Faucets: 9 Quick Answers You Should Know (for Beginners)
Whether you’re looking for a kitchen or bathroom faucet, there is a wide collection of options for you.
A complete faucet comes with a handle, cartridge, mixing chamber, water inlets, lift rod, and spout. When you turn on the handle to your faucet, the valve opens to control water flow under any pressure or temperature conditions.
The best faucet is one that is highly durable and offers high performance at an affordable cost.
However, there are still some unanswered questions about faucets that every potential buyer should know.
In this article, we answer some questions to help you handle faucets without problems.
Why Are Faucets So Short?
The height of every faucet, including a bathroom one, is designed to provide easy water access to every household member. For this reason, faucets are designed to be short.
However, you might get some faucets, such as kitchen faucets heightened to provide enough height for filling pots and cleaning dishes.
Why Do Some Sinks Have Two Faucets?
It’s a common thing to come across sinks that have two faucets. But what is the reason for this?
Historical Reasons
So many houses were developed in the 19th or 20th century when there were no modern valves or mixers.
Some of these houses have never replaced some critical components such as faucets. For your information, when plumbing was introduced in these houses, it started as a simple system supplying cold water to the kitchen sink.
Later, a hot water tap was added separately. A dual faucet system was therefore born.
It’s In Line With The Law
In some countries, such as the UK, there is a law that prohibits mixing hot water and cold water from a boiler.
There is a gas column in each house for water systems in such countries with no central heating.
An Economic Approach
When you employ two different faucets, water is mixed in the sink in perfect amounts to allow you to wash your hands without challenges. There is no water wasted. You can only claim to waste the water you use.
For the case of the water mixer, you first open your faucet and choose the right temperature before washing your hands. This way, you end up using a lot of water.
Do Regular Faucets Fit Ikea Sinks?
Absolutely! You can employ regular faucets on your Ikea sinks. However, you’ll need to use Ikea drain assembly for the drawer to clear effectively.
Why Are Sink Faucets So Expensive?
Most sink faucets are available for as high as $100. And these prices are high for a reason.
First, sink faucets happen to be expensive, thanks to the material they’re made of. The high price can also be attributed to the multi-use functionality.
Here, we take an in-depth look at why a sink faucet might be very expensive:
An Expensive Industry
For your information, the bathroom and kitchen industry has always been expensive. And since home decorations happen to be expensive, retailers find themselves pushing the price of interior products up.
It’s very hard to come across a highly durable sink faucet for less than $100. Most manufacturers are always in competition to keep the price above $100.
If you want to get a sink faucet at an affordable price, we recommend buying directly from the manufacturer.
Trendy Finish and Design
Trendy finishes and designs also increase the price of kitchen faucets. For instance, a new model or design is always priced higher than an older one. The same thing is true for models that are hand-sketched or handcrafted.
For the above reasons, it’s easier to come across a custom design that goes for $500.
Faucet Functionality
Faucets might also be expensive, thanks to the extra features and improved functionality.
For instance, traditional options which are always cheaper are limited to a cold or hot water option that turns on or off. However, modern options have added features to improve the user experience.
Some of the common features in modern faucets include push/pull lever, wall mounts, thermostats, and water thinner.
Do Faucets Come With Rough-In Valves?
Yes, At least every faucet comes with a rough-in valve. The purpose of this valve is to control water flow through the spout.
The durability and reliability of the valve depend mainly on its quality. It also depends on the availability of a washer.
Therefore, we recommend that you purchase a faucet with a valve and washer.
Do Faucets Use Electricity?
Plumbing systems will only require electricity for the case of hot water. Electricity isn’t required in the case of cold water.
Even when hot water isn’t available, you’ll notice your faucet operating as usual and providing cold water.
If your house is connected to the local supply system, it should be granted access to cold water. However, if you normally employ an electric pump for drawing water from a well, it’ll be unavailable if there is no electricity.
Are Faucets Considered Appliances?
Absolutely! A faucet is considered an appliance.
In fact, the sink or faucet is among the most used appliances in the kitchen or bathroom. They’re used at least 10-30 times per day on average. This is more than some other appliances are used in the kitchen or the whole house.
Can Frost Free Faucets Freeze?
A frost-free faucet is meant to prevent freezing in the valve or pipe. This is possible thanks to a long valve stem reaching your home. The valve stem remains warm and has a self-draining design limiting water collection.
Despite such efforts to prevent freezing, it’s still possible for frost-free faucets to freeze in extreme cold.
When this happens, you must replace your faucet immediately to prevent rapture.
For a DIY replacement, follow these steps. However, it would be wise to call a professional plumber to do thorough work.
Why Do My Faucets Get Moldy?
It’s common to find mold on your faucet, especially kitchen ones. This can be attributed to their surface being damp most of the time.
Another reason is that the kitchen faucet is exposed to food most of the time, which contributes highly to mold growth.
We recommend cleaning it off using bleach when you notice mold on your faucet. You can also employ your favorite household cleaner.
Sources:
What Is The Most Appliance In The Kitchen?