathroom faucet that you can afford-brass or copper are especially durable and can be finished in chrome, bronze, or nickel, to complement your bathroom’s look. In designs ranging from contemporary to Victorian, bathroom faucets are often parts of complete finishing sets, which include towel bars, shower curtain rods, and soap dishes.
So if your existing bathroom faucet has developed a case of the drips,
head for the plumbing supply store, where a (excuse me again) “farrah"
faucet is waiting!