Installing a New Bath Shower Faucet
Getting a new bath shower faucet can seem like a daunting task for some, especially if you have never made a purchase like this before. It doesn’t have to be such a difficult affair, however. With a little bit of knowledge you can go to your local supplier and feel confident that you will end up with something that suits your needs perfectly. One of the first things you need to decide upon is whether you want two handles or one. For a bath shower, most people prefer the two handled option, mostly because it gives you a much greater control over the flow of water and the temperature. There’s nothing worse than spending the first three minutes of your shower trying to regulate the temperature of the water coming out, and this can be greatly alleviated by getting a two handled faucet.
The next decision you have to make is what sort of material are you going to choose? Chrome faucets are a popular choice, as they are one of the most inexpensive options. Many modern bathroom owners prefer something a bit glossier, and will usually choose an enamel or epoxy finish, and while these look great in the right setting, they are also prone to scratches and dings, so need to be handled with a bit more care. Chrome is strong, but for optimal strength you are going to want to look at PVD (physical vapor disposition) faucets. This is achieved by coating a thin layer of vaporized metal over the material, making it extremely strong and hard wearing. Be warned that you will be paying top dollar for this type of material.
The four most popular types of faucet styles are compression valve, ball valve, cartridge and ceramic discs. Compression valves are the most popular of the four, and are also the least expensive. The basic principle behind these is that the stem is held in place with a washer, and as the faucet handle is turned, the stem is raised and lowered. The use of a washer makes it prone to breaking, but this style of faucet is very easy to fix. Ball valves are a little more durable, as they don’t use washers. Instead a ball has grooves in it that allow the water to flow through as the handle is turned. This style of faucet is more popular in the kitchen than the bathroom, but can be utilised as a bath shoer faucet with great success. The cartridge style consists of a moveable cartridge that is lifted up and down with the handle to regulate water flow. Some people much prefer the lifting of the faucet handle, rather than the twisting type, but this really comes down to personal preference and taste. Finally, the ceramic disc faucet consists of two highly polished discs, that when joined together provide a water tight seal. The lower disc is stationary and the top one is moved up and down to let water through. This style, while being fairly expensive, will hardly ever need maintenance or replacing, they are very robust.
Once you’ve chosen from the styles of bath shower faucets mentioned above, your next challenge is installing it. This needn’t be as difficult as it sounds, and with the right tools and a little bit of tenacity, you should have know trouble getting it installed without the need to pay a plumber to do the job for you. The first step is to remove the existing faucet, and before you even think about doing that, you are going to want to make sure the mains are turned off. You may also want to put a plug in the bath before commencing, as there is nothing more frustrating than losing small screws and tools down the plug hole. You will then want to pop the covers off your existing faucet handles and unscrew the screw underneath. It’s a good idea to cover your tools in tape to prevent your hardware from getting scratched during the bathroom shower faucet installation process. Once you have the old handle off, get a scourer and clean inside the hole, taking care not to damage the thread inside. Now all you need to do is apply a little plumber’s compound to the thread of the new handle and screw it into place. The process is very similar for the faucet itself, but will differ depending on the style of faucet you chose. If possible, ask your faucet dealer to provide you with an “exploded parts diagram” for your faucet. This will list every part within the faucet, making installation a breeze.
December 5th, 2009 at 8:12 am
Nice article. A couple of additional thoughts, from one who has also done this job… Not all homes are metered for water. Your valve may be a simple gate valve in the basement or outside near the foundation in a box or exposed. The new cartridge may come with a silicone grease to lube the o-ring seals. Don’t forget to use it. Watch how you reassemble the unit, or you may reverse the flows of hot & cold water. (Guess how I know this.) When putting the escutcheon plate (chrome cover thingy) back on, carefully check the seal against the wall and re-caulk it if necessary. Failing to do this will allow water to enter the hole in the wall, and may result in mildew, mold and rot inside the wall behind the shower.