| Room by room here is what you need to select | | | | hot and cold controls separate or single handle. The |
| regarding the plumbing fixtures for your new home. | | | | advantage of separate controls is that you don't |
| Let's start with the kitchen. First off, we will not be | | | | accidentally place a demand on your water heater |
| talking about appliances like a dishwasher or disposer, | | | | when you reach to turn on the cold water and have |
| although these are items that the plumber will install | | | | it slightly over on the warm side as you might with a |
| for you. We will cover those things in a future article | | | | single lever. A small child will walk up to a single handle |
| about appliances. | | | | faucet and just give it push to turn on without |
| The sink; you need to think about its function, care | | | | thinking about moving it to one side or the other. I |
| and your preferences. The basic options are | | | | find it easier to set the temperature better with dual |
| Stainless, cast iron with a porcelain finish, polymer, | | | | controls. Stick with the name brands on you faucets |
| steel, and ceramic. I feel a sink functions better if it | | | | and you won't go wrong. See the URL's below for |
| has some depth to it. Most builders install a 5" deep | | | | some choices. |
| sink as sort of a standard. My suggestion is to look | | | | In the baths the majority of the lavatories we use |
| at 7-8" for a little better utility. Sinks can have a | | | | are either man made marble (MMM) or porcelain. The |
| stainless rim, be self rimming or be under mount. The | | | | MMM sinks are cast into the vanity top and the |
| rimmed and self rimming can work with any type of | | | | porcelain is mounted onto the vanity usually over |
| counter top and the under mount is normally used | | | | ceramic tile. There are others made of copper, glass, |
| with a thicker counter, like granite or quartz. Again | | | | polymer and steel. The MMM lavatories are available in |
| my choice would be self rimming for ease of cleaning. | | | | many colors and sink styles and are a good value. |
| The stainless is by far the easiest to clean. The other | | | | The bath faucets, like the kitchen faucets, can be |
| sinks mar when you place an aluminum pan in them | | | | either dual control or single lever, wide spread or |
| and move it around. Some will stain with coffee and | | | | narrow. For the same reasons as the kitchen, I |
| tea. If you don't mind the extra effort to keep them | | | | prefer the dual controls. Note that the faucets of |
| looking good, then you can get the other sinks in an | | | | both areas can be selected in several finishes. |
| assortment of colors. You can find sinks with one, | | | | Chrome has been the most popular for generations; |
| two or even three bowls and the bowls can be | | | | however you may select, at a little higher price, |
| different sizes. A sixty, forty sink with a big and little | | | | fixtures with an oil-rubbed bronze, nickel, brushed |
| bowl is popular. | | | | stainless or other finishes. Again check the URL's |
| Everyone wants a faucet spout tall enough to get a | | | | below. |
| big tea picture under, and some women even wash | | | | The types of tubs and showers available will be the |
| their hair in the kitchen sink. Faucets come with both | | | | topic of the next article. |