London bathroom fitters: How to choose combination faucet. Part1.

Nowadays starting the repair of a bathroom may get into number of difficulties because inexpert buyer may be unable to make head or tail of sanitary equipment variety. There are a lot of different combination faucets, starting with standard functional models and up to design models which hardly can be named as sanitary equipment as they are objects of art. A lot of buyers consider combination faucet to be not only the hot and cold water mixing device but also one of the main elements of bathroom design. Industrial manufacturers continuously satisfy us with novelties which meet diversified tastes and needs of population and embody the boldest ideas of designers. So how can one choose the most suitable combination faucet?

First, you've got to remember the purpose of that purchase. Combination faucet is not just a bathroom decoration, so it shall function properly, i.e. to mix hot and cold water.

Number of combination faucets installed in the bathroom is important, too. It would be better to choose independent combination faucets for bathtub, shower, wash sink and bidet because combination of several functions by one combination faucet is not beneficial for the quality of their performance. If you have rather small bathroom and you don't have a shower cabin, then you may choose one combination faucet for bathtub and shower and one faucet for a wash sink.

Types of combination faucets according to places of installation.
So, what's the difference between combination faucets for bathtub and shower? First of all, combination faucets for shower are more compact, they do not have the tap and bathtub/shower switch. Water flows right into the shower fittings and is mixed there, so you receive the water of required temperature.

Combination faucets used for bathtub are usually with low tap, rotating or fixed. Combination faucets with hand spray and height-adjustable shower holders as well as wall-mounted combination faucets are usually used with bathtubs. Some models are equipped with electronic control system. There is one more difference of bathtub combination faucets: they are designed for three/four apertures. It looks like several handles - for filling of bathtub, for hand spray and so forth.

Bathtub and wash sink combination faucets are very much akin to bathroom combination faucets, but the buyers, when choosing the combination faucet, usually take notice of sanitary equipment compatibility in the bathroom but not of its technical features. There are models with special drainage set which is used to open or close the plug hole by a small lever placed on a combination faucet.

Wash sink combination faucets may be as well designed for one or several apertures though combination faucets designed for one aperture are much more popular because of their easy installation. In order to make your wash sink maintenance easier and more pleasant there are combination faucets equipped with special absorbing tap.

Bidet combination faucets are to the large extent similar to wash sink combination faucets, because in most cases they are installed on a skirting board and designed for one or three apertures. The difference is that the bidet set contains aerator with a ball joint enabling to change the jet direction and over-simplifying the use of combination faucet.
© Copyright 2006-2007 www.builderstown.co.uk


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the Author: Arthur Prudent is a developer of Builders London: bathroom, kitchen installation - web site offering all aspects of builders services. London bathroom fitters: How to choose combination faucet. Part1.

London bathroom fitters: How to choose combination faucet. Part2.

Variety of combination faucets.
Let's examine the main types of combination faucets and their features in greater detail. Today there are three main types of combination faucets: single-knob, double-valve and temperature control devices. Single-knob combination faucets are the most easy-to-use. To start or to intercept the flow of water or to change its temperature all you have to do is to turn the tap. Moreover, the process of installation of such combination faucet is not time and efforts consuming.

Nevertheless, double-valve combination faucets become more and more popular. Double-valve combination faucet is well-known tap with two handles for hot and cold water. In order to have the water of required temperature one has to make some more moves by comparison with single-knob tap, but the result will be more accurate and water consumption will be less. There are two sub-types of double-valve combination faucets - with ceramic disks and rubber seals for gasketing. If you have hard water, containing fine sand and dirt, you have to choose the second sub-type.

Temperature control devices are combination faucets of new generation; they combine all best features of combination faucets and meet all main reliability, convenience and safety requirements. Temperature control device looks like the panel with several handles for switching on/off the water flow as well as for regulation of its temperature.

Undoubted advantage of temperature control device is that its adjustments are saved during the whole period you need. The temperature control device automatically limits water heating by 38 degrees to avoid scalds and if you need the water of higher temperature you can switch-off this function. The temperature control device does not produce too cold water and that makes its utilization by kids as much as possible comfortable and safe.

There is one more type of combination faucets - cascade combination faucets.
That combination faucet reflects the aspiration of man to recreate beauty of the nature in his bathroom as realistically as possible. Cascade combination faucets produce wide jet of water simulating waterfall. The capacity of such combination faucet is approximately half as small as of usual combination faucet. As for hot and cold water mixing those combination faucets are similar to other types of combination faucets. Cascade combination faucet is contained almost in all expensive bathroom equipment complete sets.

Materials of which combination faucets are made.
Traditionally combination faucets are made of brass and chrome, but there are also mixed models. For now, the brass remains the best material for combination faucet case manufacturing. Exterior parts of the armature are nickeled and then chromized or enameled for the purpose of corrosion prevention. Chromized combination faucets are more expensive, but their main advantage is that various microorganisms cannot germinate on their surface. Brassy cases encasements, handles of combination faucets, showerheads are often made of polymeric material. Among exclusive models it is possible to find grained coating as well as golden and other precious metals garniture.

Installation of combination faucets.
Installation of combination faucets may be both external and internal - in the wall. The second type of installation is more aesthetic, because mountings remain in the wall and from outside there is only decorative panel with switches. At installation of combination faucet you have to consider features of bathtub or shower and their technical specifications. If you plan to install the combination faucet on a skirting board but not vertically on the wall, then you have to choose specific combination faucet as well as fixing set suitable for that combination faucet.

A lot of companies are engaged in combination faucets manufacturing. It would be better to buy the combination faucets in specialized stores which guarantee quality of goods and work with reliable, well-reputed manufacturers.
© Copyright 2006-2007 www.builderstown.co.uk


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the Author: Arthur Prudent is a developer of Builders London: bathroom, kitchen installation - web site offering all aspects of builders services. London bathroom fitters: How to choose combination faucet. Part2.

London bathroom fitters: Installation of a combination faucet.

Not a long time ago just one type of combination faucet was possible to install. It was a combined variant - both for a bath and for a sink - with common long nose which turns hither and thither as required. It was such a common thing. And the water is supplied to it through the pipes placed on the wall. Installation of combination faucet somewhere else, except the wall, was off the question. Baths weren't good, too: huge bath took half of bathroom. That's all beauty. Modern baths vary in forms, colour and materials. New design solutions require new technological approaches, in particular, as for water inlet and supply. Nowadays, this or that arrangement of combination bath faucet is not casual.

There are still combination facets with rotary nose and shower mixer both for sink and bath. They do not lose their popularity probably because they are ideally convenient both for filling of a bath and for taking shower while standing. In fact, the few are able to afford the bath and separate shower cabin. There is just one requirement - the bath is to be in close proximity to the wall and other parameters are of no importance. Before now the combination faucet was installed directly above bath draining hole. Now it may be installed in any place around the bath.

But, certainly, much depends on pipes layout, too. If it is not green field repairs you'll have to contend with existing centre to centre distance of earlier installed pipes. You'll have to install new combination facet on a place of removed one and you won't be able to change its locus. But in case of major repairs and complete replacement of pipes you may invent something and install the combination faucet in any convenient place.

When choosing wall-mounted combination faucet, pay attention to water outlet length, that is to the distance from the wall up to the centre of its "nose" which is always mentioned in its specifications. There are three types of water outlets for bath combination faucets: short, average and long. The most fashionable are combination faucets with short noses. But there is one important moment: if "nose" of combination faucet is too short, the water starts to flow beyond the bath. Each good bath combination faucet has a detailed technical card, but you'll have to keep in mind that drawings always show the distance from the wall up to the center of a jet, and in fact it is not so. Besides, the sides of a bath differ on edge. The wider is the side, the longer nose you'll have to take. So, after all, midi combination faucets are the most convenient for their installation on the wall. In case of wall-mounted combination faucet it is possible to mount fixed support of shower mixer enabling adjustment of shower head position.

The height of combination faucet mounting may vary in each specific case; the standard height is 10-15 cm above the bath side. Sometimes the combination faucet is mounted at height of tile and according to that height the pipes are mounted. It is necessary to consider the length of shower mixer adapting pipe (if it is in the bottom of shower mixer). Installation of combination faucet on the wall in unusual place may add distinctiveness to your bathroom.

Combination faucet placed on a side of a bath. A lot of known manufacturers produce the baths with combination faucet mounted on a bath side. It is most commonly encountered in complex hydro massage baths equipped with electronic control panels. It is an integral part of bath design; it is impossible to change it without disruption of whole system's work. It is possible in theory, but in practice is encountered too seldom. The buyer may also purchase an "empty" bath. In that case we can select any combination faucet, shower mixer, etc., which have required design and place of installation. Often expensive baths produced by known manufacturers are offered as complete sets equipped with certain combination faucet mounted on a side. When "empty" bath is ordered from factory, apertures are selected for specific combination faucet which is to be mounted on that bath, and there are provided any variants of its installation within the limits of standards effective in this area.

Combination facet mounted on a rack - effective and very beautiful variant for expensive and exclusive baths on legs in spacious tiring-rooms. Just imagine a semi-antique bath in classical style, with some lion's paws. That bath is to be equipped with relevant luxurious combination faucet. There are also modern variants. They have completely coordinated and targeted design. The bath and the combination faucet are matched together less often, but experts do not advise that, because mismatches are possible, for example, color mismatching of legs of the bath and combination faucet.

The rack with the shower mixer is usually mounted near the bath. It is necessary to note, that the shower mixer mounted on a rack may be installed only in case of green field creation of a bathroom as its water supply is made from under the floor. Shower mixer mounted on a rack usually has its shower head on a flexible hose, but there are certain models which have the shower head fixed at the top on a metal tube, after the manner of old showers.

The combination faucet mounted on a shelf belongs to the category of designer's fads. It is just decorative solution used for creation of non-standard bathroom design and usually entails 100 percent appreciation of the whole project. The combination faucets intended for their installation on a shelf are much more expensive than wall-mounted ones. Such combination faucets are considerably expensive, high fashioned things. Cascade mixers are usually mounted in such a way. They may be mounted in the niche or on brick setting near built-in bathtub, or on a podium around the bath, or on specially constructed tiled or revet shelf.

There are different variants of installation. The combination faucet may be mounted in any place around the bath which usually is an expensive, large-sized and non-standard model. By means of flexible connection it is possible to mount the tap, cranes and shower in different places relatively to each other. The shower in that case is usually extendable. Experts consider it as a minus because of frequent telescoping the hose of that design wears out quickly. If the bath is near the wall, you can mount the rack for standing shower.

What for such diversification is necessary? And why install the combination faucet in any place of the bath? Just for comfort - to have the jet of water where you need it to be, instead of the only place possible. For originality - because such set of component parts makes the house unique. It's good to have an option especially when the experts help to decide.
© Copyright 2006-2007 www.builderstown.co.uk


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the Author: Arthur Prudent is a developer of Builders London: bathroom, kitchen installation - web site offering all aspects of builders services. London bathroom fitters: Installation of a combination faucet.