Faucets have become such an important part of the lives of people that now we cannot imagine a bathroom or kitchen which does not utilize the various facilities offered by this simple but efficient product. You may be looking to purchase a faucet for the first time or may be intending to replace an existing one. In any case, it will be worthwhile to have a general understanding of the product and also it's working so as to help you in selecting the best product that is suited for your purpose. This can vary with where you are planning to install it, for example in the kitchen or in the bathroom.

 Before we actually select the product let us see the most important function carried out by the product. Unlike an ordinary pipe which is used to transport water, faucets have a variety of functions the main one being that it is very helpful in controlling the flow of water and this can be of great help when you have different functions to carry out in the kitchen.

 Having a general understanding of the parts of the faucet will also help you before you select the right one. The main parts of the faucets are the water inlets, mixing chamber and the handle. There are a variety of materials that are being used in the manufacture of a faucet but the mechanism remains the same. The introduction of plastic and metal cores and also metal balls has given more sophistication to the device. The introduction of nylon cartridges has helped manufacturers to drastically reduce the price of this wonderful product. Before you look for a faucet either for your kitchen or your bathroom it will be a good idea to decide whether you would like to go far a single or a double cartridge device.

 Conservation of water is an important consideration these days. It is imperative to say that conservation of this precious resource should start from the home. In fact, different countries have set up the standard norm for water conservation and usage of faucets so that there is no unwanted water loss. Hence, this is one important parameter a customer has to keep in mind while searching for the right faucet. One should ensure that the selected faucet conforms to the standards prescribed in that particular country. It is also important to have a general idea of the duration or the amount of time the device will be in use whether it is in your bathroom or in the kitchen before you select the right one for you. This is very important because this has a crucial effect on your water conservation strategy.

 While shopping for the faucet it should be borne in mind that the product has evolved over the years. In fact, one would be surprised to learn that even very ancient civilizations had developed faucets and they were an integral part of the excellent plumbing systems which existed during those days. This included even faucets made of precious metal like gold and even ceramic. As with any other industry, the plumbing industry also has naked huge advancements over the year to cater to the needs of the demanding customers. This has resulted in quality products which fulfil the demand which may range from quality, pricing and comfort. Faucets are no exception to this and great developments have been made in the development of this product. The two most popular inventions as far as the faucet manufacturing is concerned are the single handle faucet and the double-valved faucet. Both these innovations have its own advantages and have given customers high quality at a lower price and these are the models that are in demand all over the world.To bring about more durability of the product and to make it more user-friendly, manufacturers have replaced the washers which were being in use for a long period of time with cartridges which helps in more efficient control and lasts a longer period of time. Ceramic valves have also been introduced to enhance durability.

 A present day customer shopping for faucets will be bewildered at the wide array of faucets and will be spoilt for choice. The customer has to make the choice based on his need and also the location of use. You can choose from stainless steel faucet, pull out spray faucet, wall mounted faucet and even infrared sensor faucet depending on your use. Most of the modern day faucets even come with infrared sensors but one should understand that these are mainly used in commercial buildings like malls and theaters where automated faucets are a necessity in order to prevent excessive water usage by customers. These will have low utility for domestic purposes.

 While looking for a kitchen faucet  it would be a good idea to look for faucets with advanced features like corrosion prevention and filter capability to avoid impurities so that you can be sure of the quality of water that is used for cooking and other kitchen needs. Faucets can also be used to add to the aesthetics of your kitchen and hence you can always search for the wide array of ceramic, gold plated or even other excellent quality alloys which can greatly enhance the beauty of your kitchen. It should always be borne in mind that installation of a kitchen faucet is a very important step. Installation of a faucet may appear simple but improper installation of kitchen faucets can lead to a lot of issues ranging from leak and dampness and hence need to be avoided. Hence, it is imperative that at the time of shopping for a faucet itself you should learn from the manufacturer the right installation techniques and collect installation guides.