Monday, June 1, 2009

Replacing Shower Tub Faucet - How to Choose the Right Faucet (Step 1 of 3)

Faucets come in a variety of styles and shapes, and choosing the right faucet for your shower is enough cause a headache. This article helps to relieve that by breaking down the some fundamental things to consider when making that decision.

-Measurements. Before considering the style of finish of your faucet, take a measurement of the hole from the old faucet from center to center. It also helps to remove the old faucet and bring it to the store where you'll be purchasing the new fixture. If shopping online, be sure to have the measurements in mind when making the purchase.

-Finish. Shower faucets come in several finishes, including brass, chrome, nickel, and stainless steel. Often, brass finish faucets are used to accent stainless steel features already in play in the bathroom. Although chrome faucets are comparatively inexpensive, they often convey a plain look. Nickel finish is good to consider if on a budget because like chrome, it is also rather inexpensive. However when the nickel is brushed, the faucet is given a burnished glow unlike the shine of chrome. Besides the look value, the main advantage of having a brushed finish is that it doesn't show fingerprints and water marks as easily. Lastly stainless steel is the higher-end choice, and as such is usually the most expensive. Like nickel, stainless steel faucets can be purchased brushed and unbrushed.

-Style. As a rule of thumb, faucets with clean lines and minimal detail help to convey a more modern look. On the other hand, faucets that are very ornate communicate a more traditional style. However, it's possible to take to create a balance between modern and traditional looks by combining features of both.

-Scald Protection. If children are going to be making use of the shower, you may want to consider choosing a faucet with built-in scald protection. For this, the maximum temperature of the water is set at a fixed temperature so that when the lever is turned it is unable to exceed that. Normally this is about 120 degree Fahrenheit.

Jack A. is a handy-man by trade and is the author of several do-it-yourself articles. If you are on the hunt for discounted bathroom faucets, be sure to check out: http://bathroomfaucetsonly.com

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