The herringbone faucet, the technical characteristics of which are presented in the article, is the simplest plumbing fixture that appeared back in the 19th century. Despite today's extensive range and competition in the form of other types of devices that have firmly entered the everyday life of a modern person, it still has sufficient demand. The efforts of designers helped here, who proposed many new materials and shapes to create an aesthetic appeal and improve technical performance. Thanks to such measures, the herringbone mixer, the photo of which is presented below, has gained a second wave of demand among consumers.
How to choose
To select a faucet, you need to know the washing parameters. The most important thing is that the device does not take up much space and is conveniently located on it. Spout requires special attention. It must be of sufficient size for comfortable use. A useful feature will be the ability to rotate.
Choosing a bathroom faucetshould also be based on dimensions and suitable design. Wall-mounted options have become the most widespread. The optimal solution in many cases is the design with a large body. It is important to have a short spout with a large diameter.
It is worth noting the undesirability of purchasing too cheap devices, as they are often made of low-quality materials and are prone to frequent breakdowns. A high-quality mixer has a high cost, justified by a long period of operation. Particular attention should be paid to checking the completeness of the selected option, the terms of the guarantee and the availability of the certificate.
Design
Now you can find a two-valve type appliance for any kitchen furniture and stylistic orientation. In terms of cost, they are the most attractive. Faucets are available in plumbing stores in a wide range of prices, which can satisfy both great opportunities and fairly modest needs.
Despite the noticeable external transformation, the design itself remained the same. The center of the mixer is a spout, on the sides of which there are valves or handles that allow you to adjust the required volume of water and a comfortable temperature. Accordingly, one handle is used for hot water, and the second for cold. The modern herringbone mixer is conditionally divided into two types, differing in the design of the water mixing device and the characteristics of the valves.
Two valve mixers of the first group
This type has not the highest reliability, which results in a low cost. The elastic seal acts as a locking device. For its manufacture today, materials with a small content of silicone have begun to be used, while earlier it consisted entirely of rubber. Reputable companies use parts with a new high-strength composition. This increases the life of the device and the time before replacing the gasket.
The principle of operation is the reciprocating movement of the crane box, in which a special elastic material is used as a locking part. It has much more wear and tear compared to European manufacturers due to the constant rotation.
The imported herringbone bathroom faucet has significant differences from the domestic one. The first option is more reliable due to the fact that the connection of the crane box and the gasket occurs in a translational way, and not by rotation. As a result, the need for repairs is much less frequent.
Pros and cons
The herringbone faucet, whose device loses to a single-lever mechanism, is in great demand due to the following advantages:
- easy to adjust the desired temperature, it can be adjusted using a single valve;
- no need for such modelsget used to, and use them very simply;
- it is possible to use ceramic faucets provided the same manufacturer of the old and new element;
- simple, quick repair and reasonable cost.
Disadvantages include the need to use two hands when using, as well as making two full turns of the valve to turn the water on and off. Rapid wear of the gasket leads to fairly frequent repairs.
Two valve mixers of the second group
This herringbone faucet has a ceramic valve as a locking device, the so-called ceramic plate. Its principle of operation is similar to a ceramic cartridge. In order for water to start flowing from the spout, the holes of the lower and upper plates must be aligned. The latter, which includes aluminum oxide, closes or opens the water by rotating around its axis. While the bottom plate is always stationary. Such devices are distinguished by greater durability of use, reliability and, as a result, belong to a higher price category. Among the advantages worth noting are the following:
- sufficient reliability;
- quick temperature adjustment;
- The swivel angle of this type of device has 180 and 90 degrees, so it is possible to reduce the number of movements during water setting.
Mounting Features
Required for proper operationproper installation. In the absence of appropriate skills, it is better to leave such work to specialists who understand all the intricacies of installation.
The herringbone faucet is installed in special holes located on the sink. Also common is installation on water supply outlets using decorative concealing structures, for example, partitions. All fasteners remain in the wall, and only the spout and valves are open to the eye. But this technique has one significant drawback: if problems occur, you need to disassemble the wall to fix them.
The threaded split sleeve is used for external mounting on the sink. But often there is such a problem as loosening the mixer. Because of this, periodically have to tighten the mount.
Metal devices
The material of manufacture is of particular importance. To one degree or another, such parameters of the device as appearance, practicality, period of operation, cost depend on it.
Herringbone kitchen faucet is mainly made of chrome, bronze and brass. The category has recently received an update with options in light alloys or mixed materials, as well as ceramics and plastics.
Brass has been widely used since ancient times. It is not afraid of corrosion, it is also durable and has a long service life. Accordingly, the cost is based on the quality characteristics of the material and starts at an average of 2-3 thousand rubles.
Bronze faucets have similaraesthetic and quality properties. The best option is to combine a body made of bronze and brass thread.
Light alloys, which include silumin (a mixture of silicon and aluminum), cannot be called high quality. Devices made from them are quite fragile and quickly lose their attractive appearance.
Ceramic and plastic cutlery
Leaders in fragility are herringbone plastic faucets, the characteristics of which are consistent with the cost. Although resistant to hard water, they are prone to breakage.
The appearance of ceramic appliances deserves attention, they can be an excellent addition to the kitchen interior, but due to their fragility they are not the most durable. Because of what, it is likely that you will soon encounter problems at work or with a real flood.
Top coat
The herringbone metal faucet is mainly finished with glossy chrome, colored enamel or nickel decorative coating. The latter has excellent anti-corrosion properties. Most often, it covers external brass elements.
Chrome is quite a practical material. It prevents the growth of bacteria that live in a humid environment. Due to it, the appearance remains the same longer due to the reduction of deposits of mineral s alts, which also protects against breakdowns that occur due to their formation. There are products with chrome platinga little more expensive, which is quite justified, because a quality device will please for many years.
Enamel is also not the most budget coating. But it has less durability and strength characteristics. The new device has an impeccable and attractive appearance, but over time, chips and microcracks form on the coating, due to which the device loses its aesthetics.
The chrome-plated version does not suit all style decisions, and an enamel-coated faucet with little practicality can be the best addition to a bright kitchen.
How to install
To begin with, the old herringbone kitchen faucet is removed after the water has been previously turned off. It is disconnected with a wrench from the water pipes. Fastening is usually done in two ways. Devices on a wide base are disassembled from the valves. You need to remove the handles to get access to the nuts that secure the faucet.
Appliances on a narrow base are mounted on the underside of the sink, and they have to be dismantled under the sink, which is not always convenient when space is limited. With the help of pliers, the existing nuts are unscrewed. Rack wrench may be needed if hard pipes block access.
When installing a faucet with a wide base, first it is placed at the installation site, and the nuts are manually screwed on. They are tightened with a key after the device is aligned. The base is treated with a sealant or a special silicone compound, afterthe lining and valves are mounted.
Installation under the sink
Another installation option involves the same algorithm of work, but with minor changes. Sealant is applied to the base prior to installation. Since the main work is done under the sink, it is advisable to have an assistant who will hold the faucet on top and level it while tightening the nuts.
After the installation is completed, the water supply is connected and the tap is opened to detect possible leaks. Excess sealant must be removed around the base before use.
