Water tap: how it is arranged and what to look for when
Such a device as a water faucet is an integral element of any plumbing system of an apartment or house. The device regulates the power of the pressure of the supplied water or completely blocks the flow of fluid. The product that allows you to mix hot and cold water is called a mixer.
That is, in essence, a mixer is a type of faucet. It is about the mixers that we will talk about. More specifically, in this article we will figure out what kind of faucets for outdoor plumbing - after reading such information you can make the most correct choice in the store.
We will also consider all the main nuances associated with a particular type of product. Let's start with the most important point.
Principle of the device
In fact, the design may be different, but the essence is the same - the shutter of the device is actuated by a valve mechanism and thus opens or closes the path for the passage of fluid. The shutter can move both clockwise and against it, and in addition, in some devices it also moves up and down.
The most common valves with a valve made of leather or rubber, as their price is the most affordable. However, such solutions quickly fail. A more durable option is a ceramic valve.
Tip: in any case, try to buy products only known brands, as with this approach, the probability of "falling" on low-quality goods is much lower.
Instruments on the design features can be primarily divided into three main types, which are discussed in the table below.
| Product type | Special features |
| With conical locking element. | It can be said that the faucet of this modification is obsolete today. And all because there is too much torque during control. Because of this, the mechanism quickly wears out. |
| Ball lock. | The essence of the work here is that the shutter looks like a ball in which there is a hole. And when this hole is directed along the line, liquid begins to flow into the mixer. Plus, in order to supply water or its overlap, it is enough to turn the lever only a quarter of a turn. As for the drawbacks, it can be noted that the operating instructions of the structure do not allow very precisely and quickly regulate the temperature of the liquid. |
| With cylindrical. | Due to the fact that here the shutter is not pressed close to the valve - it does not work out a high tightness of the lock. Therefore, it is better to use such devices not for blocking the flow, but for its adjustment - for example, at any intermediate points of the common highway. |
Well, since we started talking about the types of water taps, it is probably worth going into all this in more detail.
Types of products
Before you begin to review the most basic points, it is worth noting that the mixers can also be divided according to the type of fastening.
- Wall solutions. These are devices that are mounted directly on pipes or on special fasteners installed on the wall plane.
- Mortise models. They are placed in specially provided holes for them in sinks, sinks or bathtubs.
Well, then publish a review of the more well-known to all concepts.
Two-valve devices
Such mixers are a spout with two valves, each of which "works" with either hot water or cold. It turns out that the mixing of the liquid is carried out directly in the "nose" of the device. The valve here can be with rubber or ceramic gasket.
Note! Due to the presence of ceramic elements in front of this type of valve, it is recommended to put a filter with a mesh, since small mechanical particles can get into the "finishing" flow.
The advantages of two-pin solutions are in the following points:
- Pretty low cost goods.
- Practicality - as a rule, breakdowns here usually consist in the wear of the gasket, which changes with their own hands in literally 15-20 minutes.
As for the shortcomings, we can distinguish such a moment as the fragility of the valve connections. This means that it is very undesirable to tighten the valves with effort, as this leads to the deformation of the crane-box mechanism.
Single lever
Such faucets for plumbing appeared in our stores a couple of decades ago and, in principle, won a very large part of the market. We have to admit that this happened for a reason - it is very convenient to use this type of construction, as the temperature and power of the water flow can be adjusted with just one lever.
The lever moves up and down, as well as sideways. The higher the lever to raise, the greater the pressure will be, well, the temperature is regulated by withdrawing the product to the right or left.
Structurally, there may be two differences:
- Ball Solutions. This is when the adjustment is carried out by overlapping or aligning the holes in a special metal ball. The ball itself is in a ceramic cartridge.
- Variants with ceramic valve. Here the principle of operation is somewhat different - inside the faucet there are two ceramic disks with holes. The fluid flow in this case will depend on how these holes coincide or overlap.
In principle, both options are convenient in their own way, just in the first case it is difficult to change cartridges independently, and in the second such replacement is usually not required. But the second option is more sensitive to the quality and composition of water.
Sensory and thermostatical
And one more marking of water taps. Thermostatic mixers are products with two knobs. One knob controls the flow rate and the second adjusts the desired water temperature. At the same time, the main distinguishing feature here is the ability to adjust the water on an ongoing basis.
That is, to put it simply, you can adjust the temperature once and the water will always flow out with this degree. This is a very convenient solution, especially in those situations where there are children in the house - they will not scorch with such a tap.
And sensory models are equipped with a photocell, which turns on the flow of liquid when hands are brought to the tap. At the same time, the temperature and the flow rate are adjusted once - and then water always flows out from the mixer with the set temperature and flow.
The main disadvantage of such "advanced" devices is their high cost and lower level of reliability compared to more classical counterparts.
And finally, it is worth highlighting another important point - this is the material used to make the devices. The most attractive models of brass with a chrome-plated coating, as this metal does not rust and has an optimal price. (See also the article How to install a faucet on the sink: features.)
More expensive solutions are copper and cast-iron water taps, but they are, perhaps, relevant to be used mainly when the design of the surrounding interior requires this step.
Conclusion
We have figured out what are the modern faucets and hope that now you can choose the most suitable faucet. That is, the product that is ideal for your particular situation. By the way, the video in this article may also interest you - in the video, some nuances on this topic are shown visually.