Shower faucets: how to choose the perfect option?

Choosing a bathroom faucet is a very important task. It is necessary to combine the indicators of product quality and its aesthetic appearance. Therefore, it is very important to learn about the features of choosing a good faucet, which would serve for a long time and please the household every morning.

In the shower faucet there are several parts. These are the body of the mixer, sidewall, having poured out different lengths, pipes for cold and hot water, crane-box, nut and moving part of the body.

There are a number of faucets used in the bathroom or in the shower.

• Mixers used exclusively for showers. In such models there is no outflow, and water immediately enters the shower head. This option is perfect for showers. It can also be used in the bathroom if the spout interferes with the user.
• Universal bath taps and sinks. These mixers spout spout long and moves from the sink to the bath. This type of taps can be used if the bathroom is small and you need to save space. But due to the frequent movement of the mixer nozzle, the service life may be less. This is a minus in the models of this type. Most often, the mixer is complemented with a shower head on a flexible hose.
• Faucets with low spout in the bathroom. Have a complete water switch in the shower. When choosing this type of faucets you need to remember about the convenience of use. To do this, we need to estimate the approximate trajectory of the water fall and calculate whether there will be buckets placed under it to fill the water.

There are different types of mixer locations. It is important to determine the location of the mixer in advance to avoid difficulties in assembling and installing the structure.

Location may be as follows:

• Location on the side of the bathroom.
• Crane with shower on the rack. This option is used in designer bathrooms with a large area. Often baths are installed in the center of the room, and all communications are hidden under the floor. This option is very expensive to perform, since it is impossible to install this mixer on your own, without special skills.
• The location of the mixer on the wall. The most common location of the crane. Easy to install, does not require a specialist to call for installation.

Currently, a variety of models of shower faucets is huge. Below will be presented the types and characteristics of each.

This is a classic among faucets and is still actively used in the interior, especially if people want to add a touch of vintage to their bathroom. The water temperature is set manually with the help of two valves; this is how the cold and hot water mix. Then warm water under pressure enters either the spout or the shower head. Experts advise you to put on a special mesh on the tip of the tap to avoid splashing water.

To install a two-valve shower, eccentrics are required. (adapters for the supply of water pipes). More often they come with a mixer. Plastic eccentrics are used for plastic pipes, and for metal pipes - exclusively from metal.

Do not forget about rubber or silicone gaskets for sealing. In order to avoid leaks it is necessary to replace them regularly.

At present, this model of mixers is replacing the classic two-valve tap. Many opt for this model because of the ease of use and the ability to adjust the water to the desired temperature.

Single lever taps consist of a mixer housing, a spout and a cartridge. The cartridge itself is recommended to take a ceramic, as it lasts much longer. It should be noted that this option is more expensive than the metal one. Water is mixed in the cartridge, so this part often breaks. It is impossible to fix it, you can only replace it with a new one. Such mixers can be with a lever or joystick.

An infrared sensor is installed in the housing, which captures the warmth of human hands and turns on the water supply, set according to the set parameters. Under the case structure is a screw with which you can set the pressure and temperature of the water supplied. It is important not to forget that the device requires timely replacement of batteries. Sensory taps allow you to control the flow of water and minimize it.

This model of the crane is the most perfect. In each mode of operation of the mixer, the parameters of water pressure and temperature are set. Experts do not advise using this option in areas with high water hardness. Electronic mixers are divided into two types: contact and non-contact.

In contact management, instead of the classical gates and levers, a push-button control panel is used. It can be located both on the housing structure and in isolation.

Contactless electronic devices (or automatic) are considered the most modern and technologically advanced. The principle of their work consists in the presence of infrared sensors or photocells reacting to foreign objects in the mixers.

In addition to the simple inclusion of water according to specified characteristics, some models suggest a change in water temperature by changing the position of the arms in space. For example, if the hands are close to the sensor, the water will be hot, and if it is further, then it will be cooler.

Electronic mixers can operate in several ways:

• From the electrical network. In this case, turning off the light is fraught with the risk of being left without water.
• From batteries. In this case, it is important to remember about their timely replacement.
• From built-in batteries.
• Some products can be controlled by remote control and adjusted from a certain distance.
• There are very advanced options. They can memorize a person’s face and water parameters that are comfortable for him.

Automatic mixers, of course, save water and are very hygienic. They can be quite comfortable, because if your hands get dirty, you don’t need to touch the mixer itself.This is a valuable quality for a kitchen faucet. If the family has small children, you can not worry about the fact that they forget to turn off the water. And again, no burns from too hot water, since all the parameters of water are set in advance. And, of course, the automatic tap will add solidity to the house.

There are a touch of mixers and a number of inconveniences. The main disadvantage of such structures is their high cost. The price of a simple model of reliable cranes in this category varies in the range of 8-12 thousand rubles. The more interesting the design and more features, the higher the price, respectively.

Another disadvantage of this type of taps is that in the kitchen it may be inconvenient to have constant water temperature settings. In the process of cooking and cleaning, you may need hot and cold water. And constantly changing and installing a new mode is not quite comfortable. And if the user decides to fill the bath, you will have to stand and wait until the water is fully collected. Because without it, the process of dialing is impossible.

Watering cans can be of various shapes: rectangular, round or square. It is possible to choose the most convenient diameter.Standard diameters range from 6 to 40 cm. The height is set in the range of 90-200 cm. But it is often better to choose your family and yourself, depending on height. The most used option is the height of 120 cm and the diameter of the watering can itself is 15-20 cm.

This type excludes the mobility of the flexible hose and is rigidly fixed at a certain height. Often used in showers. Usually installed with a fairly wide shower head. Thus, it is possible to mimic the effect of tropical rain. However, many users in addition to the stationary install a shower with a flexible hose, it is more convenient, they believe. The advantage of a hard douche is in the duration of the life.

Flexible hose allows you to wash the necessary part of the body. In addition, it is possible to take a shower in a sitting position.Plus, you can choose a comfortable height for a particular person. Increasingly, the top shower head is combined with a watering can with a flexible hose. In this case, the possibilities of the soul increase.

This type is used in combination with acrylic baths, which can have many design configurations. As the name implies, the mixer of this type cuts directly into the bath. From an aesthetic point of view, this is a big plus, since the mixer looks very stylish and all unnecessary and unused parts are hidden.

Even the flexible hose of the shower head hides under the bath and only comes at the moment of use. But on the other hand, this nuance is also a danger in the future. Such a movement of the hose leads to a decrease in its service life. And if there is a leak in the hose itself, then it will be almost impossible to notice it in time. And in this case, there is the likelihood of flooding of neighbors or the ingress of water under the bath. These features are important to remember when operating the mortise mixer.

All communications and mounting elements are hidden in the wall. It is necessary to plan the installation of such a mixer before the work on finishing the premises has been started.The built-in hidden faucet looks very stylish and helps to visually expand the space, since only the necessary elements will be visible to the eye.

The task of saving water, this type of faucet copes well. The principle of its operation is simple: when you press the power button, water comes from a certain tank hidden in the body of the case. The usage time is set in advance. When it comes to an end, the water supply stops, and the reservoir is refilled with water.

The main advantage of the batch mixer is water saving. In addition, it is convenient to turn on and off the water, this action takes a minimum of time. But the push button mechanism can fail.

As the name implies, its location is the bathroom wall. The most popular model by location. For installation it is not necessary to call the plumber, you can do this work yourself.

The materials used for the manufacture of mixers can be of several types.

There are brass taps. They are durable, practically not subject to rust and resistant to any temperature conditions. The composition of brass includes copper and zinc. In such cranes more copper: from 60-80%. This material is harmless and does not have a toxic effect on the human body. The cost of these products is quite affordable for a person with any income, which is also a plus for brass mixers. By itself, brass does not require additional coverage, as it is a resistant material. However, crane manufacturers prefer to use electroplating or enamel / paint. This is done not to improve the quality of brass, but solely for aesthetic reasons.

Chromium and nickel are used more often than others. Nickel can be an allergenic metal, so if the user suffers from this disorder, it is best not to use valves with a similar coating.

Copper and bronze popular for coating on brass mixers. This is done to give the product a vintage look. Bronze-plated faucets are usually more expensive than chrome or nickel, but look very elegant.

Paint and enamel are not durable materials, therefore, in the operation of brass products coated with these materials, chips and cracks may occur.

Proper installation of the mixer will allow you to use it as long as possible. Currently, there are a number of parameters that should be considered when installing a mixer of any type. These parameters are prescribed in SanPin.

We list the main ones.

• The height of the faucet above the bathroom. This parameter sets the height from the edge of the bath to the mixer. This distance must be taken into account in order to control the noise of pouring water and to wash things of large volumes, fill buckets, canisters and other tanks with water. According to the standard, this height is no more than 25 cm, so that the stream of water is not noisy and does not splash much.
• The distance from the floor to the mixer. This height from the floor must be correctly calculated so that the pressure in the pipes is stable. This means that the pressure of water in the faucet depends on this indicator. According to the standard, the height of the mixer from the floor is about 800 mm. It is necessary to consider that it is necessary to install the mixer only after installation of a bathroom.Otherwise, you may encounter a situation where the mixer will be too close to the edge of the bathroom and will be uncomfortable to use.
• Mixer dimensions can be calculated based on how it will be exploited. If the mixer will be used both for the bath and for the sink, the spout itself is advised to choose as long as possible. But then you need to take into account the installation height of the sink. If the faucet will be used in isolation in the bathroom, you can choose a medium or short spout. In addition, the choice may be due to the designer's vision.

Design solutions for mixers set. They come in different shapes, sizes and colors. There are chrome and more concise forms, there are matte and retro options. The choice depends on the taste preferences of the person, as well as on the material state.

There are mixers in which the flow of water is highlighted in various colors. Most often blue and red. Color emphasizes the temperature of water: for hot water - red, for cold - blue.

There are mixers with various modifications of the water jet. It is possible to put on the spout of the tap a special mesh that would prevent water from splashing.And there is an opportunity to install a cascade mixer, then the water flow will flow in a beautiful cascade or waterfall.

You can choose between valve taps that bring a touch of retro to the interior, especially if they are covered with bronze or copper, and lever devices.

For people who are passionate about originality in the interior, there is an opportunity to opt for cranes, made in the form of toys or reduced copies of motorcycles, steamboats and much more.

The black color of the cranes looks very advantageous and stylish. It does not get dirty as chrome, on its shiny surface are visible water stains and drops. Black color is given by bronze or copper, which are applied to the brass mixer. Usually they look antique and noble. At cost, they exceed the average price of mixers. But the quality and beauty are worth it.

The white color of the mixers is also very popular. It is obtained by chromium or enamel. It is necessary to be careful with enamel, as a tap poorly covered with it can quickly crack. Therefore, in this case, you can not save on mixers, otherwise you will have to buy a new product.

The durability of the mixer depends on high-quality components.

This is often a weak point for cranes. This item helps to turn the water on and off. If the faucet began to leak or drip, even when closed, the faucet broke. This is the main component of the valve type mixers. If a breakdown occurs, it is important to replace the part and choose the right size. And you can do it yourself, without the help of a specialist.

It is important to contact the store with a broken crane box so that there is no error in size. The crankshaft is worm and ceramic. The first is cheaper than the second. The service life of the worm is short. In addition, they produce more noise during operation and are not very smooth when turning the valve.

Ceramic cranes are resistant to different temperatures and last much longer. To open the tap, it is not necessary to perform such a number of revolutions as when using a metal part, which is much more convenient and comfortable in operation.

In the touch models of luxury mixers there is a touch screen with which you can set the temperature of the water flow and other parameters. Some very expensive and innovative models suggest the ability to access the Internet, view e-mail and enable music. This is a nice addition, but it is expensive and not used by all consumers.

There are a lot of plumbing manufacturers. Virtually every country has its own firms producing faucets.

German plumbing is popular not only in their own country, but throughout the world. The company Grohe is especially popular. She is considered one of the best.It owns 8% of the plumbing market worldwide. More than 80 years, they show themselves exclusively from the best side. Their mixers are of high quality and made of excellent materials using the latest technical innovations. Grohe in their mixers puts only high-quality cartridges from ceramics. Their water saving function is high-class: you can reduce its consumption by 2 times. Also presented a series of contactless cranes.

In terms of design Grohe is difficult to find equal. Their plumbing close to the luxury class. If there are shortcomings with this German company, then the extremely high cost of their products. Although this cost is due to high quality and amazing design.

In the plumbing market there are many fakes of this company. Therefore, if the product is named Grohe, but its cost is frankly low, most likely it is a fake. And it is better not to deal with fake mixers, their replacement can cost more. Grohe also has low-end mixers that cost from 3,000 rubles.

There is a German company that is even older than the popular Grohe. This is Hansgrohe. The names of firms are so similar, because in a sense they are relatives.The founder of the company Hansgrohe had children. And one of the sons founded his company, Grohe. Now these brands compete for the plumbing market.

If we talk about the technical side, then Hansgrohe initially specialized in the production of mixers. And even now, having slightly conceded the branch of the championship to its younger relative, it remains known all over the world. Price range of products is medium and high. The quality is excellent. Design solutions range from ultramodern minimalist systems to timeless classics.

Russian-made plumbing is still somewhat behind foreign colleagues. But domestic firms are more budget line of mixers. For example, the Russian company Iddis is a fairly high-quality products at affordable prices. The only thing that does not have to apply for an exquisite design. But high quality, functional and no claim to luxury. Feedback from users is mostly positive, and this is important. Iddis has not yet come up with unusual design solutions either.

The country of refinement and luxury represents its firm Jacob Delafon. The products of the French company is distinguished by its design. Still, the French are able to create beautiful things, and this feature has not bypassed the shower faucets.The design differs from German products in soft lines and smoothness. Looks very stylish in any bathroom. Like all European plumbing, it is not cheap. The average price category is from 15,000 rubles and more for luxury class sanitary ware.

Spanish products of Roca are distinguished by originality of design. The mixers of their company are of very unusual forms and can look quite interesting in the interior. However, care must be taken in determining the usability of specific models. Sometimes it turns out that beauty and singularity replace practicality and usability. Prices are quite affordable and affordable for Russians with an average income.

If there is a desire to use the European brand, but for some reason the German mixers are not satisfied, then you should pay attention to Czech products. There are a number of companies that produce high-quality mixers, but their pricing policy is softer than that of German manufacturers. For example, Lemark or Zorg. Their mixers combine quality, affordable price and attractive design.

Hungarian mixers keep up with their competitors.Mofem represents its products on the market, which exceeds the European standards in terms of quality requirements. The warranty period for their products is 5 years. The feedback from people who use Hungarian mixers is only positive.

The most famous Finnish manufacturer of sanitary ware and faucets, in particular, Oras. The company has been on the market since 1930 and has established itself as an advanced company in the production of mixers. Scandinavian countries are fighting for maximum environmental friendliness and cost-effectiveness of products. A distinctive feature of this company - faucets with a thermostat and touch controls. These features save water consumption. However, the reviews at the moment are rather contradictory. Some users are satisfied with the work of mixers and not a single year. Others, by contrast, are very disappointed with the quality. And the price of these mixers is not small. Therefore, there is something to think about when choosing this mixer.

The trick of Italian companies is the design of the mixers, very elegant and close to the classics. One of the firms - Paffoni, differs as a high-quality design, so reliable assembly.Characteristics of Italian mixers are no worse than German ones. And the price is much nicer.

In the ranking of the best manufacturers of mixers while leading the German company Grohe. But in other firms, too, there are very high quality mixers at prices that are much more affordable.

It is important to pay attention to certain parameters when choosing a mixer:

• the convenience of use;
• long service life of the product;
• ease of care.

Experts prefer brass mixers because they are durable. Be sure to put on the tip of the spout a special mesh-aerator. Then the water will not be so sprayed, and the jet will be more pleasant. A plus is also the saving of water when using an aerator.

When choosing an automatic crane, it is important to pay attention to what range of sensitivity it is equipped with and what additional functions are present in it. For example, is it possible to change the duration of the water flow and how much the water flow temperature can be adjusted. Automatic mixers for the price is far from affordable.

In order to properly install the wall mixer, it is first necessary to determine the height at which the product should be located. Above, in the paragraph on dimensions, advice was given regarding the height of the mixer from the floor and from the edge of the bathroom.

The distance between the centers of the fittings is 150 mm. With the help of eccentrics, you can maneuver it horizontally and vertically by another 5 mm.

Please note that for sealing it is not necessary to use tow (flax). For the best effect it is necessary to miss the mark. This will create difficulties that can be avoided using a fum tape. They are easy to use and reliable as a sealant.

Installation Scheme:

• It is necessary to carefully study the instructions and check the integrity of all parts of the structure.
• Clean the pipes by opening the water. This must be done to avoid blockages.
• Take two eccentric bushings and see if they fit in size to the thread. If suddenly they are too small, then compensate for this with a large number of fum tapes.
• Install one eccentric into the pipe, without making much effort.
• Install the second eccentric. Do not twist to the end. See if the mixer fits eccentrics. A stubby nut should fit the eccentric thread precisely.
• Set decorative bowls. They should fit snugly to the wall.
• Install the seals that came with the mixer into the tightening nuts. Screw nuts on eccentrics. Make it very tight and for loyalty to tighten the key.
• See how tightly installed eccentrics and nuts. To verify this fact, it is recommended to open the water. You need to take this step very carefully and pay attention to any leakage.
• Fully assemble the mixer, place the spout, the flexible hose and the shower head in place.
• When making the final connection of the mixer, take care not to damage the surface of the mixer.

The installation process is shown in great detail in the video below.