When you look for a vessel sink faucet at The architecture Designs, your attention can go to its overall appeal, exteriors, mounting options, finishing, and so on. Since you also know that vessel sinks are higher than regular sink models, you can be particular about faucet height too. You may wonder if the spout will reach the central part of the sink so that the flow of water hits at the bottom and not the wall. Then, you can also emphasize that the faucet handle has to be a single lever. It is easy to operate and simple too. If you sift through them, you will wonder how many elements you have already checked. Do you feel these are adequate to give you the best choice that you want for your bathroom sink?
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In truth, you cannot visualize the well made vessel sink faucets without their internal engineering and construction. How they were built can have a considerable influence on their performance. Here design can refer to a ceramic cartridge, ball, or compression washer faucets. Let’s delve into them a bit to understand what you need for your chosen vessel sink.
Types of faucets
As mentioned, there are three main designs to consider – ball, compression, and ceramic cartridge. Of the three, ceramic cartridge has won favors for its ability to be leak-free and smooth. For convenience, it would be better to compare this with the other two options.
Ball faucet VS ceramic cartridge
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A ball faucet contains a rounded ball a bit higher up in the base so that it can move in a circular direction. A cartridge model usually consists of up-and-down movement to control water force and temperature. It is the unique benefit of this design. As per experts, the use of ceramic discs in the cartridge increases the resistance of the faucet, making it less vulnerable to wear and tear. The only thing that you can expect to give in over a period is the bottom rubber inlet seals. Mineral deposits can also block them. However, there is nothing to bother. The seals are easy to clean and replace.
Those who support ceramic discs can say that these can run for a lifetime. However, you can lower your expectations to 25 to 30 years. The only thing is how you maintain it can also decide its long-lastingness. The other reason for trusting this design is the safety of the water valve. Since the flow of water happens between the two ceramic discs and not a rubber seal, the water valve stays protected. The risks for corrosion are also limited even after daily use.
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Homeowners can opt for this design for its ease of replacement. In this design, two ceramic discs rotate on top of each other. If any of the parts stops working, you can install a new one in place of the old. It doesn’t require any intense plumbing intervention.
A cartridge faucet usually works up and down or right to left. It doesn’t move in a spherical direction like a ball faucet for water flow and temperature control. Due to this, you can find the first one easy to use and handle when it comes to getting water flow at a specific temperature.
Compression VS ceramic cartridge
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Compression faucets are one of the most prevalent and oldest options. A small washer inside this design controls the movement of the water into the tap. When you turn the faucet on, the washer becomes free as the stem breaks the seal leading to water flow in the valve. Similarly, when the stem goes down, the washer puts the seal back.
These types of faucets are not challenging to locate. You can find them to be cost-effective too. People like these models for their easy installation process. But you cannot depend on them to provide you with a leak-free experience. To be precise, you may have to deal with this problem frequently. The main reason behind this is its washer that can succumb to wear and tear quickly. Hence, even if it is a simple design, you may not want to cope with it so frequently, especially when you have an alternative too.
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So, here again, the choice of cartridge faucet with ceramic discs can prove beneficial. Since these don’t contain washers, you don’t need to worry about the damage. Although this design can be slightly more expensive compared to others, you may still want to go ahead with it because you can recover its cost over time. Besides, this faucet tends to be more efficient than others. It can offer excellent leak-proof experience. Repairing and replacement is also not an issue with this.
So, if you thought what else could guarantee you a well-made vessel sink faucet model, then go a bit deep with its engineering and mechanism. While external features are essential, you cannot ignore the utility of the internal systems and their effect on the performance. Most ceramic disc faucets come equipped with a single handle on the cylindrical body. They have a mixing chamber, also known as a pressure balance cartridge. In this area, the hot and cold-water mix. With the movement of the disk beneath the chamber, the level of water flow and temperature increases or decreases.
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It can feel like a technical aspect. If you don’t have much interest in engineering and construction, you can go straight to the product specification of a vessel sink faucet and verify whether it works on this system or not. If you see that the brand uses ceramic cartridge technology in its design, you can rest assured of getting the right thing for your home.
You can also feel happy to know that this feature or design is eco-friendly. The water crisis is one of the global warming effects. Saving and using water with utmost care is crucial for humankind and its existence. A leaky faucet causes tremendous water wastage. But when you choose this type of tap, you automatically put a check on this issue from your side. So even if it means a small step, you must not hesitate.
