How Important is Sink and Faucet Replacement?
Sink and faucet replacement is important for a few very sensible reasons. First, of all the places in your home to invest your money your kitchen is number one. Then changing out your sink and faucet doesn’t take a whole lot of money, if it’s done right.
That versus the cost of perhaps a new floor, countertops, or cabinets. If done correctly, it’s also a very quick job that could be finished within a day. Then just like clothing and cars, kitchen sinks and faucets are vulnerable to the cycle up trends.
So what was once red hot 10 or 15 years ago is now most likely dated to one degree or another. Then in Pittsburgh sink and faucet replacement is especially important because the hard water there over time can have your sink and faucet crusted up with stubborn calcite deposits.
What is the Average Lifespan of a Sink and Faucet?
The answer to this question is that as they have become more affordable, faucets, in particular, have sacrificed longevity for style and features. So the faucet our grandparents grew up using in their home would probably still function today.
They were good solid faucets with a basic knob on top that they turned counter-clockwise for the water to come out and then clockwise for the water to stop. They were highly functional, if not the most attractive. This is not to say that virtually every sink and faucet available on the market today it’s not designed and manufactured to give a lifetime of service.
It’s just that if you choose to, you can buy one now that’s surprisingly affordable.
Far more affordable and more beautiful than what was available in decades past. But low cost and catchy design style comes with a trade-off of service life.
What are the Long Term Bad Effects of Having a Broken Sink and Faucet?
When the topic of a broken sink and faucet comes up, what they are really talking about is chips, leaks and perhaps stripped-out knobs on a faucet. So there are bad effects that accrue over time due to a malfunctioning faucet and the first one is psychological. You use your sink and faucet every day, and having a broken sink and faucet can really spoil your mood and keep you constantly aware that your kitchen is wide open for improvement if you could just get around to doing it.
But psychological matters aside, having water constantly dripping out the faucet into the sink will hasten the rusting out of iron pipes and the degrading of rubber seals. This, in turn, can lead to water-damaged cabinets.
Prime Indicators that You Are Due for a Sink and Faucet Replacement?
The best way to get a good idea of how dated your existing sink and faucet are is to visit a model home in a new housing or condominium development. Home decorator showrooms are one thing, but they can be more than a bit overwhelming with all their choices.
But the people who come up with the concepts of what goes into a model home for a brand new subdivision have done their homework and know what they are doing. Their livelihood depends on it, so they have gone to the showrooms, poured through magazines, and surveyed real estate professionals.
They crunched the numbers and followed the trends, and now the front door is open on their model home for you to tour and see what those latest trends are. Then if you’re considering putting your home on the market, a sink and faucet replacement can only help give a boost to its value.
What Makes Pittsburgh Sink and Faucet Replacement Different?
If you had to put your finger on one particular item that makes Pittsburgh sink and faucet replacement different than other areas of the country, it would be hard mineral-laden water.
Mineral water might be your preferred choice when you reach into the cooler at your local mini mart. But it certainly isn’t the ideal choice when it comes to the water that’s going to be running through the pipes of your home or business. The Greater Pittsburgh area is well known for its hard mineralized water loaded with dissolved calcium.
So unless you have a water softener installed, then you probably already noticed that your shower head and faucet nozzle screens become periodically clogged up with white crust. What you can’t see, though, is the calcite deposits building up inside your faucets, causing annoying drips.
Tips for Maintaining your Sink and Faucet in Pittsburgh
So maintaining sinks and faucets in Pittsburgh really means preventing and removing calcite deposits. You may have already tried scrubbing off the build-up that a steady leak has deposited down the side of your sink. Then you may have also become tired of replacing faucet spigot screens and showerheads that become clogged up with deposits.
So try filling a glass of water with standard white vinegar and then hold it up so that the end of your faucet is submerged in it. If you get tired of holding the glass of vinegar, try using a small sandwich baggie and then a rubber band to hold it in place.
It’s highly effective, and it costs you next to nothing, but if you’re serious about removing mineral deposits in Pittsburgh there are commercial products available specifically formulated for just that.
How Much Does it Cost to Replace a Sink and Faucet in Pittsburgh?
This is a common question that people ask, and it is difficult to answer because there are so many variables that come into play in adding up the final cost to replace a sink and faucet in Pittsburgh. So, for example, while one client might opt for just a basic replacement, another may decide to have their garbage disposal replaced while everything is taken apart.
But along with cost, another thing to keep in mind is value. Are you getting value for your money because sometimes the cheaper job is just that… a cheap shoddy job. So it’s best to always to make sure that you go with a reputable company when you decide who is going to do their job, and that way you can better hedge your odds that you will both be satisfied with the cost and quality of workmanship.