As a homeowner, you're responsible for the upkeep of your plumbing fixtures. Choosing the right faucets for your kitchen and bathroom, regular cleaning and performing routine maintenance could save you money on water usage and a visit from a plumbing professional, not to mention damage to accessories throughout your home.
Selecting Faucets
When you view possible collections for bathroom and kitchen faucets, there are many factors to keep in mind. Choosing the proper faucets for your kitchen and bathroom sinks, shower and bath is a practice in balancing aesthetics with practicality. External plumbing fixtures have to provide excellent performance while blending into your chosen design for the bathroom or kitchen.
Faucet Designs
There are many different types of faucets. Sink faucets can have a single lever mounted on the back or they can have levers on either side of the central faucet unit. Faucets can be mounted in the wall or freestanding, depending on the plumbing fixtures.
When designing a bathroom or kitchen you should keep utility in mind. Do you want a shower head that extends from the ceiling or comes out from the wall? What sink style would match the rest of your bathroom decor? HGTV suggests single-hole faucets for simple modern interior designs and faucets integrated into mirrors for a more unique approach that blends into a minimalist bathroom atmosphere. Stores like Kohler will have plenty of collections for you to view.
Faucet Finishes
The color and appearance of faucet material plays a big part in aesthetic choices. Brass, chrome, copper and nickel are four of the most popular options for bathrooms and kitchen faucets.
- Brass: According to Houzz, a homeowner advice blog, polished brass is easy to find and provides a bathroom with a vintage look. Satin brass can offer a nice accent color for other plumbing fixtures. Brass is a little more expensive than other faucet finishes.
- Chrome: Chrome is cost-efficient and versatile. It's popular for bathroom and kitchen faucets because it's durable and easy to clean.
- Copper: Copper faucets require some upkeep, but they can give bathrooms a rich atmosphere. The material is naturally antibacterial, so it's good for kitchen use.
- Nickel: Sinks finished with nickel faucets are similar to chrome, but they are darker, shinier and can produce lighting effects. Nickel offers the same durability and simple cleaning, but it is more expensive than chrome.
Faucet Performance
Different plumbing fixtures provide unique water flows. Federal organizations create standards for home water usage; most agencies prefer low-flow options, as they save water.
You can choose faucets to accommodate the water flow of your choice. You may choose high-pressure sink faucets and shower heads if you need strong performance or you can pick low-flow options to save money on your water bill.
Cleaning Faucets
Consistently cleaning your faucets serves a dual purpose: Bathroom and kitchen plumbing faucets will look nice and provide optimum performance.
Vinegar is an effective plumbing fixture cleaning liquid.
Regular Cleaning of Faucets
Depending on your faucet finish, you may have to clean your bathroom or kitchen plumbing fixtures on a daily or weekly basis. For example, chrome faucets are easy to clean but shows fingerprints. You can wipe down chrome bathroom faucets with a soft cloth.
If you want to clean kitchen or bathroom faucets thoroughly, it's best to use natural solutions instead of chemicals when possible. Harsh chemicals used in sinks may damage the pipes after continuous use. If you must apply chemicals on a faucet, try not to wash them down the drain.
Vinegar is an effective plumbing fixture cleaning liquid. Better Homes and Gardens recommends using vinegar on faucets and shower heads when they start performing poorly. You can attach a vinegar-filled plastic bag over a shower head with a rubber band. If you leave it on the shower head for an hour, it should remove debris from the spouts. You can also try this method on kitchen and bathroom sinks.
Deep Cleaning of Faucets
If simple faucet cleaning techniques don't do the trick, you can try more in-depth solutions. By removing the shower head or faucet, you can run a powerful stream of water through the fixture to clean out built-up materials. You should also use a toothbrush and vinegar to scrub out the inside of a faucet when it's disconnected from the sink or shower.
Maintenance
When cleaning doesn't provide optimal faucet performance, it's time to perform some home plumbing repair. You can call a local plumber or you can tackle the project yourself.
Fixing Faucets
Sink faucet leaks are sometimes fixed through simple maintenance. If you find a leak in your kitchen or bathroom, you need to start by turning off the water. You must turn off the water supply underneath the sink or find where your shower's shut-off valve is.
Once the water has stopped, you must remove the non-functional parts of the knobs. If sink or shower nuts and bolts give you any trouble, use a safe, general-purpose lubricant. Don't damage your plumbing fixtures by applying too much force to stubborn features. You also have to remove the stem and valve head.
Popular Mechanics says most leaks are caused by faulty O-rings and washers. After removing the valve seat, take a look at the O-ring and washer, see if they are snugly in place or must be removed. When you buy a new O-ring for a faucet, you should take the old one with you so you can size it properly.
Once you have replaced the internal components of the faucet, restore the plumbing faucets in the sink. Performance should return to normal.
Replacing Faucets
If repairs are out of the question, it's time for you to replace your kitchen or bathroom faucet. Make sure to record the details of initial installation so you know the exact type of finish and design you need for a new faucet. If possible, try to buy the replacement faucet from the original collection. Online stores should let you view possible options if you want to upgrade to a new faucet in the same collection.
Perform the same initial tasks as the leak repair process, starting with shutting off water. Kitchen faucet replacement may call for additional tasks, such as disconnecting the garbage disposal. Each faucet requires its own set of installation steps. This Old House suggests older sinks may need torch and hacksaw maintenance application to prepare old plumbing for new faucets.
If you're a skilled craftsmen you can probably handle installing a new faucet in your kitchen or bath. Less-experienced homeowners should call a local plumber for major plumbing projects.