Archives

Choosing Bathroom Taps

There was a time when choosing your bathroom taps was relatively easy because the majority of taps looked very similar. Those days have long gone there is now a huge amount of choice with suppliers from every part of the world. These can be supplied in many different designs that can be both modern and traditional in style. These tap collections can be supplied in different finishes and qualities which unfortunately includes bad quality as well.

Below is a list of the different types of bathroom taps available.

Monobloc Mixer Taps – This single mixing tap allows the easy mixing of both the hot and cold through a single lever which operates a mixing cartridge. This tap can be supplied as a wash basin filler, bath filler and a bidet tap.

Mixer Taps – These taps mix both the hot and cold water but via 2 single controls one for the hot and the other for the cold. The mixed water is sent down a single spout. This tap can be supplied as a wash basin filler, bath filler and a bidet tap.

Screw Down Taps – These taps are the original traditional taps. One tap operates the hot water with another operating the cold. The flow of the water is opened and closed by the screwing the tap head up and down. This tap can be supplied as a wash basin filler and a bath filler.

Electronic Taps – Electronic taps have until now be mainly used in commercial bathrooms. They are operated via infra red touch less sensors or by electronic easy touch sensors. These taps are impressive by their technology and becoming more widespread in the domestic sector due to their eco water saving properties.

There are different ways of mounting taps – wall mounted, mounted on the piece of sanitary ware, deck mounted or floor standing.

The different finishes available are chrome which is very popular at the moment or gold, nickel and stainless steel.

There is a huge difference in the quality of the brass used in taps, also in the quality of the decorative electro plating and the quality of operation. The general rule when buying bathroom taps is  you get what you pay for therefore do not buy cheap taps (especially for yourself) A good quality set of taps should give you years of trouble free service.

Word of warning – A long guarantee from some cheap and poor quality tap manufacturers should not necessarily give reassurance. Firstly they may not be around long enough to honour it. Secondly they play the numbers game, they know a proportion of their taps will fail, but they hope the customer with not remember where they bought them, will not have the receipt and if they do, you will be left with the bill for the removal of the faulty taps and the fitting of the replacements.

Have fun, choose wisely, and enjoy your new taps

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.