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A Plumber Guide To Different Faucet Designs | Houston Heights
Fixing a malfunctioning or leaky faucet is why you need to contact a plumber. There are many various kinds of faucets out there. First, you need to distinguish what type of faucet you have at your home before doing any repairs. You also must ensure the replacement parts match the original features, meaning that they must have been made or designed for that type of faucet.
Faucets belong to four basic design types; disc, cartridge, compression, and ball-type. Generally, the faucet types are identifiable using their appearance. However, their inner parts and mechanisms are different. An experienced plumber in Houston Heights has the necessary experience dealing with the different faucet types above. This article will detail the types of faucets you can install in your home.
Ball-type Faucets
This class of faucets features a single handle typically. You can easily identify these faucets by their hollow plastic or metallic call that controls the water flow and temperature within their body. Ball-type faucets are among the most popular types of faucets that you will find in most older homes. They also are really easy to repair compared to other designs. You can find the ball-type faucet repair kits in most home improvement stores.
Leakages around the spout are among the most common issues with ball-type faucets. The leaks usually result from worn-out springs, damaged balls, or even worn-out valve seating. You may be tempted to tighten the cap using channel-type pliers because you have some DIY skills. However, we highly advise against such because you might exacerbate the issue by repairing one component, whereas the cause of the leak is elsewhere. The other common issue you may experience with these faucets is leakage around the base of the tap. Damaged O-rings cause this problem.
If you are thinking of replacing the rotating ball, you can choose from two options: plastic or metallic. Of the two, metallic balls are more expensive but a worthy investment since they have more durability.
Cartridge Faucets
The next faucet design is a cartridge faucet. These taps can also be identified with their inner parts or operating mechanisms. They feature a narrow plastic or metallic cartridge within the faucet stem. The cartridge lifts and turns to control the temperature and flow of water. Unlike the ball-type faucets, cartridge faucets come in either double- or single-handle options. Because they come in many various styles, it is a good idea to seek the help of a plumber or bring your old cartridge with you when you are shopping for a replacement part.
Cartridge faucets are quite trickier to repair. Therefore, you should leave their repair jobs to an experienced plumber if you have no plumbing experience. The cartridge should align properly in the repair process. Otherwise, the cold and hot water controls might become reversed. Finding the right type of cartridge is also essential.
Compression Faucets
This type of faucet is pretty unique. Compression faucets feature separate controls for cold and hot water. A threaded stem assembly normally identifies them within the faucet body. Their stem assembly comprises a restraining nut, stem screw, threaded spindle, O-ring, and a stem washer. These faucets are of different designs and styles. Thus, like most homeowners, you should leave their repair job to plumbing experts.
Although these facets are of many various styles, they all feature a similar type of neoprene seal or washer for controlling water flow. Leaks do happen whenever the seals and washers become worn out.
Compression faucets feature a variety of parts. Therefore, you should enlist the services of a licensed and professional plumbing service. The technician examines all their parts during the faucet repair job. For instance, most plumbers normally inspect the metallic valve seats within the compression faucet’s body. If these valve seats look or feel rough, the technician replaces them during the repair job. This makes a great difference in the service time of a repair.
The other important thing to note with compression faucets is that compression stems are also different. The faucet either has a tophat, reverse-pressure, or standard stem. It is critical that you use the right type of stem, another reason you should enlist a plumbing technician’s services in the repair or replacement job.
Disc Faucets
The last tap type is a disk faucet. They are usually found in a single-handle design only. The faucet is identified by a cylinder located within the faucet body. This closed cylinder features two ceramic disks that normally slide into alignment to control water flow.
Disc faucets are usually considered high-quality plumbing fixtures. Repairing them is easy, and you may not necessarily have to call a plumber to complete the job if you have the right tools and some plumbing experience. However, considering that the issue might be lying elsewhere, we advise against the DIY working on your faucet.
Seek the help of a reliable plumbing service in Houston Heights to have the unit repaired. The plumbers will fix the leakage by inspecting the disc faucet’s cylinder and cleaning all the neoprene seals. The technician then tests the faucet for leaks even after cleaning it. If it continues leaking, they replace the cylinder. This usually means that there is a scratch or crack on the disk.
The main notable thing about disc faucets during their repairs is that you have to open the shutoff valves slowly. Its ceramic disks are damage-prone when exposed to an abrupt air release. Besides that, there aren’t other worries you should have when tinkering with a disk faucet. Remember to leave all plumbing jobs to experienced and licensed professionals to avert further complications that might prove costly. The plumbers will also inspect your plumbing system after the repair for other issues that you did not have an idea existed. This shields you from a potentially expensive repair in the future.
Reliable Plumbers in Houston Heights
Are your home’s faucets leaking or malfunctioning? Or do you have any other plumbing concerns? Enlisting the services of a reliable plumber is the only viable solution to your plumbing issues. As discussed above, faucets are of various types, and you might know which type you use at your home. Therefore, call us today for faucet repair or other plumbing services at bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of West Houston.
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