October 10/2022

4 Types of Sink Faucets

When it comes to choosing sink faucets for your home or office, it’s not always easy to make a choice as there are several options to choose from. In this article, we will walk you through the four different types of sink faucets commonly found in homes to help you make the right choice.

Ball faucets

As the name suggests, ball faucets feature a single handle and a rotating ball-shaped cap located inside the faucet’s assembly. The rotating ball, also known as lever ball assembly, has multiple chambers and slots built into it. The slots in the lever ball assembly align with hot and cold water inlet seats inside the faucet’s assembly to control the flow and temperature of the water exiting the ball faucet. The water flow, pressure, and temperature depend on the position of the ball. The single handle can move up and down or side to side to control the position of the rotating ball.

Ball faucets were the first faucets designed without rubber washers, which is why they are common in older homes. However, these faucets are more prone to leaks, so they require more maintenance than other types of sink faucets.

Disc faucets

These are more modern sink faucets as compared to ball faucets. Disc faucets feature a single handle over a wide cylindrical body. The large, cylindrical body contains two ceramic discs inside a chamber known as the pressure balance cartridge. When a disc faucet is turned off, the upper disc and lower disc are pressed together to form a watertight seal, which blocks the flow of water. When you lift the handle, the two discs separate to create a gap that allows water to pass until you close the faucet again. Moving the handle from side to side controls the water temperature. Disc faucets are more durable than ball faucets, so they come with a higher price tag.

Cartridge faucets

As the name implies, cartridge faucets have a hollow metal cartridge inside the body of the faucet that moves to control the flow of hot and cold water. These faucets are available in either single-handle or double-handle models. The operation of cartridge faucets is fairly simple: for a single-handle cartridge faucet, move the handle up and down to control the amount of water flow. Moving the handle side to side controls the water temperature. For double-handle cartridge faucets, you simply rotate the handle in one motion to turn the water on or off.

Compression faucets

Compression faucets are the oldest of the four types of sink faucets. These faucets have separate hot and cold water handles. Compression faucets are operated by tightening and untightening the handles to control water flow.

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When you are in need of faucet installation or faucet repair in your home, you can count on Mr. Rooter Plumbing to get the job done. In addition, our team of skillful plumbers offers a wide range of plumbing services such as water heater installation, sewer line replacement, sump pump installation, drain cleaning, water line repairs, leak detection, and more.