Kitchen Faucets

Kitchen Faucets

You''re almost finished with your kitchen remodel, but you still haven''t found the right faucet for your new sink. Then it happens: during one Saturday-afternoon foray through a kitchen showroom, you spot the perfect polished-brass beauty. Should you buy it? Maybe. But before you plunk down your hard-earned cash, it''s a good idea to make sure you know what you''re buying.

Most faucets are turned off and on repeatedly, day in and day out, for many years. For that reason, you''ll want to choose one that not only looks great, but is convenient and safe and will provide durable service for a long time. Though price is usually a pretty good measure of quality, it isn''t necessarily the best measure-nor does it determine whether or not a certain faucet will best serve your needs. To make a wise choice, you need a clear understanding of typical faucet construction and inner workings.

Basic types of kitchen faucets
Faucets are manufactured in three basic styles. With a two-handle centerset style, common in the bathroom, the spout and both valves are combined on a single base unit. Single-handle faucets, common in both baths and kitchens, are centersets where hot and cold are controlled by one lever or knob that''s often part of the spout. The third type is called a widespread faucet-with this, the hot-water valve, cold-water valve and spout are all mounted separately.



Though antique-style separate valves-where hot and cold each have their own handle and spout-are still made, nearly all present-day faucets have mixing valves, where hot and cold are mixed and delivered through a single spout.

The right type to choose depends on your preference, your budget and the sink (or counter area) where the faucet will be mounted. Kitchen sinks generally have holes drilled for 8-inch centers or a single hole for single-handle faucets (escutcheons are made for converting multiple-hole sinks to receive single-hole faucets). Bathroom vanity and pedestal sinks are designed for widespread, single-lever and centersets. Before you buy a certain faucet, it''s essential to know the sink or countertop''s hole configuration unless you''re drilling the countertop to suit a particular faucet. If you''re going to want an instant hot-water spout, a soap dispenser, a sprayer, or the like, be sure to get a sink that has holes to accomodate these.

For kitchens, a single control is, by far, the most popular type. A single-control faucet is also handy in a bathroom and suits a very contemporary style; widespread sets offer more flexible placement. But you pay a premium for widespread styling-as much as twice the price as the same faucet would
cost in a centerset.

Kitchen faucet valves
Every faucet has an inner valve that controls water flow through the spout. Since the faucet''s advent, manufacturers have sought ways to build a better valve-one that offers safe and convenient control, is affordable to manufacture and can beat the bane of all faucets-the dreaded drip. Today, four basic types of valves are made: compression, cartridge, ball and ceramic disc (their names identify the internal part that controls water flow).

Three of these-cartridge, ball and disc-may utilize a single handle or control, though cartridge and disc types are also made with two handles. Compression valves always have two controls. The type of valve you choose will make a difference in a faucet''s price, how well it works and how long it will last.




Compression faucets have been in use the longest and are the least expensive type. When the handle is turned, it raises or lowers a stem. At the base of the stem, a washer or seal opens or closes the water''s passageway-a valve seat. The problem with a compression faucet is that the rubber washer or seal wears out because, with most types, it grinds against the valve seat as it closes. When the washer wears, the faucet drips.

Some newer types raise and lower the washer without grinding it into the valve seat. American Standard''s economy NuSeal(tm) faucets, for example, lift and lower the rubber washer vertically without rotating it.

The other three primary faucet types are called "washerless" because they use methods other than a washer and valve seat to control flow (though they do have O-rings and elastomeric seals to prevent leaking). Washerless faucets are a better value than compression faucets because they are more reliable.

The first washerless single-handle faucet was manufactured by Moen. Their unique design has a hollow, plastic-and-brass cartridge insert that seals against the inside of the faucet body with O-rings. On single-handle models, water flow is controlled by an up-and-down movement of the cartridge; temperature is determined by rotation. On the two-handle faucet, flow is controlled by a turn. Though faucets are available from a low of about $30 to high-end models in the $600 range, most of these are medium priced at from $60 to $175. These faucets are very reliable-leaks are generally due to simple O-ring failure. If cartridges ever require replacement, they cost from about $9 to $20, although new Eljer and Moen faucets carry a limited lifetime warranty against leaks and drips.


Ball Faucet
The ball faucet has a single lever that operates a rotating slotted metal ball. The ball''s slots line-up with cold and hot water inlet seats in the faucet body to regulate the amount of incoming water allowed to reach the mixing spout. Delta has been manufacturing this type of valve since 1954 for its single-handle faucets, using a ball that, at first, was brass, then became synthetic polymer and is now polished stainless steel. Craig Selover, Vice President, engineering, points out that the stainless steel ball is designed to last a lifetime and, because the valve has just one moving part, there is less chance of malfunction than with some other types. Delta boasts that less than one in every 100,000 single-handle faucets is returned. And if a part needs to be replaced, the cost is relatively low-from $3 to $11.

Today, an emerging trend is the ceramic disc valve, a type made popular by high-end European faucet makers and now produced by American Standard, Kohler, Price Pfister and many other American faucet manufacturers. A ceramic disc faucet actually has two fire-hardened ceramic discs-an upper one that moves and a fixed lower one. The two discs move against each other in a shearing action, blocking water or allowing it to pass through. The seal between the two discs is watertight because they are polished to near-perfect flatness.

Ceramic disc faucets are nearly maintenance free and are generally guaranteed not to wear out. According to John Schott, Senior Product Manager of faucets at Kohler, "Ceramic valves are more durable over the long run in a broader variety of water conditions than any other variety of valve on the market. The discs themselves have diamond-like hardness-they are impervious to line debris, mineral buildups and other common problems that affect valve life." If a peeling from galvanized pipe or a small rock got into the valve, it could score the surfaces, but these occurrences are rare. Rick Brandley of George''s Pipe and Supply in Pasadena, California, suggests, "If a ceramic-disc faucet drips, don''t try to force the handle closed-just flutter it back and forth a few times to dislodge any particles."


Cartridge Faucet
The range of control with a ceramic disc faucet varies. From full-off to full-on may require only a quarter or half turn; for a fuller adjustment range and greater flow, three-quarter-turn models are also available. In general, all washerless faucets offer very precise, ergonomic control. Regarding ceramic disc faucets, Bob Cosolito, General Manager at Harrington Brass Works, notes, "Even a child can turn one of these faucets off and on with one pinkie. They''re good for people who have arthritis and who want something more decorative than a lever style."

Ceramic discs are popular because of their ease of use and reliability. Though competitively-priced ceramic disc faucets are now available, ceramic discs are used primarily in mid-range and high-end styles-faucets that cost $100 or more. If repair is ever needed, the entire ceramic-disc cartridge is replaced, which runs from about $15 to $25.

Kitchen faucet materials and finishes
Though faucets appear to be made from different materials, most are made from brass and are given any of several finishes, from powder-coated enamel to gold plating. Parts may be fabricated-machine stamped or pressed- or cast in molds, the better of the two methods.
Because brass is composed of copper, zinc and lead, brass faucets can leach tiny amounts of lead into drinking water, creating a health risk. To minimize this risk, the Safe Drinking Water Act requires faucet manufacturers to use no more than 8 percent lead in brass faucets. Manufacturers are working on techniques to further reduce the amount of lead in their brass.

Typical finishes include polished and brushed chrome; high-gloss, satin and antique brass; gold-plating; and powder-coated decorator colors such as white, black, red, gray and almond. Many companies combine colors, giving the faucet body one color and accenting with another. Powder-coated colors are electrostatically applied, then baked on, providing a durable finish that should last as long as the faucet.



Brass faucets are actually nickel-plated before a layer of brass plating is applied. If you choose a high-gloss brass finish, a factory-applied clear-coat will save you from bi-monthly cleaning and polishing. Chrome faucets are also nickel-plated before chrome is applied, but because chrome doesn''t tarnish like brass, it''s left uncoated.

You can also buy brass faucets that retain their brass shine and are virtually unscratchable--Delta''s Brilliance brass finish is a great example of this new technology.

Some companies offer better finishes in their higher-priced models. Some, such as Kohler, use the same special-finish processes and performance requirements for all of their faucets, from top-of-the-line units such as their premier Cirrus Gold-Stripe faucet to their competitively-priced Coralais.

Other kitchen faucet buying considerations
With a good valve, water temperature shouldn''t change abruptly as you adjust from cold to hot. In addition, to prevent burns, particularly to children in bathrooms, a scald-guard or temperature-limit feature is offered by several makers for single-control faucets. With these, you can remove the handle and adjust the maximum water temperature the faucet will deliver-a wise feature if you have small children (most plumbing codes now require these types of valves in new residential construction). For water conservation, all new faucets are now mandated to deliver no more than 2.5 gallons per minute; some provide additional adjustable flow rate restrictors.

Warranties vary. The best ones offer lifetime protection against leaks and drips, insuring that your faucet will provide years of trouble-free service.
How to fix a leaky faucet
Faucets are used so much that it''s no wonder they sometimes leak or drip. A leaking or dripping faucet is generally a sign that a part is worn and needs to be replaced--usually a fairly simple task.

The washers or seals of compression faucets are under pressure as water flows through them, so they typically wear out. When they do, the result is usually relentless dripping that can corrode fixtures, stain sink bowls, and waste a lot of water if they are not fixed.

Disc, cartridge, and ball faucets are all washerless, so they are not as prone to dripping as compression faucets. They too have moving parts sealed by O-rings that wear out, though, evidenced by leaking from the base of the faucet itself.

Disc faucets leak when the inlet and outlet seals wear or when sediment builds up in the faucet inlets. Cartridge faucets leak when the O-ring cushioning the cartridge stem wears or breaks. When they drip it might mean the cartridge needs replacing. Be sure the replacement cartridge matches the original. Ball faucets drip when the inlet seals wear and leak when the O-rings wear or break.

Compression faucets:
If water leaks from the handle:
Tighten the packing nut; or replace the packing, which may be a washer, an O-ring, or twine that is wound around the compression stem.

If water drips from the spout, you may need to replace a washer or replace a corroded valve seat:

Turn off the shutoff valve for that fixture; take off the faucet handle; remove the stem; and replace the worn part. While you''re at it, take this opportunity to lubricate the threads of the stem with silicone grease.
Disc faucets. Disc assemblies don''t often wear out, but sometimes the inlet and outlet seals fail:
Turn off the shutoff valve for that fixture; replace worn seals with seals duplicating the originals; and be sure to realign the seals on the bottom of the cartridge with the holes in the faucet.

Cartridge faucets. Leaks occur because of faulty O-rings or cartridges.
Turn off the shutoff valve for the fixture; and if the O-rings are in good shape, remove and replace the cartridge with one of the same type.

Ball faucets. If the handle leaks, tighten the adjusting ring after lifting the handle off the assembly:
If the handle continues to leak, replace the cam; if the spout drips, the inlet seals and springs or the ball need replacing; check whether any O-rings in the assembly need replacing.

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