Best Way to Select Fixtures and Faucets for Your Remodel
When you are shopping for a new low flush toilet, or installing a new shower valve or kitchen faucet there are a lot of choices. How do you know where to start? In most cases, the design dictates your selection. The style may be more traditional or modern, the finish may be brushed nickel or polished chrome but before you purchase the item we want you to consider what is inside.
As service and repair plumbers we see what works. We have worked on some very high end products that are absolutely beautiful and also very difficult to repair. We have also attempted to work on some store brands that are very low cost but don’t last.
In some cases the high end models, even products that offer limited lifetime warranties may be difficult to work with in terms of obtaining service parts when you need them. Most companies will not warranty the finish so it is important that you know the manufacturers recommendation for cleaning so as not to damage the exterior that is not under any warranty. While these items can be repaired, you may end up waiting weeks and weeks for the parts to arrive for some of these specialty items.
The home store brands are attractive but unless generally don’t have any (0) service parts available. Not only will you have the expense of having the purchase and install the new product you will end up adding it into the landfill when it only needed a service because the parts are simply not made and they are considered throw away items. (Isn’t that horrendous in this day and age when we know we are running out of landfill space?)
Companies for faucets such as Moen, Kohler, Delta and Price Pfister have been around for a long time and we do not hesitate to recommend them because the products are repairable and the service parts are usually available. The only caveat is that some of these companies make a home store brand that is less costly to meet the home store price point. The actual differences in the products is that they are using more plastic parts inside and spending more money on a fancy box. We recommend that you purchase these items through us instead to get the higher quality products.
For fixtures such as tubs, showers and toilets, companies such as Kohler and Toto are reliable and engineered to provide consistently good quality.
Toilets are tricky. There are many different internal parts that have been used through the years and depending upon your model number, specific internal parts are needed. We do not hesitate to recommend Kohler or Toto for toilets because of their overall high quality. With low flush model toilets we recommend that you pick products with a glazed trap-way. This means that the internal china is as smooth in the inside as it is on the outside.
We believe that remodeling is exciting and also a challenging task with lots of decisions both before you start and as you go. Your product selections are meant to last for years. We hope that this guidance is helpful Should you be embarking on a remodeling project or just need a new kitchen faucet, please let us help you. We can guide you on the products you have found and help with the rough plumbing and finish work also.
Since 1914, Powers Plumbing has been on a mission to provide exceptional high quality plumbing services for the San Diego communities we serve. We are deeply connected to our historic Mission Hills community and are proud to serve multiple generations of families throughout San Diego.
We continue to strive to be the best plumbing shop in San Diego by living up to high ethical standards that have been passed down to us through generations of honorable service.
We hope that you will call us and choose us to assist you with your plumbing needs.