7 Things to Consider Before Buying a Utility Sink Faucet

Buying the ideal utility sink faucet depends on your sink’s design, style, size, and preference. You’ll also have to consider the faucet’s features and finish. Fortunately, the market will spoil you with various utility sink faucets. As a result, you may find it hard to choose the right utility sink faucet for your needs.

Fortunately, there are factors to consider being able to find the ideal faucet easily. To grasp some knowledge on the same, you may need to continue reading.

What to Put in Mind When Purchasing a Utility Sink Faucet

1. The Height and Reach

Faucet spouts come in various height and reach, and you get to choose what you like. The right height and reach for your utility sink’s faucet is easy to operate and serves the entire sink area as required. If, for example, you have a shelf installed above your utility sink, a tall spout is not a good option. It may not fit. For utility sinks with two or more bowls, a faucet with a short spout may not reach all the bowls, resulting in inconveniences. Also, a short spout may cause water to splash behind it and on the countertop attached to the sink while washing your hands or anything else.

2. The Dripping Aspect

A utility sink faucet with ceramic valves never drips. Though other faucets are also drip-free for years, their longevity cannot match a faucet with a ceramic valve. More impressively, these faucets do not coat more than the other faucets.

3. Finish

Consider a faucet with a sturdy finish to ensure serving you for long. The finish should also blend well with the room’s interior decor and should come with fashionable design to help boost the room’s appearance. Depending on your choice, you can go for a utility sink faucet with a bronze, polished chrome, or satin nickel finish. Go for a tap that will maintain its luster for years.

Among the various finishes available, chrome is the easiest to clean and lasts the longest. It is why faucets with a chrome finish are most preferred and famous in public bathrooms and commercial kitchens.

The nickel utility sink faucets come labeled as stainless steel or brushed. Mostly, their shine is dull and is also durable. Unfortunately, their finish is prone to water spots and fingerprints, making them hard to keep clean. Though some come with a coating designed to reduce smudges and stains, it may wear or chip with time, leaving the nickel naked and vulnerable.

They come with a brown tone for the bronze faucets and sometimes get known as rubbed or oiled bronze. The bronze finish is usually a coating like epoxy, than metal. It is a tough coating though it can get scratched or chipped than metal.

4. Sink Holes

If you are thinking of switching your utility sink from having two faucets to one, you should consider the number of holes found in your sink. Most sinks come with three holes; for cold, hot, and under the spout. Some utility sinks have a faucet that covers the extra holes. Check your sink to confirm. If your bathroom’s faucet is widespread and contains two handles away from the spout, it is possible to switch to a one-handle model.

But for the kitchen faucet containing a pull-down sprayer attached to the spout, you can use the empty sprayer hole to mount it. Alternatively, install a suitable soap dispenser if the new faucet doesn’t have one.

5. Faucet Handles

Two-handle faucets may be stylish and suit many bathrooms, especially those with a traditional touch, but come with some disadvantages in the practical aspect. A single-handled faucet is more advantaged than a two-handled tap because it is more convenient. In a single-handled faucet, it is easy to clean and adjust the water temperature.

6. Pull-Down Sprayers

A faucet mounted with a side sprayer will leak or dribble. But a pull-down sprayer works out best. If you need a sprayer on your utility sink’s tap, you may need to consider a pull-down sprayer.

7. Water Lines

A faucet should be compatible with the available water supply lines for optimal results. Check your waterline and shutoff valves’ size before buying a faucet for your utility sink. You will find the water lines under your sink. Use a measuring tape to measure the size.

If your home is the old type, you may not get a shutoff valve. Mostly, new faucets come attached with flex lines of 3/8 – inches. In case your water shutoff valves measure ½ - inch, you don’t have a choice but to change them to those with 3/8 – inches.

Generally, even though the shutoff valves measure the same as your new faucet, you should change them to avoid leaks. Old valves are bound to fail.

8. Your Utility Sink Mounting Type

Some faucets may not work well with your utility sink as different faucets fit different sink types. Know your sink type and the ideal faucets for such a sink.

9. Color

You may not want a faucet that comes with a different color from your utility sink or the room. A color mismatch causes disorganization and an unattractive look. But when you match your faucet’s color with the interior décor of the room or complement the room’s color, it will look beautiful and improve the look and sink.

10. Price

Do not go for a faucet you can’t afford. Consider your budget and go for a tap that will meet your needs. Also, it doesn’t make sense to install an expensive faucet on a cheap and old sink, and vice versa. Some faucets may come with a low price tag, but it doesn’t mean they are of poor quality. Expensive taps may mean they have extra features to enhance usability.

Conclusion

Sometimes we may be forced to change our utility sink’s faucet due to several reasons like break down or worn out. Whatever the reason, you may need to install a new one, and should consider the factors explained above before buying one if you require the right faucet for your sink. Here’s an excellent guide of sink engineering’s utility sink faucet reviews.