Here at Stine-Nichols Plumbing, one of our more popular services on both the residential and commercial side of things is replacing faucets. As you could probably imagine, faucets certainly aren’t built to last forever. Due to the routine wear and tear they experience, it’s not uncommon for them to start having some issues and eventually need to be replaced. However, as is the case with just about any plumbing fixture, it’s important to pick out a reliable product that not only looks great, but also gets you a good return on your investment. That statement is definitely true when referencing faucets.
On this week’s blog, we’ll be discussing a few of the qualities you’ll want to consider when purchasing a faucet. We’ll analyze this from both the perspective of a residential homeowner, in addition to a commercial facility manager. Due to the potential for increased usage at a commercial facility, it’s important to acknowledge the difference between the two. However, before getting into a few of our favorite faucet purchasing tips, we would first like to welcome any new visitors to our plumbing blog. Since opening Stine-Nichols Plumbing, our team has always taken pride in providing reliable and long-lasting plumbing solutions. It’s as simple as that! No matter if that be simply replacing a faucet or breaking ground on a large-scale remodel, we’ve consistently strived for complete transparency.
Now, let’s talk about faucets!
Shopping for Commercial Faucets? Remember the Importance of Touchless!
While residential faucet replacements certainly are undoubtedly a popular service, we’re going to start today’s blog with commercial faucets based on how the past year and a half has gone! With the Covid pandemic and now the Delta variant, Americans are placing a greater emphasis on cleanliness and disinfecting. Particularly in public settings, this is truly going to become the new norm. As we’ve personally witnessed since the Covid pandemic started, more and more commercial facilities are replacing manual faucets with touchless ones. Not to mention, they’re also considered to be more efficient as they essentially are only running when someone has their hands in front of the sensor, so no wasted water.
Don’t forget about durability either when it comes to commercial facilities! They’re going to be put through quite a bit of wear and tear on a daily basis, so you’re going to certainly want a faucet that can put up with this heavy usage.
Want to learn more about how Covid has impacted the plumbing world? In a recent blog, we covered this exact topic, including the various different areas where touchless technology has been implemented. To check out that blog post, click the link HERE.
Availability of Repair Parts and Maintenance
Even though commercial faucets will likely see more usage, residential faucets are also going to experience their fair share of wear and tear as well. During these instances, it’s going to make your life so much easier if you can get repair parts easily if something were to go awry. You’ll want a brand/manufacturer where you can easily run down to the local hardware store and get the needed repair parts. After all, wouldn’t you agree that waiting 6-8 weeks for the manufacturer to send you or your plumber repair parts is less than ideal? This is a major reason why you see brands like Delta or Moen being so much more common that some of the pricey European import faucets. While the price is a definite benefit in this strategy, we think you’ll certainly be impressed with the looks and functionality that many of these brands offer as well.
Pricing
Unsurprisingly, a major determining factor in your faucet decision will be the price. This can be the case with just about every plumbing fixture out there! And just like any other plumbing fixture, you truly do get what you pay for. When you look around at the various faucet brands, more often than not, quality is directly correlated with price. What this tells us is that you probably don’t want the cheapest faucet on the market, but also probably don’t need the most expensive one either. With so many reliable faucet brands, you’ll have no trouble finding one that fits your budget, looks professional and also possesses durability.
For those that have followed our blog in the past, you may have come across our “Who’s Who in Plumbing Brands” blog posts. In these, we walk through some of the more well-known brands in the plumbing industry to help our readers in the purchasing process. For the purpose of this blog, I’ll link the first edition in this series HERE. It highlighted Delta, Kohler, Toto and American Standard, and is certainly worth the read if you’re in the market for a faucet replacement.
Style
Right after pricing, the next most important quality that people look into is style and design. And with so many various brands on the market, you’ll have no shortage of possibilities here as well. The decisions are seemingly endless, including:
- Single-Handle or Two-Handle – This one is pretty self-explanatory and really just comes down to personal preference. You can have either-or in both bathroom and kitchen settings.
- Faucet Height and Arc – Next up is a decision that is primarily relevant for kitchen faucets. If you’re looking to make a statement in the kitchen, a taller faucet with more of an arc can do just that! With so many options available, you can find something at just about any height or arc you can think of.
Some other decisions you’ll need to make include the actual finish on the faucet, deciding between modern-looking and traditional options, or even a pull-down faucet in kitchen settings. As mentioned above, our “Who’s Who in Plumbing” blogs can be a terrific resource to narrow down the many different companies out there. As you’ll see, some of these brands have been active for over 100 years, while others just got started in the 21st century. Nonetheless, it is an extremely competitive industry, which is perfect for consumers, as they’ll have plenty to pick from.
Durability
Our final point is something we’ve briefly hinted at throughout this blog, but nonetheless can’t be understated. Particularly in commercial settings, the faucets are going to be used repeatedly day-after-day and chances are not every single person is going to be gentle with them. As such, a final factor to consider when purchasing a faucet is its actual durability, in addition to the manufacturer’s warranty. The length of manufacturer warranty will say a lot about how much you can trust a particular brand.
Faucet Installation Services in Kansas City
Need a faucet replacement in Kansas City or any of the surrounding cities? As briefly mentioned above, our team at Stine-Nichols Plumbing offers both residential and commercial plumbing services. As a full-service plumbing company, we take pride in providing just about any plumbing service you can think of. Water heaters, sewer lines, gas lines, water softeners, bath tubs, faucets, you name it.
If you are in the market for a new faucet, we hope this blog helps you out in the purchasing process. No matter if you’re just looking for some brand recommendations or would like to book a time for one of our technicians to come out, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (816) 348-3481 or fill out the form HERE. As always, we’re happy to offer free estimates and currently serve the entire Kansas City area, as well as all of the surrounding cities. We look forward to working with you!