Whether the handle breaks in two or it just wears out, there is going to come a time when you have to replace a faucet, be it in your kitchen, your bathroom or even your garden. In most houses that replacement tap is mostly chosen out of necessity and no real thought goes into the process of picking a new tap.
That’s how we end up with a set of nice matching steel faucets and shower-heads, with one completely out of place white plastic tap in our bathroom. We just told the plumber to get one from the hardware store.
So what should you consider when getting a replacement tap you ask? Read on to find out.
The Looks
Probably the most important thing you’d want to consider when replacing your old faucet is the looks. Each bathroom /pantry is different and has a slightly different aesthetic. Therefore when choosing a replacement, you might want to purchase one that looks similar to the one you already had, since chances are that it was matched specifically for your bathroom design.
Alternately, you can buy something a little bit more modern looking, but always make sure that it fits in with the general design of your bathroom or kitchen or pantry.
The brand
Looks aren’t everything though. A good tap should last many years, sometimes the entire lifespan of your house. Therefore when purchasing a replacement, its very important to get one from a reputable brand. Otherwise you’d be replacing your kitchen tap every two years. It’s always a good idea to stick to brands you’ve heard of like American Standard, Hinda, Grohe or Kohler.
Even if you don’t want to splurge on an Italian designer brand, it’s still a good idea to go for a brand that you trust. There are plenty of cheap generic taps that you can get from Pettah that look just as good as an Italian tap on the market these days, but don’t expect these taps to last even one fifth of the lifetime of a proper branded tap.
The Valve
Chances are that you have no idea about the valves in the taps you buy. However, there’s a very good reason that you should. The most common issue with taps is dripping and leaking, and if you don’t want the pain of dealing with a drippy faucet, then you should look specifically for a ceramic valve.
The type
There many different types of faucets in the market and you should give a bit of consideration before choosing one. Especially for hot / cold faucets, you’d primarily have the option of choosing either a two handle faucet or a single handle faucet. Generally signal handle faucets are more popular in Sri Lanka, and in fact these are more convenient.
When choosing between chrome or nickel (the dull looking material) or another finish, remember that chrome is generally the best quality and easiest to clean, therefore it is optimal for heavy-use taps, but these may come at a higher price.
One top tip I can give you from experience is to steer well clear of the plastic faucets. These are nowhere as reliable as steel or chrome taps and tend to break continuously.
One final tip to bear in mind is that it doesn’t matter how good a tap you choose, if you don’t put it in properly.
Many taps can be replaced by amateurs and if you’re in a rush or want to save some cash, it shouldn’t be too hard to put in a new tap. If you do, make sure to take your time and follow instructions carefully to ensure that you fix the tap properly, to avoid drips in the future.
If you don’t want to go through all that trouble, you can always find reliable plumbers on QuickHelp who have all the right tools for the job.
QuickHelp let’s you book professional, experienced and reliable plumbers in a click of a button! Our Plumbers in Colombo are experienced and trained to figure out and fix all your plumbing related issues!
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