Bathrooms are indispensable without a faucet. What it is? A faucet is a plumbing fixture used to supply cold and hot water, as well as for more comfortable use of the shower and bath. This element allows you to adjust the temperature of the liquid and its pressure. Due to a special switch, you can redirect the flow to the shower head. It is very comfortable. Modern manufacturers offer a huge number of different mixers. It is easy for the buyer to get confused when choosing.
Classification
Absolutely all mixers are classified according to the two most important parameters - this is the method of installation, as well as the place of installation. According to the control method, modern mixers are divided into ball or lever, two-valve, touch-sensitive with an electronic regulator. Let's consider each type separately.
Ball
The ball mixer (or single-lever, as it is called differently) is equipped with only one handle for control. It allows you to adjust the comfortable temperature of the water that will go to the watering can. If you raise the lever up or lower it down, you can adjust the pressure. This equipment is quite convenient, has an elegantdesign, easy to install and operate.
The lack of a mixer is a cartridge that does not withstand rust, s alt particles, and dirt. All this is in running water. For this reason, over time, such mechanisms begin to turn poorly, and then completely fail. These cartridges are non-repairable. They are changed, but the replacement is not too cheap.
How water is mixed in a single-lever faucet
There are two types of locking mechanisms in a single-lever mixer. So, the first is a spherical or metal structure, and the second is a plate. The ball or plates are placed in a special cartridge. In a ball cartridge, the locking element is made as follows. There is a metal ball, hollow inside. It has three holes. The ball is made of steel alloy. There are holes on the sides. They supply hot and cold water. Inside the ball, it mixes, and through the third hole it is fed into the spout.
Inside the cartridge, the ball is securely sealed with special sealing rings. Interestingly, some faucet manufacturers use Teflon-coated gaskets. Due to this, it is much smoother and easier to control the lever. Also, this design is very durable.
Ceramic cartridge can be made in several versions. So, the mechanism is based on a smooth plate of ceramic materials with a hole made in it. There may be several plates inside. The main advantage of suchmixer is easy to operate. But he is very vulnerable to excessively hard and dirty water. Proper installation begins with the installation of a coarse filter in front of the mixer. Without this element, there can be no question of any durability.
Advantages and disadvantages of single lever equipment
The advantages of these products include durability, simplicity and ease of use. It is enough to set the water once and then comfortably use the mixer. The disadvantages include high cost, as well as expensive cartridges. Ball joints lose their ease of rotation over time, and ceramic ones deteriorate from dirty water. Here, the filter is not additionally installed, so the product can quickly fail from hard water.
Two Valve Mixers
These plumbing fixtures traditionally regulate the water supply with two tap heads or faucet boxes. They allow you to supply separately cold and separately hot water. Their peculiarity is in ease of maintenance, in democratic cost, in a large selection of models. Such mixers are produced from a variety of materials, and the service life depends on how high-quality seals are installed inside.
The simplest two-valve mixer is the so-called "herringbone". Designers pay a lot of attention to these models. There is a huge range of them on the market. It is thanks to the design that they are chosen by a wide range of buyers. However, as the reviews say, it is more convenient to use single-lever products.
Principlemixing water in two-valve products
This is one of the most ancient models. Often they could be seen back in the Soviet years. Despite their lower cost and a large number of models on the market, single-lever models are gradually replacing them. They buy these products only thanks to the efforts of designers and low prices. This is where all the benefits end. Products differ according to the type of mechanism. Reciprocating faucets and ceramic valves can be distinguished.
Inside the valve box, when the valve rotates, the piston presses on the rubber gasket. She, in turn, supplies water or shuts it off. If the faucet valve is rotated in the other direction, the piston will move in the other direction. In the old design, the gasket itself also rotated, which caused the crane to quickly fail. In the water mixer taps of the new system, the gasket no longer rotates. This allowed to significantly increase the service life. Ceramic valves are more modern solutions. Here, ceramic plastic is used as a mechanism, in which there is a hole. With the turn of the valve, the plate rotates, and the hole at this moment is combined with the one in the pipe. The larger the area of combination, the more liquid will fall into the spout.
Advantages and disadvantages
These types of plumbing equipment allow you to accurately select the desired temperature, especially if a faucet box is installed as a locking element. The valve control process is intuitive and does not require any getting used to. You can always buy inexpensive spare parts on the market. There are also disadvantages. It will not be possible to save the preset mode to get this temperature next time. Unlike a faucet, where there is only one lever, you need two hands to adjust the temperature. Also, crane boxes are much more often than analogues.
Electronic or sensor faucets
These are the most modern and technological types of plumbing. Unlike the models described above, there are no familiar controls. These functions are assigned to buttons. The remote control can be built into the panel, be remote, or in the form of a touch panel.
Electronic armature mixing principle
Electronic systems installed in the faucet body control water pressure and temperature with high precision. If necessary, the mixer can maintain the desired degree of water. The device has special sensors that transmit control signals to the shut-off valve.
These systems may have different configurations. The device has a microcontroller that controls the water supply from the temporary mode, preferred temperatures. Also, the microcontroller can turn on the backlight and other decorative effects. According to the type of control, contact and non-contact washbasin faucets are distinguished. Non-contact equipment is controlled by infrared sensors. When the hands are under the faucet spout, the sensor on the sensor will work and the water will start to flow. Contact models are controlled by buttons. Operating modes are displayed on the indicators. You can use the buttons to turn onor turn off the water supply, adjust the temperature.
Views by installation site
Wall models are available with short, medium and long spouts. You need to choose one or another type of mixer based on the place where the device will be installed. The width of the washbasin or bath must be taken into account.
If the spout is too short, it will be difficult to use it. There are so-called on-board washbasin faucets. They can be installed on the side of the bathtub or sink. These models are very comfortable. According to reviews, they easily fit into any interiors. The swivel mechanism of these cranes is small, which can cause some inconvenience. They should not be used in the bath. The mixer on racks will be suitable for elite bathtubs. Its peculiarity is that it is installed on a high leg. The installation of such equipment is associated with certain difficulties. Faucet connections must be under the floor.
Washbasin faucet
This is most often a single-lever mechanism. When choosing, it is necessary to take into account the parameters of the sink. Between themselves, the devices differ in the way they are attached to the sink. It is best and most reliable when a nut serves as a fastener. Fasteners by means of studs are considered less reliable. You can also purchase an ordinary two-lever plumbing fixture for the washbasin.
Kitchen faucet
The design and execution of these models is almost completely similar to the models for the washbasin. But there is a feature here. Washing solutions should behigh enough. Otherwise, it will be inconvenient to wash certain types of dishes.
The best option for a kitchen sink faucet is a long spout, as well as a swivel design. The greater the angle of rotation of the spout, the more comfortable the sink can be used. In budget models, the angle of rotation is 140 degrees. In more expensive ones - 180 or more. For the kitchen, the so-called flexible mixer is best suited - this is a solution where there is a flexible spout. It allows more convenient use of the sink in the kitchen.
Views by manufacturing materials
There are a lot of materials from which faucet bodies are made. It can be plastic and silumin. In such cases, the cheapest models are offered. But plastic does not corrode and this is its main advantage. The silumin case reacts with water. This is a metal, but short-lived material. The threads are usually thin and brittle. There are also ceramic faucets - they may outwardly cause distrust, but this is a more practical sink faucet than a silumin product. If the device is handled with care, it will function for a long time.
The most popular of all sanitary ware materials is stainless steel. Both cheap products and quite expensive ones are made from it. But you shouldn’t buy cheap models - often it’s not steel, but the same silumin with a chrome coating for shine. Expensive models are steel with all its advantages. Along with thesematerials, mixers are made of bronze and brass. It is a good choice as bathroom products. But there are interesting swivel faucets for the kitchen made of these materials.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many different types of plumbing equipment. Modern manufacturers produce beautiful and stylish, as well as multifunctional devices. Even archaic valve solutions can look great. Single-lever models are very convenient to use, especially for the washbasin. Electronic devices are incredibly interesting. If the faucet connection allows, you can even install a floor-standing option.
