Faucet fundamentals – Here are parts of a faucet that you should know about!

Faucet fundamentals – Here are parts of a faucet that you should know about!

A faucet is one of the most frequently used components of the bathroom, as it serves its purpose of hygiene in our daily lives. The brilliant design and engineering that goes into creating a faucet is very fascinating and while it’s okay to not know about the entire technical process in depth, it certainly helps to have basic knowledge about the different parts of a faucet. With time, the styles and designs of faucets have surely changed, but most of the internal parts remain common regardless of where you live. As mentioned earlier, knowing about the various working parts of a faucet goes a long way, especially when it comes to faucet replacement; you can make more informed decisions!

Let’s dive right in and understand about different parts of a faucet that you should know about:

▪ Aerators – Limiting water flow the right way

A round device that’s small and is screwed inside the faucet’s tip is known as an Aerator. The primary function of faucet aerators is to generate a splash-free flow of water, which is more consistent compared to faucets without aerators. This is achieved by perfectly mixing air and water in a way that the water flow level is optimum and the stream of water is also much smoother. Overall, an aerator helps in significantly improving the quality of water flow and also helps in screening, filtering out debris that accumulates inside the faucet. An effective way to check for such debris is to take out the faucet aerator, flip it and gently tap on it; you will notice that limescale and pieces of grit fall out. 

▪ Spouts – Getting the water to the right destination

If you’d like to understand about the type of faucet you’re using, identifying the spout of the faucet generally helps. The main function of a faucet spout is to ensure seamless water delivery to the sink from the body of the faucet. In case of pull down or pull out faucets, you will observe that the nozzle head can be extended to an extent that it faces a direction that’s away from the body of the faucet, in order to have more reach. High-Arc faucet spouts are known to be the most common type of spouts, and are usually found on pull down faucets. The other styles of spouts are straight spouts and gooseneck spouts. Gooseneck spouts are usually used to give the space a more aesthetically pleasing feel. Most pull out faucets use straight spouts, due to their ergonomic superiority.

▪ Handle – The water controller

As the name suggests, a faucet handle’s purpose is to act as an On/Off mechanism for the faucet. Apart from turning the faucet on or off, another crucial function of the handle is to control the temperature of water that flows through the faucet. The faucet handle does so by closing and opening the valve! Depending on the type of faucet you’re using, you’ll find that the handle is located either on top of the faucet’s spout (this is common for most new-age faucets), on either side of the spout or it can even be on the front of the body/beside it, depending on whether you have additional sink holes. If you have a faucet with two handles, it is usually the case that one controls the on/off function and the other handles the temperature control.

▪ Cartridge – The internal controller of flow & temperature

The cartridge is a metallic or plastic piece that’s found within your faucet and it internally controls the flow quality of the water, as well as the temperature. The more urban and better quality cartridges are built out of ceramic. It’s a fact that such cartridges are highly unlikely to leak and are not adversely impacted by deposits of hard water. The most widely recognized kind of leakage you’ll see on a faucet is brought about by broken down cartridges, so it’s vital that your bathroom faucet comes with a durable cartridge. 

▪ Body – The hot & cold mixer

The body is the part of the faucet where the blending/mixing process of hot and cold water takes place. Generally, single and double handled faucets have a combination of hot and cold water in a single casting itself, which also contains the valves of the cartridge. Should your faucet have a wider than usual body, it will require three holes in order to be installed properly. There is a separate pipe, usually found hidden under the counter of the wash basin and that’s where the hot and cold water essentially get mixed together. 

These are some of the most common and also the most important parts of a faucet. Now you’re pretty well versed with your faucet fundamentals and will surely have a smoother experience dealing with any faucet related issues in the future. 
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