6 Most Crucial Plumbing Fixtures in Your Home
Are you looking to install or replace plumbing fixtures in your home? Call the Advantage Plumbing & Sewer Co. team at (847) 268-3553 to request a consultation.
Indoor plumbing fixtures in the home date back to between 1500 and 1000 B.C. in Crete, when the first plumbing toilets arose. Since then, plumbing fixtures have remained fundamental comforts we enjoy as civilized individuals.
Each plumbing fixture in your home delivers water for use in bathrooms and kitchens. Each device also channels it outside into private or public sewage systems.
Are you building a new home or refurbishing an existing one? You’ll need to know the essential plumbing fixtures in a truly modern home. In this article from Elburn’s professional plumbers, we’ll look at them below.
1. Faucets
Faucets are undoubtedly one of the most used fixtures in the home. They control the flow of water around the house. Since they are high-traffic plumbing fixtures, it’s in your best interest to spend a little more time on the selection process.
Choose the right type of faucets and high-quality units from top brands.
What Are the Different Types of Faucets?
The various types of faucets on the market today include:
Compression Faucets
These traditional faucets are common in older homes. They feature separate handles for hot and cold water. To control water flow with these faucets, you must rotate them manually.
Disc Faucets
Disc faucets are more durable and require far fewer repairs than compression faucets because they don’t rely on washers.
They feature handles that move up and down and side to side. Raising the handle up creates a gap between the lower and upper disc of the faucet, causing water to flow, while lowering it has the opposite effect. Moving the handle from side to side controls the water temperature.
You’re likely to find disc faucets in bathroom sinks.
Ball Faucets
Ball faucets are similar to disc faucets because they do not require washers. You can find them in a kitchen sink.
They feature handles you can move freely from side to side and up and down. You can control water flow and temperature by moving the handle to the correct position.
2. Sinks
Sinks are permanent fixtures in any home because it’s hard to practice correct hygiene without them. You rely on sinks for washing hands, dishes, brushing your teeth, and more. All sinks have a faucet that supplies water for use and a drain that allows the water to flow out.
You must choose from two broad categories when selecting sinks for your home: the bowl types or the installation method.
Types of Sinks Based on Bowl Type
The main types of sinks based on bowl types include:
- Single bowl sinks
- Double bowl sinks
- Sinks and drainboard combination
- Bar or kitchen island sinks
The names indicate what to expect from each sink type. It’s best to choose a faucet based on your home’s needs.
Types of Sinks Based on Installation Method
The types of sinks based on installation method include:
- Undermount sinks
- Top mount sinks
- Integrated sinks
- Corner sinks
- Farmhouse sinks
3. Bathtubs
Bathtubs are standard fixtures in most homes. Modern options contain enamel, fiberglass, and acrylic. Some of the different types of bathtubs you can choose from include:
- Whirlpool bathtubs
- Eastern-style bathtubs
- Clawfoot tubs
- Western-style bathtubs
When choosing, pay attention to the space and the wider bathroom décor. You don’t want to pay for a bathtub that will crowd your bathroom or not have the depth or length you want.
4. Showers
Showers are simple plumbing fixtures that pour a stream of water through nozzles downward or horizontally. These units can function as a standalone space or as part of a bathtub. They come in various designs, delivering different water pressures and effects.
You can choose:
- A hand-held shower
- A shower that pours water directly onto your head
- A shower that sends a stream of water directly to your body
You can also choose a unit that combines all three options.
The controls on modern showers allow straightforward temperature and water control, making them highly efficient.
5. Toilets
Toilets are crucial because they collect human waste and send it to the central sewage system or a local septic tank. You can’t afford to have a low-quality toilet because you may lose thousands of gallons of water per year to leaks. There’s also the risk of fouling surfaces and encouraging bacteria growth in your bathroom.
The types of toilets you can choose from include:
- One-piece toilets
- Two-piece toilets
- Wall-hung toilets
- Back-to-wall toilets
- High-level toilets
Most homes have two-piece water closets where the bowl and water are separate fixtures. You can choose a one-piece option for small bathrooms.
You can also select your toilet based on your preferred flushing mechanism. Options include single-flush units, dual-flush units, and touchless flushing units.
Dual flush toilets allow you to choose flush volumes depending on the type of waste. Touchless flushing systems are modern, hygienic systems that rely on motion sensors.
6. Water Heater
A water heater is a critical plumbing fixture because you need it to maintain a steady supply of hot water in your home. You can choose between a tank and a tankless water heater.
Tank water heaters store water in a tank, continually heating it to ensure a stable supply of hot water for use around the home. The downside to using these systems is the inefficiency of the heating process. The tank has to heat water around the clock to prevent heat loss.
Tankless water heaters only heat water as you need it, making them more energy-efficient. Before you choose tankless water heaters, be sure they are a good fit for your home. They tend to struggle in homes whose inhabitants simultaneously need hot water usage.
Find the Right Plumbing Fixture for Your Home
Interested in finding the best plumbing fixtures for your home and learning more about plumbing basics? Call Advantage Plumbing and Sewer Co. at (847) 268-3553 to schedule a consultation in Elburn, IL.
