Before selecting a bathroom faucets you will need to know a few facts. If you are simply replacing a faucet and keeping the sink, one of your decisions is already made. But, if you are replacing both sink and faucet you will first need to decide which is the most important to you, the sink or the bathroom faucet.
Let me back up a little and explain. Bathroom faucets come in single hole, centerset, and widespread assemblies. If you are keeping your existing sink, then you need to match up your faucet to fit the sink you already have, so that makes for fewer choices. If, however, you are starting fresh and replacing both bathroom faucet and sink, the sky is the limit, but you need to decide if the look and function of the faucet outweighs your choice in sinks.
Bathroom Faucet Mechanics
It is good to know some of the inner-working of bathroom faucets before you start your selection.
* Compression faucets use washers and compression to shut off the flow of water. These faucets have been around for a long time, most of us have used them, and they are still available and usually among the least expensive models. Compression faucets have both a hot and cold handle to control water pressure and temperature and require tightening the handles to close off the flow of water. Inside the handles is an assembly with a washer on the end of a screw. When you tighten the handle of the bathroom faucet it creates pressure on the washer over an opening and stops the flow of water. These faucets have a long history of needing periodic maintenance, usually replacing washers.
* Ball faucets which are common in both kitchen and bath, have a single handle to control the flow of water, and the temperature as well. This type of faucet was the first to be washerless. Unfortunately this is a complicated mechanism and it is also the most subject to leaking.
* Cartridge faucets may be the best bathroom faucet option for those who prefer separate handles for cold and hot water,and want less maintenance issues, although they are available in a single handle version as well. Unlike compression faucets cartridge faucets don't require the extra pressure in order to stop the flow of water. They have a moveable stem cartridge that controls the flow of water. They are more reliable than compression faucets, and require less frequent repair.
* Disc faucets have a single lever that controls the flow of water as well as temperature. Disc faucets are the newest type of faucet, seldom require repair and are a higher quality faucet.
Bathroom Faucet Installation Style
*Centerset faucets have all the faucet components assembled on a base. Both the spout and the handles are mounted on a base so the whole bathroom faucet assembly is one unit.
*Widespread faucets feature all the components individually. Handles and spout are all separate pieces which usually mount to the sink and come in different drilling options.
*Single-Hole faucets are another option in a bathroom faucet. This unit is just what it says. It requires a single hole, and the spout and a lever for controlling water flow and temperature comes as a single unit.
*Wall-Mounted faucets This is a whole subject in and of itself, but I am just mentioning it here in case you have your heart set on a vessel sink and this type of a faucet assembly.
Keyword: plastic, undermount, gauge, kitchen, laundry, lav, bathroom, commercial, restaurant, porcelain, brass, bar, metal, stone, ackralac, advance, american, china, barclay, bates, belvedere, blanco, elkay, griffin, kindred, kwc, lebijou, porcher, revere, polar, swanstone, villeroy, boch, plumbing, find, sink, pedestal, wall, hung, drop-in, lav, stainless, steel, composite, plastic, undermount, gauge, kitchen, laundry, lav, bathroom, commercial, restaurant, porcelain, brass, bar, metal, stone, ackralac, advance, american, china, barclay, bates, belvedere, blanco, elkay, griffin, kindred, kwc, lebijou, porcher, revere, polar, swanstone, villeroy, boch, plumbing,
