According to the National Kitchen & Bath Association, there will be plenty of changes coming to bathrooms next year. Bathrooms are getting bigger and more involved, with many removing bathtubs to make room for larger showers, increasing natural light, and adding technology like heated floors or programmable flow and temperature controls.
At the same time, homeowners and remodelers are increasingly cost conscious, actively looking for ways to update these increasingly spa-like spaces for less. One of the easiest ways is to change out the faucets to refresh any existing bathroom space.
“Homeowners used to be more reactive about faucets, waiting for them to age or leak before seeking a replacement,” says Dan Gonzalez, owner of FlushIt (formerly Dan’s Dirty Drains). “While we can certainly accommodate them with whatever we have in the van, there are better ways to go about replacing bathroom faucets before they break.”
Dan suggests a three-step approach to faucet upgrades, starting with a modest $25 consultation that will be applied to any future installation or service. During the plumbing consult, he will inspect the sink and bathtub and help the homeowner set selection parameters based on the existing sink, bath, or shower.
“Everything used to be pretty standard, but no more. Most bathrooms have been customized nowadays,” says Dan. “So knowing what kind of basin, how many deck holes, or any pop-up drain assembly requirements can make a big difference. These details can help the homeowner decide which faucet styles are best suited for the job.”
After an initial consultation, FlushIt customers can visit local retailers, like The Home Depot or Lowe’s Home Improvement, or order faucets online from the manufacturer of their choice. Moen, Delta, Kohler, and Pfister tend to be the most popular.
“While any of these brands are fine, I lean toward Moen for its lifetime limited warranty with excellent service. If there is a drip or leak, they will send any necessary plumbing replacement parts or replace the entire faucet, free of charge,” said Dan. “You won’t see the same service from some European manufacturers. Those installations tend to be more complicated or ship without installation instructions.”
Dan says it’s not uncommon for ambitious customers to call FlushIt halfway through complicated installations. Or, in some cases, they successfully uninstall their existing faucet but aren’t sure how to install a new faucet.
“If you order a centerset faucet for a widespread basin or a faucet with a short pop-up assembly for a pedestal sink or newer square sinks, expect some challenges,” Dan says. “We have an excellent track record for finding workarounds and solutions, but it’s so much easier to choose the right faucet for the basin or environment you’re looking for and make sure the style and finish are available for the shower as well, if that is important to you.”
Current trends suggest solid brass (for longevity), stainless steel (for a polished look), and brushed nickel (for easy cleaning) are among the more popular finishes. Other finishes include bronze, chrome, black, white, and copper. But overall, most faucets will last between 15-20 years, depending on proper installation and water hardness.
“Customers can also extend the life of most faucets by keeping the aerator clean or replacing this small part every 2-5 years,” Dan said. “An aerator is the screen at the end of the faucet that controls the water stream by introducing oxygen into the water.”
Aeration is the simplest way to improve water flow and increase water savings. Many modern faucets are now WaterSense-rated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Those with a WaterSense label are about 20 percent more water efficient than similar faucets in the same category.
“Along with WaterSense faucets, more customers are asking about touchless sink faucets that are motion or voice-activated and smart showers that remember how much water flow and temperature every person in your household prefers,” said Dan. “Bathroom faucets are playing catch up to the kitchen, but showers are leaping ahead.”
New digital smart showers control everything: flow, temperature, duration, and remote control. Some even include a bath fill option, turning the bathtub faucet off once the bath fills to a preset depth.
“All these styles and options are part of a trend to turn our bathrooms into personal spas,” said Dan. “While some plumbers aren’t excited about all these changes, we love it because it changes how people think of plumbers. There is much more room to develop a long-term relationship with customers.”
Working with the plumber ahead of the faucet selection, offering knowledgeable advice, and ensuring a proper installation make the plumbing experience proactive instead of reactive. Sure, emergency plumbing services will always be a big part of the plumbing experience, but it’s also nice to know you can call on a trusted plumber to improve the quality of your home too.
