As you have no doubt observed in the sections on choosing the right toilet and water heater, choice is the name of the game in this industry. That said, there may be no wider palate of choice than when choosing a new kitchen or lavatory sink and faucet combination.  With so many companies competing for the best prices, sharpest styles and newest technology, it is easy to get overwhelmed. To help make all that selection a little easier to digest, we have put together the following guide.

The Sink

It used to be that bathroom sinks only came in porcelain or colored cast iron or steel. Today, there seems to be no limit to the size, shape or material that a sink can be made out of. There are copper and glass and tile sinks. There are sinks that mount on top of a vanity, those that mount into a vanity, those that are cast as the top of a vanity and now there are pedestal sinks that do away with the vanity altogether. Price follows the degree of uniqueness that you wish to invest in your sink and faucet combination. Small countertop units with an attaching vanity and even most pedestal sinks are very competitively priced. The more ornate and customized designs can be expensive so you’ll have to weigh necessity opposite style to find a balance that is right for you and your budget.

 The Faucet

Right now, the market is turning out just about every type of faucet you could imagine or want. Still, virtually every model reduces to the choice of a single or 2 handle style. Similar to the options in the kitchen, lavatory faucets are commonly available in chrome, nickel or brass. But, many other finishes are readily available with a little patience and effort. Handles are available in many styles as well. Many companies offer the option to buy handles separately to give flexibility to your budget or coordinate with the rest of your bathroom motif.

The Tub and Shower

While you are considering the look and feel of your bathroom’s lavatory sink and faucet, it may be a good time to give the controls for your tub and shower some thought. Most companies offer a coordinated style for the tub and shower valve to match the other fixtures in the bathroom. And of course, by now you’ve noticed the virtually limitless array of shower heads and detachable sprays that are available to further customize your bath. Instead of focusing on these choices here, we’d like to make you aware of two options that we find truly innovative: Scald Guard and Volume Control.

Call to mind the memory of drawing a bath for a small child. As the water fills the tub you sit on the edge and check periodically to ensure that the water doesn’t get too hot. That is sort of how a scald guard works. A scald guard is a small unit that fits into today’s tub and shower valves and controls how hot the water can get. The scald guard can be adjusted to your taste. Once it is set, the temperature of the water will never be hotter than the maximum limit that the guard has been set at. You can imagine the value this can be to parents or grandparents of small children. A scald guard does not mean luke-warm water. The maximum temperature can be set as hot or mild as you need it to be. We highly recommend a scald guard for every tub and shower valve we install.

Another great innovation for the shower in recent years is a valve with separate temperature and volume controls. Several companies feature these designs now. One dial on the valve controls the volume of the water pressure coming through the shower head. A second dial adjusts the mix of cold and hot water. This dial can be set to a preferred temperature and left there so that it is ready every time the shower is turned on.  How many times have you stood at the back of the shower and stretched up to adjust the valve and search for the right temperature setting? With one of these new valves, that is an experience of the past.

We hope that this outline of options helps you refine your choices and maybe offered some creative inspiration as well. For all you visual people out there, we have a beautiful showroom available full of all of the types of choices we've discussed hetre, and much more. And as always, our technicians are happy to spnd some time with you reviewing your options and helping you find just the right fit for your lifestyle, taste and budget.