Faucet Care and Maintenance -- What Every Homeowner Should Know

(ARA) - Consider the number of times you run your hands under it quickly while cooking. What about rinsing plates or filling a glass or pot with water? When the kitchen faucet isnt working properly, the kitchen doesnt run smoothly.

Just as there are secrets for removing red wine from carpet and coffee stains from ties, there are methods for keeping your faucet in working order.

A faucet has a lifecycle of its own -- with special considerations in the early years and others as the faucet gets older. The trick is knowing how to clean and maintain your faucet throughout its life, says Barbara Peterson, senior product manager at Delta and someone who has a knack for solving not-so-common plumbing problems.

In a new home or when a replacement faucet is used for the first time, homeowners may notice flecks and particles in the water coming through the faucet. These are probably remnants of installation materials such as solder and copper chips, which can potentially cause a blockage and damage the faucet. To avoid problems, remove the tip of the faucet, known as the aerator, by unscrewing it, turning the handle(s) to a full-on position, and allowing the water to flush through the system for about two minutes. Then replace the aerator.

Day-to-day, kitchen faucets require low maintenance. Cleaning is easily done using a damp cloth and mild soap, then drying with a soft cloth to retain luster and shine. Window cleaning products also work well, and for crevices, an old toothbrush can be a handy tool. Remember, youre not cleaning the hulls of a Navy ship; avoid harsh cleaners and abrasives that could damage your faucets finish. With any cleaning product, be sure to read and follow recommended usage instructions.

For faucets with a matte finish, like Brilliance Pearl Nickel from Delta, you can use a liquid or aerosol furniture polish to wipe the faucet clean, suggests Peterson. The silicon oil in the polish fills the textures, rendering a more uniform appearance. This may darken the finish slightly, but will protect it from fingerprints and help reduce variations. When it comes to finishes, homeowners should look for tested protection, like the Brilliance finish from Delta, which wont corrode, tarnish or discolor.

* Removing Deposits

The amount of minerals in your water determines whether you have soft or hard water. Higher mineral count hard water sometimes causes lime and mineral deposits on faucets and drains. To remove stains, try a mild abrasive or window cleaner -- avoid scrubbing with coarse heavy-duty sponges.

For really stubborn deposits, place a cloth soaked in white vinegar over the deposits for several hours. Vinegar, which is a weak acid, can dissolve many of these deposits. After removing the cloth, a mild cleaner to wipe the faucet clean should finish the job.

* Minor Maintenance

Quality faucets from well-known companies should provide long-term performance with little maintenance. However, there are small measures that can be taken to keep your faucet functioning well.

Through normal use, and depending on the water conditions in your area, seats and springs experience wear and may need to be replaced. If youre waking up to that drip, drip, drip of your faucet, you may be able to solve the problem at home, without calling a professional.

Homeowners should always refer to the materials that came with their faucet, advises Peterson. At Delta, we have some components that are common to our faucets -- such as a cam, packing, a ball, seats and springs -- and the location and set-up of these depends on the specific faucet and repairs should be made accordingly.

Before beginning work on a faucet, turn off the water supply and cover the sink drain so parts do not fall into it. Then, following the diagram in the users manual, locate the exposed screw and remove the faucet handle(s) to reveal the inner-works of the faucet. Inside, there are seats, the rubber ring parts. If theyve been worn or are dirty, they need to be replaced. This can be done easily by purchasing replacements from a home improvement store. When buying replacement parts, make sure to select genuine parts. Imitation or universal parts can significantly reduce the performance of the faucet and void the manufacturers warranty.

Whether its a popular pull-out style or two-handled faucet, choosing the best products from the beginning can help to stave off any repair headaches, Peterson says. Make sure to buy products with a lifetime faucet and finish limited warranty. Making the best decision at the onset provides a good foundation for carefree, confident use of your kitchen faucet.

Delta Faucet Company offers a toll-free hotline directly to experts at (800) 345-DELTA (3358). The company also offers a free Faucet Care and Maintenance brochure via telephone or online at www.deltafaucet.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

How Do Water Filter Faucets Work And How Important Is Water Filtration and Purification?

Water filter faucets usually come with filtration systems that are stored under the sink, but some countertop models offer this option as well. Regardless of which system you choose, making the decision to filter the water that you drink and shower in is a wise one with enormous health benefits.

Faucets for water filters produce H20 that is purified and better tasting than what comes out of your main valve. This is because conventionally treated water is neither very safe nor very clean.

Chlorine is the main contaminant in H20, used because it is a cheap sanitizer. However, this chemical has been linked to cancer, aggravates allergies, and speeds up the aging process. Unfortunately, it has not been linked to an impressively high rate of success; chlorine is not a very effective sanitizer, and pathogens often end up in your glass.

Faucets for water filtration systems produce H20 that has been purified of chlorine. Additionally, lead, sediment, pesticides, and agricultural waste are also elements that are removed from H20 in order to make it safer and healthier.

Water filter faucets are one of two POU (point of use) systems that you can have in your kitchen sink area. Under the sink models generally require separate faucets for water filters, the thin spout that most people recognize.

However, you usually don't need separate faucets for water filtration systems if you have a countertop model. This type of system has a spigot that attaches to your main faucet. If you want purified H20, you press a button or move a valve to access it.

When it comes down to water filter faucets versus countertop models, it really is a matter of personal preference. Separate faucets for water filters can be preferable for people who don't have the counter space for a topside unit or don't like the look of a unit sitting out in plain sight. For them, an under the sink unit may be preferable.

However, faucets for water filtration systems require installation, and this may take twenty minutes or so, plus tools and mechanical aptitude. Some people prefer a countertop system because installation generally requires just snapping a valve onto the main faucet and only takes a minute or so. Also, some people have absolutely no space under their sinks and prefer a countertop model.

Whether you want water filter faucets in your home or prefer a countertop system, the important thing to consider is the quality of the overall H20 purification system you are purchasing. The absolute best type of unit you can purchase is one that contains a multi-step, dual filter system.

Faucets for water filters that only contain one strainer have a tendency to not remove all contaminants from H20. If that one strainer becomes blocked, contaminants can slip into your drinking supply. Having two strainers ensures that all unwanted elements are removed.

Typically the first strainer catches larger elements such as sediment while the second one blocks molecularly smaller chemicals and particles. Faucets for water filtration systems attached to a multi-step processing unit give you the cleanest and safest H20 you can drink.

Whether you choose water filter faucets or under the sink models for your home, be certain to purchase a multi-step unit that is capable of stopping anything unpleasant from ending up in your glass.

Martin Spencer is a health researcher who has been studying water filtration for over 25 years. He is a regular contributor to Water Purification Guide, a site dedicated to various methods of treating and purifying water. Learn about the best faucets for water filters on our site.

Bathroom Faucets and the Single Versus Double Situation

There are many kinds of bathroom faucets, and you may have both single and double faucets in your house, if you own an older home. But most newer faucets are singular, and this sometimes confuses people who do not understand why this is necessary, especially if they are asked by an official buidling inspector or real estate inspector to change out the dual type of faucets and replace them with single ones, which can and usually does require also changing out the whole sink apparatus. If you have these for example in your kitchen or bathroom, built into the counter or vanity or other furniture that is part of the permanent fixtures of the room, the act of simply changing faucets to comply as single faucets can in some cases mean you have to rip out all of that stuff and start over, because the sink is frequently an intregal part of the built in fixtures of a room.

The reason that many of the older type bathroom faucets that offer water out of one faucet that is cold and hot water out of another one are frowned upon by inspectors is unknown to many people who think this regulation is irrational and unreasonable, with no basis in common sense. But the reason that some ordiances call for a single source of water controlled by both hot and cold valves or taps, is because in the past there have been safety issues with having a single hot water faucet, because people turned it on and their hands were scalded by the water. Another issue is that with both, the user is not able to mix hot and cold, to get a hot temperature that is tolerable but hot enough to be sanitary.

So it is preferred to have two taps that control both hot and cold water than flows out of a singular central faucet, where the water can be mixed by adjusting the flow of hot and cold, until the temperature is ideal for the user. These kinds of bathroom faucets are found in all home improvement stores and modern sinks are all made to function nicely with this type of faucet.

For lots of information on shower curtains and other bathroom related topics, visit Bathroom Info at http://www.bathroom-info.com

How Much Difference Do Bathroom Faucets Make?

When choosing a faucet for your bathroom. Consider the rest of the bathroom.

We have all seen the TV commercial about the client choosing a bathroom faucet and asking the architect to design a house around it. Yeah right! There are some great faucet designs out there but they are to accentuate not overtake.

There are so many options out there that the decision process can be daunting. Just be patient and there are ways of ruling out quite a few. What kind of handles do I like? Narrowed! What kind of finish do I like? Narrowed! What style is the bathroom? Narrowed! Now, you should be down to just a few options to argue about.

My opinion is to get what you like, but not settle on the cheapest one. The old adage holds true here, "You get what you pay for!" But you do not have to spend a bunch of money to get a great faucet. Don't tell my wife, but I also look for one that is simple to fix. I plan to make the purchase once and repair it until I die.

Just a faucet that fits your rooms style and it will be the center piece of your room.

Denton Lesslie is the president of greathomeimprovements.com and a consultant for Department of Energy's Building America Division for the last 6 years. He is responsible for all the content and marketing for http://www.greathomeimprovements.com - Great Home Improvements Start Here! There are many articles about your fixtures

Disassembly Of Pegasus Faucet

The following simple steps will help dry up the problem of a leaky compression or stem-type disassembly of Pegasus faucet.

• Turn off the water at the water-supply valve. You can find them usually under the sink. Sometimes, you can also find them in the wall behind the shower assembly. There, you can find them in a closet behind a removable panel.
• However, if there are no localized shutoffs for the disassembly of Pegasus faucet, you should use the main water shutoff for the building.
• Now, open the faucets to let water in the lines drain before beginning the disassembly of Pegasus faucet.
• Once you are through with that, remove the faucet handle. You can do this by removing the screw and then lifting or jiggling the handle off.
• Now, loosen the locknut inside with a crescent wrench. Once the nut is loosened and removed, pull out the stem.
• With some types of Pegasus faucets, the stem itself may be threaded into the body of the faucet assembly. In that case, you will have to turn it counter-clockwise to loosen and remove the same.
• For the disassembly of Pegasus faucet, now, replace with a new washer. Take the stem to your local hardware or plumbing supply store and pick out the proper-fitting replacement washer.
• Reassemble the stem and Pegasus faucet assembly in reverse order
• Turn the water supply back on and test for drips.

As you can see, it is not that difficult. However, you must make sure that yopu are following the above steps with proper care.

William Samson has written many more articles about kitchen and bathroom plumbing.

Tips On How Buy A Bathroom Faucet

If you want to change the look of your bathroom but you don’t have a lot of money, you can do so relatively inexpensively by replacing your sink and faucet. You’ll have lots of choices on the market, many of which are “retro” and look like the faucets in your grandmother’s bathroom. You can also choose from modern-looking chrome faucets or fancy brass fixtures. You can also still buy the old-fashioned crystal-headed faucets with the snub nosed spout. If you’re so inclined, you can buy the old-fashioned key-shaped faucet handles and can choose from porcelain, brass or brushed chrome finish.

It might surprise and please you to know as well that many of today’s faucets are actually multifunctional units that can convert to showerheads or split into separate streams. You can choose from many functions and can even have multiple functions, if you so choose.

Like just about anything else, bathroom faucets run the gamut in terms of price. You can choose from simple and relatively inexpensive to fancy and quite a lot more expensive. Some things to consider before you buy a bathroom faucet include:

What type of handle do you want on your faucets? Single handled faucets rotate to handle all water temperatures from one spigot. You can also buy faucets and handles separately and make your own unique combination. However, if you do this, you have to make sure that the faucet and faucet handles will fit each other.

Next, what style of bathroom faucet will look best in your bathroom? There are hundreds of styles available, anything from antique to modern, and if you so choose, you can even buy 1970s-style faucets. Believe it or not, you can also buy stone faucets that “spit” water out of the wall or those that look like statues from Rome. However, remember that the more complicated your style is, the harder the bathroom faucet will be to install. It will also probably be a lot more expensive than a simpler one.

Next, do you want your bathtub and shower faucets to match those in your sink? Some people don’t consider this important, but it might make your bathroom appear to have a more uniform design if that’s what you’re going for.

Finally, what do you want the bathroom faucet to be made of? They are available in porcelain, chrome, brass, nickel, plastic or even stone. Some creative designers have even made bathroom faucet spouts out of seashells.

Whatever you decide, there are plenty of choices out there available for you to pick something that exactly fits your lifestyle, budget and needs.

Rob Buenaventura has worked in the home improvement industry for several years. Learn more about bathroom vanities, bathroom sinks and other home remodeling ideas at HomeImprovementTouch.com