When it comes to our plumbing blog, one topic that you’ll hear referenced quite frequently is anything to do with plumbing fixtures. Unsurprisingly, several of these plumbing fixtures are used each and every day. As such, the gradual wear and tear that they experience can lead to the fixture breaking down over time and needing to be replaced. Fairly straightforward, right? Well…here on our plumbing blog, we like to create resources for homeowners and facility managers to utilize in an effort to help them properly maintain their plumbing fixtures (thus, extending the lifespan of the particular fixtures), know what to look for when purchasing new fixtures and ultimately, any troubleshooting tips that might be helpful when an issue arises.
So, having said all of that, with this week’s blog post, we’re going to discuss why it’s never a bad idea to consider updating your plumbing fixtures. This is a project that can always prove to be well worth the investment and hopefully this blog post will help answer any questions you may have prior to deciding on having new fixtures installed. Before we dive deeper into that though, we would first like to say hello to anyone visiting our plumbing blog for the first time. Welcome to Stine-Nichols Plumbing! As a plumbing business providing services throughout the Kansas City area, we have the opportunity to tackle a wide range of projects throughout the year. Faucets, water heaters, drain cleaning, water softeners, the list goes on! Going right along with this, our team has been able to work with a number of different fixture brands and styles. If you ever need any recommendations on which fixture brands/styles make most sense for you, feel free to give us a call at (816) 348-3481. Now…on to this week’s blog post!
Modernize the Space
Aesthetics probably aren’t the first thing you take into consideration when you think of your home’s plumbing system. However, that’s not to say that physical appearance doesn’t play a role in the plumbing fixture purchasing process. Our first reason to not procrastinate on having new fixtures installed is the fact that this is a project capable of instantly adding a modern touch to your bathroom or kitchen. Take a new kitchen sink and faucet, for example. It’s not hard to see how this could easily add a breath of fresh air to the area. If the existing faucet/sink didn’t directly match the surrounding area (countertops, backsplash, appliances, etc), this could be the perfect project to create a cohesive space. Plus, if you’re wanting to truly ‘modernize’ the space, then consider going with smart fixtures. These are the latest and greatest, thus adding more features that you may have never thought of!
Efficiency Boost
As you can probably guess, efficiency is a major factor in new fixtures hitting the market nowadays. After all, if you could save some on your monthly utility bills from having a new plumbing fixture installed, why not do it? As the years have gone by, it’s safe to say that plumbing fixture brands have worked to improve the efficiency levels of their products, thus creating better fixtures for the end user. A perfect example of this would be toilets. Back in the day, it wouldn’t be uncommon for a toilet to use 3+ gallons of water per flush. Nowadays, you’ll notice that the maximum is 1.6 gallons of water with there also being high-efficiency models that use even less! Not to mention, dual-flush toilets offer another avenue for limiting the water-usage. To sum it up, if many of the fixtures in your house are a little dated, it may make sense to have new ones installed, simply from an efficiency standpoint.
Varying Price Points & Options
Our next reason for having new fixtures installed has some connections with the section above about modernizing the space. One of the nice parts about the growth in the plumbing fixture world is the fact that homeowners now have more than a few options to pick from. This can be a major benefit for two reasons. First off, the wide variety of fixtures available ensures you’ll have plenty of styles, finishes, and types to consider. Especially for fixtures like faucets, sinks and shower-heads where aesthetics plays a role in your fixture selection, this expanded product offering will give you plenty of options to browse through in order to find the one that fits your space best! Secondly, an added bonus of this would be the availability of products at varying price points, thus ensuring you can find one that aligns with your budget. Whether that be something basic for a secondary bathroom or a high-end fixture that you may want for the master bathroom, the price flexibility is a major plus!
Repair or Replace?
While searching through potential plumbing fixtures can be a fun process, there’s no denying that the price of the product and installation will impact your decision. After all, if the existing fixture is still in relatively good shape, then you’ll likely want to weigh the difference between repairing it and replacing it altogether. While a fixture replacement is typically a rather cost-effective move, there are situations where a repair could make more sense. For example, there are certain fixtures (like water heaters) that will undoubtedly cost more to replace, in comparison to something like a faucet.
There are a couple of things you can do to make an educated decision. First and foremost, it never hurts to ask your local plumbing professional. With their experience, they can break down the existing state of the particular fixture and help you decide how much a repair may cost, compared to a complete replacement. A second factor that you can take into consideration is how the fixture is currently operating. Does it seem to experience issues quite often? If so, it may be smarter to simply replace it with a new fixture. All in all, the decision between repairing and replacing a plumbing fixture will be up to you. There are going to be times where there is not much of a choice, in the event that the existing fixture stops working, as well as those simply done to update the space. The one thing we will highlight though, as we wrap up this week’s blog post, is to make sure you purchase a fixture made by a reputable brand. Your local plumber should be able to provide some guidance here, but there’s no denying that this is an important part of the equation!
Call the Plumbing Fixture Experts at Stine-Nichols!
Being a plumbing company that provides residential, commercial and new construction services, it should come as no surprise that plumbing fixtures are something we deal with each and every day. Throughout this blog post, we discussed a few different reasons as to why it is generally not a bad idea to consider updating your fixtures. Many plumbing fixtures made by reputable brands are able to withstand the daily wear and tear. However, they aren’t built to last forever and will eventually need to be replaced. If you ever need help with a plumbing fixture installation, repair or simply some advice on recommended brands to consider, you’re always welcome to give our team a call at (816) 348-3481.