When was the last time you went faucet shopping? If it’s been awhile, you’ll likely be a little surprised by just how many options there are nowadays. Even though many of the brands, like Delta, Moen, American Standard and so on, may sound familiar, the abundance of styles and finishes to pick from is truly amazing! It can certainly seem a little overwhelming from the onset, but as long as you have a general idea of what you’re looking for, you’ll have no trouble narrowing down your search.
As a local plumbing company here in Kansas City, faucets are undoubtedly something we deal with on a routine basis. Whether it be installing new ones or repairing existing faucets, our professional technicians have years of experience working with the various styles and brands. Having said that, it should come as no surprise that faucets are also something we discuss quite often here on our plumbing blog! No matter if it’s in the kitchen or bathroom, simply swapping out your old worn-out faucets for shiny modern-looking faucets is an easy way to make a difference without making a major investment. That all being said, there are a number of qualities you’ll want to look for when considering potential faucets and one of those happens to be the finish. Throughout this week’s blog, we’ll discuss why a faucet’s finish is so important and hopefully help in figuring out which finish makes the most sense for you!
Appearance
First and foremost, a faucet’s finish is going to be impactful from an appearance or aesthetic’s point of view. Certain finishes are going to match better with different sinks, countertops, and backsplashes than others. As such, you can safely assume that many people consider aesthetics first when evaluating potential finishes. Along with matching other items in your kitchen or bathroom, another concept to consider is the overall style you have established in the room. Are you going for more of a farmhouse vibe, modern style or even a traditional look? As you can likely imagine, each of these styles are going to differ significantly from the cabinets and countertops to the faucets and so on. While the faucet might not be nearly as noticeable as the cabinets or appliances, it is definitely an added piece capable of blending in seamlessly with the rest of the space.
Price Point
As a plumbing business offering both residential and commercial plumbing services, we get to see plenty of different faucets throughout the year. Whether it be faucets our customers pick out or ones that we purchase, it’s always fun to install new styles. And while we would love to simply make this a blog post filled with stunning faucet pictures, that wouldn’t necessarily be a complete overview of faucet finishes. With that in mind, our next reason as to why the “finish” decision is so important is the impact it has on price point. Simply put, faucets come at a wide range of price points. While several factors will ultimately dictate the final price, finish is one variable that will affect it. For instance, making the switch from chrome to matte black (on the same faucet type) will likely add a few bucks to the faucet’s price. All in all, it’s another example of how a faucet’s finish can influence the purchasing decision.
ROI & Maintenance
With any home improvement project, two things homeowners are going to analyze are return on investment and future maintenance required. Return on investment gets a little tricky with a necessity item (like a faucet), but the easiest way to determine it is going to be based on the faucet’s durability and how many years it lasts. Granted, given that it’s not necessarily a major purchase, it’s not uncommon for homeowners to want to make upgrades before the existing faucet starts experiencing issues. So while ROI is an important concept, it may be more relevant for larger purchases like water heaters, as long as your faucet doesn’t surprisingly break down much earlier than expected!
Now…the second part of this section: maintenance. Maintenance happens to be something we discuss quite regularly on our blog. Most homeowners would agree that plumbing isn’t something you think about unless something were to go awry. After all, as we often say, if you have hot water when you hop in the shower and turn on the faucets, do you ever think about your water heater? Probably not! However, that doesn’t mean maintenance isn’t important. For a water heater, that maintenance comes in the form of flushing out mineral build-up and a few other minor things.
With this blog being about faucets and their various finishes though, the maintenance task we’re going to talk about is the cleaning required. Certain finishes are going to be more prone to fingerprints and water spots. For some homeowners, this will be extremely important as not everyone wants to be cleaning their faucet regularly to keep it looking pristine. In the section above, we referenced two different finishes: chrome and matte black. Chrome faucets are extremely popular for a number of reasons. They’re generally more affordable than some of the higher-end finishes, have an appealing silverish appearance and tend to be very durable. Nonetheless, you’ll also quickly notice that they can attract fingerprints and water spots quite easily. Not the worst problem to have and assuming you pick out a chrome faucet from a reputable brand, you’ll see that it performs flawlessly regardless. However, it may need to be cleaned more often than other faucets to maintain that spotless appearance. On the other hand, you also have matte black faucets. Matte black has quickly grown in popularity and we have to say we love this trend. This style has the ability to instantly serve as a statement piece with its unique, modern look. When it comes to maintenance, you’ll notice that matte black is not nearly as susceptible to fingerprints and water spots as some of the alternatives, including chrome. In the end, having an understanding of how common water spots and fingerprints are for certain finishes is something worth considering in the purchasing process.
Brand Matters
While picking out household names doesn’t always guarantee success, it is something we recommend in the plumbing world. Particularly with fixtures like faucets, you know you’re getting a reliable product when you buy from the well-known brands. Yes, the finish is going to be impactful on a number of different things, but the brand will help ensure you get a reliable faucet that holds up through the daily wear and tear. Faucets are used so frequently in our day-to-day lives and you definitely want one that can survive this without showing signs of deterioration much earlier than expected.
Faucet Services in Kansas City
Just as we mentioned in the opening paragraphs, faucets are something our experienced technicians work with on a weekly basis. After all, just check out our Instagram or Facebook pages and you’ll see more than a few faucets that we’ve installed on past jobs. Furthermore, our team has experience working with all of the major brands as well. Delta, American Standard, Moen, Pfister, Kraus, the list goes on!
If you’re unsure of which faucet finish makes the most sense for your kitchen or bathroom, and need assistance with the installation process, our team at Stine-Nichols Plumbing is here to help! To request a free estimate, simply fill out the form HERE and a member of our team will reach out. We look forward to working with you!