Home Building - Kitchen Sinks & Faucets

It wasn't long ago when homeowners had two choices when it came to selecting a new kitchen sink - cast iron or stainless steel. There were fewer choices of colors or shapes, and no options for customized sink accessories. Today, homeowners have a multitude of sink choices to help personalize their kitchen. With this new bounty of sink options, comes the challenge of picking out the right kitchen sink for your home. Here's a guide to help you make sense out of all the various materials and styles that are available to you:

Stainless steel is the most popular and usually the least expensive option. But don't go too cheap - look for sinks made from 18- to 20-gauge steel. A general rule of thumb is that the lower the gauge, the heavier and more durable the steel. The chrome and nickel content of the steel also affects quality. The ideal combination is 18% chrome and 8% nickel, because chrome adds strength and the nickel prevents corrosion.

The pros to using stainless steel are it complements commercial-style appliances, can be molded as a continuous part of a stainless steel countertop, won't chip and is easy to clean. The cons are it will show scratches, but over time it will develop a natural patina - if you can wait that long. Thinly gauged steels will dent and make noise, so to combat these cons, choose a model with a satin texture finish. They are available in both undermount and drop-in models. One word of caution though: If you want to undermount a stainless steel sink, the countertop must be a solid material and not a laminate (due to water exposure, laminates can eventually separate and bubble). Average cost of a stainless steel sink is between $350-$800.

Cast Iron Sinks feature an iron base coated with an enamel finish. While there are many colors to choose from, this type of sink is susceptible to chipping (exposing the black surface underneath, which is susceptible to rusting) and staining. When it comes to installation, cast iron is one of the most difficult because these sinks are heavy and bulky in nature. It also has limited undermount installation options. Expect to pay between $300 to $1500.

Composite sinks are available in three common forms - polyester/acrylic, quartz composite and granite-based. Of all the types of composite sinks available, polyester/acrylic are the lowest performing in terms of scratch and stain resistance, as they are made from soft materials that can cut and nick easily, but because of its shiny look and multitude of color choices - it remains an appealing choice for homeowners. And it's the cheapest composite sink on the market, ranging from $300 to $500. Quartz composite sinks provide a much more durable surface than polyester/acrylic because it's made of 70 percent quartz and 30 percent resin filler. These sinks can resist everyday cuts, scuffs and dents and can easily stand up to harsh cleaning materials or liquids that can stain other sinks. Granite-based sinks are the toughest sinks on the market. It won't scratch, rust, dent, burn or crack, but it will cost you some extra money. If you have your heart set on a glossy finish, than you'll want to explore other composite sinks, because granite-based sinks are only available in matte finish.

Solid Surface sinks are made from solid synthetic sheets which are formed by mixing a mineral compound with polyester and/or acrylic resins. The benefits to using a solid surface sink are that it can be molded from the same piece of solid surface that you use on your countertop, comes in a multitude of colors and designs and you can sand out the scratches. The average cost is around $300 to $700.

Types of Sinks

Self-rimming sinks are the least expensive and most common option. Its edges lap the countertop.

Undermounted and integral sinks are sinks where the edges are hidden. Undermounted sinks attach below the countertop. An integral sink is made out of the same material as the countertop and is fused to it, creating a seamless transition. Stainless steel, solid surface, and composite materials are flexible enough to mold integral sinks. The benefits of both these sinks is that they give a clean look and provide easy cleanup - no rims to push crumbs over.

Farmhouse sinks (also called apron sinks) feature an exposed front that sometimes juts past the front of the cabinetry that surrounds it. They are commonly used in kitchens with a rustic or country-style d?cor and the bowl itself is usually deeper than average. They often have no deck, so the faucet and other accessories are mounted directly into the countertop behind the bowl.

Note: By going with a flat bottomed sink and steep, straight side walls, you will greatly increase your usable sink space.

Sink Styles

The most common sink configurations are single bowl, double bowl, triple bowl and main sink plus a prep sink.

Single bowl sinks are great if you're tight on space or enjoy having some extra space when you're rinsing pots and pans.

Double-bowl sinks are usually configured where both bowls are the same size so you can use one side to wash your dishes and the other side to rinse them. You can also opt for one large bowl and a smaller bowl to use as a prep sink for cleaning fruits and vegetables.

Triple-bowl sinks give you the wash-and-rinse function plus a smaller prep sink, which usually has a garbage disposal built in.

Prep sinks are most commonly found on a separate kitchen island or by the stove, because it offers the added convenience of not having to drag your food from the main sink to your prep counter.

Sink Accessories

If you like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen you might want to check out some of these options - cutting boards that fit securely on the sink's sides and that have holes to empty scrapes through (works best when the sink has a garbage disposal attached), colanders that hang on the side, a garbage disposal, dish racks that fit into the basin and hot water dispensers. A note about garbage disposals - you want a high horsepower garbage disposal that can handle tough foods like meat scraps. If you're worried about noise using a larger horsepower, just be sure you have a wide dampening collar, because it greatly reduces the noise.

Faucets

In general your faucet will have its own style based on the shape of its handle or handles, its height and its accessories. Keep in mind that your faucet should be chosen to compliment the architectural theme you've created with your countertops, cabinetry and appliances. Faucets also offer a lot in the way of options - adjustable heights, spray and swivel features and multiple colors and finishes.

Don't forget about your sink when you choose your faucet, because if you have a self-rimming sink it comes with predrilled holes so you'll need to make sure your faucet will fit. You can pick any faucet you like if your sink is undermounted or integral, because the holes are drilled by the installer after you've picked out your faucet.

Here's a few things to consider to help choose a faucet that's right for you.

Handles Handles should be chosen to compliment your kitchen. The traditional style is a two-handled faucet with one knob for hot water and the other for cold water, which allows for independent control of both. However, faucets with one handle are becoming increasingly popular because you can enjoy the convenience of single-handedly controlling your water temperature and volume. Handles come in a thousand varieties, from cross-handles to wrist-blade lever styles.

Finish Look for a long-lasting, low maintenance finish to compliment your decor. Your choices are quite extensive and include chrome plating, nickel plating, white enamel, brass, colored epoxy, platinum, porcelain, bronze, stainless steel and gold or silver. The favored finishes are chrome and brass because they are easy to maintain and very durable. A word of caution if you go with brass - it requires a special protective coating to prevent it from tarnishing. For lots of color options and easy cleanup go with an epoxy finish.

Material When it comes to the faucet's main material, your two best options are solid brass or plastic. Solid brass comes highly recommended because it is a much tougher material than plastic and can handle extreme temperatures. Internally, your faucet will control the flow of water using either rubber washers, a plastic or ceramic cartridge, a plastic, brass, or stainless steel ball valve, or a ceramic disk. A ceramic disk is recommended for the same reasons as solid brass.

Spout and spray A basic kitchen faucet has a standard spout that rises only slightly in height from the faucet body to its tip. A high-arc faucet (also known as high-neck or gooseneck) has a spout that increases dramatically in height, often as high as ten inches or more. This allows for easy rinsing of large pots and presents an elegant look in any kitchen.

Note: If your design calls for a sink with two or three bowls, the length and flexibility of the spout is important. A long spout with a reach of 12- to 14-inches may be called for, as well as one that swivels at least 180 degrees to reach the different bowls. Spouts can be straight, short, elongated, curved, and high-rise, with an integrated spray that pulls out or pulls down.

It's hard to imagine a kitchen faucet that doesn't have some kind of retractable sprayer for washing vegetables and rinsing large pots, which is why almost all faucet manufacturers sell a system with a sprayer - a traditional side sprayer or a modern pullout spray.

Dripless Faucets Think longevity when you're installing anything that has to do with water. Consider how long a new faucet will last without dripping. Faucets should offer long-term performance and be drip-free for life - of course the operative word is should. To help minimize the chances of dripping it is best to use ceramic disc valving, because it's very durable and leak resistant.

Scald Protection This may not seem that important to you if you don't have children, but you may someday, so why not add an anti-scald feature to your faucet for a few more dollars.

Look for quality An inexpensive faucet may look as good as the more expensive one, but don't be fooled - it won't last long. Your flag should go up when plastic is used on integral parts, washers are controlling the flow of water (should have ceramic disks or replaceable cartridges) and are lightweight. Plummer bills will be far more costly down the road, than purchasing a high quality faucet from day one.

Get enough holes When you buy a new sink, you'll need to decide how many holes you will need in the "deck" - the flat part behind the bowls. Depending on the style of faucet you choose, you will need one to three holes to accommodate the taps and spigot. More holes will be needed for a hot-water dispenser, a spray accessory (if it's not part of the faucet) or a built-in soap dispenser. It's difficult, but not impossible, to add holes once the sink is in place, so get as many as you think you'll ever need.

Off-set drains By placing the drains to one side you'll gain more flat space for stacking dishes and glasses and create more usable space under the sink. Offset drains also allow water to drain, even if a large pan or tray is soaking in the sink.

Web or divider For double bowl sinks, make sure the web divider between the two bowls is lower than the outside sink walls. This will provide overflow protection by allowing water to flow from one bowl to the other.

Trends in Faucets and Sinks

Bigger is better, when it comes to kitchen sinks. The new trend in the kitchen is installing a large, single-bowl sink - which is more efficient for rinsing and washing, especially large pots and pans. The standard single bowl sink is 25 inches, but now people are looking for bowls that are 30 to 36 inches.

Rims are out! The majority of new homeowners are spending the extra money (about a couple hundred more) to get an undermounted or integral sink. It not only looks great, but it is very functional.

Pullout spray faucets and satin nickel or stainless steel finishes are very popular. Another trend is towards decorative faucets, which help add a little spice to your kitchen. If you want a sleeker style and finish then satin nickel or oil-rubbed bronze are worth checking out. Oil-rubbed bronze is a unique finish which gives a weathered, natural look that changes into a nice patina. For a more rustic/country look you can go for a farm or apron sink.

People like the idea of having a sink on the island where the cooktop is because they won't have to worry about dripping back and forth from the sink to the stove. For an added touch on your island you can get a small basin installed. It may look like just a pottery bowl, but it has real plumbing and is attached to the wall.

Pot-filler faucets are also becoming popular, because people don't want to have to keep running back to the sink to fill a pot. This faucet is attached right by the stove and folds back against the wall when you're not using it.

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A leaking faucet could damage your kitchen cabinet

A broken faucet is not a common occurrence, but when it does happen it is a messy one. If you own your own home you have to expect these incidents from time to time. The key is not to panic when there is water spraying around the room, but to concentrate on finding out where the problem is and get it fixed. The solution to most indoor plumbing problems is a lot simpler than you expect. It helps to have a basic knowledge of the general plumbing issues that you might encounter and how to fix them, or even better, prevent them from occurring in the first place with a little faucet maintenance.

Your kitchen gets at least as much use as your bathroom and kitchen faucets can spring a leak just as easily as those in the bathroom. Often the leak is not spotted as quickly as some faucets are hidden with a kitchen cabinet. Fixing the leak is fairly simple. Firstly you need to turn off the water valve that leads to the kitchen sink. Remove the leaky section of pipe and hold it up to the light to check for cracks or holes. You will need to replace the part of the pipe that is damaged. Wrap the open end of the pipe in plumbers tape or Teflon tape, with four or five rounds. Put the pipe back together and hook up the faucet. Turn the water back on to check that there are no more leaks in the pipe.

Waking up to find you have a frozen water pipe may be annoying, but you will probably find trying to track down the offending pipe even more frustrating. Try all the different water systems in your house to determine how many pipes are actually frozen. Turn off the ones that are working but leave the valve open on the ones that are not producing water. Next you need to turn off the main water valve to the house. You can now try to thaw the pipes.

Check what kind of pipes you have under your house. They could be made from plastic, or from a metal alloy. You will need a hairdryer or heat gun to thaw out the pipes, but be careful with plastic pipes as it is possible to melt them with too much heat. Before crawling under your house to thaw the pipes, make sure you have a long enough extension cord, the thawing device, and a flashlight. You may need to repair a hole or split in the pipe, and that may be the cause of the ice plug. In this case you will need spare pipe and plumbers tape as well. Assuming there is no hole you can heat the pipe by running the hairdryer or heat gun over it in a swishing motion, for no more than five minutes. Turn the water main back on and make sure there aren't any leaks that you haven't spotted.

Of course it would be better to prevent the pipes from freezing in the first place and this can be achieved by surrounding them in a heated pipe space, or installing insulation around them. Wrapping the pipes with heat tape, which can be purchased at your local hardware store, can also do the trick.

Jerry Blackburn often writes long articles on problems corresponding to kitchen cabinet and countertops. Writing for detailed publications on kitchen faucets he expressed his depth of understanding in the field

Types of Faucets

Are your original faucets still in tip-top condition? If not, do they need repair or replacement already? Before repairing or replacing your faucet, first you have to identify your faucet type.

It is important that you know what types of faucets you used at home such as ball type, disc type, cartridge type, or compression type. The first three types are commonly referred to as “washerless faucets” because they do not use neoprene or rubber washers. The compression type, on the other hand, is the basic washer faucet that most household use.

Ball Faucets

Ball faucets are the first types of “washerless faucets”. These are commonly used in kitchen sinks and usually include a single handle that moves over a cap that is shaped like a rounded ball right above the base of the spout. But using ball faucets has a major disadvantage. They tend to leak more than the other types of faucets.

Disc Faucets

If the ball faucets are the first types of “washerless faucets”, the disc faucets are the latest types. You can easily identify these types once you see the single lever over their cylindrical body. These usually include two ceramic discs that are housed in a wide cartridge which slide over each other to control the flow of water and mix temperature. But unlike ball faucets, these are reliable and do not leak often.

Cartridge Faucets

These types of faucets operate with a movable stem cartridge that moves up and down to regulate water flow. You can identify these not by how they look but how they feel when they operate. Unlike the ball faucets, cartridge faucets operate in an up and down motion in order to adjust the volume of water and a left and right motion to adjust the temperature.

Compression Faucets

If the disc faucets are the latest types, the compression faucets are the opposite since these are the oldest types of faucets. You can recognize these types when you see hot and cold water handles and that in order to close off the flow of water, you have to tighten the handles down. These differ from the cartridge faucet because these require you to tighten down or compress the washer to close water flow while in cartridge faucet, you don’t have to put added pressure just to turn it off.

These are the different types of faucets. With this information in mind, you are off to a good start with your repair or replacement job.

Faucets provides detailed information on Faucets, Kitchen Faucets, Bathroom Faucets, Shower Faucets and more. Faucets is affiliated with Composting Toilets.

Sales Tip-Turn on the Faucet of Success

I read an interesting story over the weekend. It involved the ingredients in water. As we all (?) remember from our school days, water is made up of H2O, or two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. Take away any of the ingredients and you may get something, but it certainly isn't water. Maybe you actually have all the ingredients just not the right amount, you still won't get water.

Your successful sales system is exactly the same. It is made up of several parts. There's the mental part that includes attitude, confidence, etc., tools, and the strategies to use those tools and action. While you may come up with other ingredients, I believe that most, if not all would fall under into of these categories. Unfortunately, take away any one of these ingredients, or put in the wrong amount and much like the water example, you may have something, (just getting by, mediocrity, futility, frustration, etc.) but you don't have a truly successful sales career.

Sometimes, it can be a small change. Sometimes it takes a complete overhaul of what you are doing. The point is, until you get the correct ingredients and the correct amount of each, you will continue to struggle. It doesn't matter how hard you work at it, how hard you try, or how many times you do it, mixing together one part hydrogen and one part oxygen will not produce what you are after. When you don't have the correct ingredients, you cannot get the correct results. It's that simple.

If you want to quench your thirst, you can keep trying different combinations and then hoping that at some point in the future you will in fact hit on just the right combination. It can take thousands of tries and years of trial and error to even get close to success. And it makes no sense when you can simply get up, take some action and turn on the faucet. Seems like a simple decision and it is.

However, when it comes to your sales career, you are content to continue as you are or perhaps try to patch things together with a tool from here or a strategy from there. Yet, if you would only get up and turn on the faucet, you could skip the trial and error, the frustration, the futility, the mediocrity and have more success than you ever thought possible.

It's up to you. What will it be? The faucet or the frustration?

Greg Beverly, CPA, MBA has more than 22 years experience helping sales professionals increase their sales and their bank accounts. He has helped thousands achieve their goals in life. As an author, teacher, mentor and helper, he desires to see everyone reach their true potential.

You can learn how to live your dreams by visiting http://www.salessuccess.yougethelp.com

Chicago Faucet: The Beauty Is in the Brass

Chicago faucet was introduced in 1901 and since then its name has epitomized quality and craftsmanship with the combination of engineering, finest material and quality workmanship that leads to a quality product. It makes new innovation products that make new force in the world of commercial plumbing. The company is the leader in supplying fittings for the commercial, laboratory, food service, safety equipment and residential markets. It has broad variety like Lavatory faucets, Chicago kitchen faucets and Chicago commercial faucets.

In the kitchen, Chicago Faucets is known as the professional's choice, and it is easy to see why. These stylish brass faucets are extremely durable and versatile; meant to stand the test of time. The finishing stands for high quality plating and good finishing and the Chicago faucet spouts and handle are interchangeable that leads to flexibility for the customer to use the product continuously. It offers single handle faucet, desk mount, wall mount, cucina faucets, Danze faucets and Franz Viegener faucets. The single handled faucet is provided with metal lever handle, ceramic mixing cartridge, integral water hammer-prevented and chrome finishing. Marathom Deck mounted with or without spray type is also available. Wall mounted faucets has double-jointed swing spout with H-adjustment arm and G-adjustment arm with adjustment. The double handled swing hot and cold porcelain lever handles is provided with chrome finishing.

The commercial Chicago faucet includes pot filler faucets, metering faucets, service link faucets, lab faucets, urinal valves and electronic faucets. The poll filler faucets are used for restaurants with wall and spout shut-off valves and it is extended 22" from wall. The metering valve saves valuable resource, time and money and field configurable to metering to adjustable distance and time. The lab faucets used in industry with single and two ball valves along with air, gas and liquid index button. Cusina faucet offer single handle, double handle, filter, gourmet faucets for the kitchen and bar. Caliope series faucet is a single controlled kitchen faucet with swivel cast brass spout and gooseneck that rotate at any direction. These are only a few examples of the functionality and versatility you will get with your Chicago faucet.

To purchase these fine faucets, visit a retailer or specialty shop near you. Often, visiting the company web site will offer you a location checker to help you conveniently find a location near you. In addition, many online merchants offer these fine, stylish, brass faucets for sale as well. Nothing beast the trendy looks of these fine brass faucets, except for many the customer service you get with one. Convenience. Style. Sophistication. What more could you ask for.

Whether it is commercial or residential purpose, Chicago Faucets complements your excellent choice with its long-lasting quality. In addition, these stylish and trendy faucets are an affordable solution for your faucet needs. The Chicago Company prides itself in a job well done and in bringing you, the consumer, and simply the best product for your money. Not because you are looking for an inexpensive faucet, but because you are looking for the best faucet available - no matter the cost.

Phil has been working as a repairman for more than 7 years. He has plenty of experience in repairing homes, especially in bathrooms since that is where he started his career. He is focused on water conservation, since the bathroom is the number one place of water consumption in the home. Visit http://www.3falk.com to learn more about conserving water and shower faucets.

Is Your Money Faucet Leaking?

 

A lot of people who are into information and product marketing online have a problem. They are losing money without realizing it, and the problem lies in the fact that they are not interested in investigating the mechanics the way internet marketing experts do. To be fair, I'm not expecting anyone to be an internet marketing expert. I'm simply suggesting that in order to build the right kind of process and structure within your marketing efforts to double or triple your income effectively.

I'll list down three points of weakness, and hopefully it will get you to think about how to implement your marketing program in a way that could multiply your residual income several times over.

Point of Weakness #1 - You do not have different points of entry.

I've found that when you have multiple points of entry into a product promotion, it becomes more diverse, more robust and definitely more exciting. Send people not just to a landing page. Send them to a shy-yes page or a namesqueeze page. Send them to a product review page. Send them to a blog post. Or even, to an article directory (didn't think of that one did you). Each of these pages should contain your affiliate link. More importantly, the tools should be used effectively to reduce the buyer defense mechanism. After all, when someone sees flashy sales copy, they are going to have their BS detector on overdrive mode. If you send them to places that they are more likely to feel safe and secure, that will be a great entry point to send them to a link you are referring, whether an affiliate recommendation or product link.

Point of Weakness #2 - You do not have a multiplier system.

If you get someone to read one article, one sales copy or one blog post, that's great. People are reading. But, isn't it more brilliant to have people read more than one EACH TIME? See, when people are exposed more times to your promotion campaigns, there is always going to be a time of the day when people are going to just simply stop paying attention. However, where there is great content, there is not going to be much problem. People will learn about it, and they will tell their friends.

Yet we know that sometimes, in order to persuade someone to do that extra step of clicking and sending a link to a friend, it takes a high level of trust and possibility 'ethical bribery'. You incentivize them to do the marketing for you. That's partly viral marketing in action. However, it is true that there are products out there in the market that will never be promoted as virally as the information in that same market. If you just push product, you won't get much unless people can consume it and then use that to tell other people about it. Even for you reading this right now, you would probably feel like you want to tell your friends about it. All you need to do, really, is to drop them an email, but things could be made so much easier if you could do it automatically, right?

See, multiplier systems don't just work with products, or affiliates. Multiplier systems work with credibility and referring links. This is of utmost importance for SEO based marketing, as well as for those who are new who do not have that credibility yet. After all, why not just give away your best content and innovate new content and ideas? How about getting people to give away your best content free to boost your credibility?

Point of Weakness #3 - You do not have leverage.

To understand leverage, think of the analogy of working out. You want to work out, but you don't want to have to find one place to use weights, another place to use a treadmill and another place to use a bench press. You would probably like to have an "all-in-one" gym because that helps you to create far more economy of time for you, right?

Well, think of it this way .On your website, there are many things that they can't see like in a gym. If they read one post on your blog, they may not have realized it's a massive thread on your forum. You may even have a product around this blog post that is stuck somewhere "down there". It's like a gym member only seeing one room and not realizing there are other amazing features there. If you don't have the capability to cross refer automatically, you will still die from exhaustion. There is just too much information out there, if you don't find a way to automatically link things together, it will be a serious problem for you in the future.

Conclusion

All that said, how do you actually leverage? Well, ask yourself if the things you are doing could be automated. Think of innovations to help you to cut short the learning curve and to reduce the number of steps in a process. If you can reduce those steps, it becomes more efficient almost immediately. I encourage people who are involved in setting up their products to look at the way in which they are setting up their products. Could they be more efficient? Or are they clumsy with the process? Are they able to see how the effort for doing certain things could be reduced simply through a new process innovation? While this takes a little experience, I would say that by developing a high level of insight into your own business will open up a plethora of possibilities for you, because your expertise and experience will grow with time.

Stuart Tan is Asia's leading internet marketing expert in business systems and productivity. His approach to leverage has been widely acclaimed in his national bestselling book, "Secrets of Internet Millionaires". He can be found at http://www.InternetMarketingSingapore.com/blog/