ebuild Guide to Bathtub and Shower Faucet Specifications

    When it comes to choosing shower and tub/shower faucets, style may be what sways the purchaser but the product's construction determines how well and how long it will perform. The components of tub and shower sets fall into two basic categories. The visible components, often referred to as trim, are mounted on the surface of a wall or tub. The hidden components, control valves and diverter valves, are tucked into the wall cavity. In the case of new construction, the trim and the valves are purchased together. In a remodeling project, however, only the trim may be slated for replacement. Manufacturers therefore offer valves and trim separately.

    The trim is usually what sells a shower set because the color, style, and finish are its most obvious features. As with lavatory and kitchen faucets, polished chrome is the most durable finish as well as the most popular, but it is hardly the only one. Finish choices include a range of brushed, polished, or antiqued metallic surfaces such as brass, nickel, gold, bronze, copper, and pewter. Even painted finishes are available.

    For all the thought that goes into choosing a finish, however, nearly as much should go into selecting the valves that control the water and regulate its temperature. This determines the product's durability, but more importantly, it determines the safety and comfort of the bather. Various types of valves can be used to control temperature, and in some cases local codes may require them as a safety feature in all new construction.

    For most bathtub and shower faucets, the key generic specifications include:

    Product type. This specification identifies which combinations of trim and valve components will be purchased. A trim "kit" includes all the trim elements for a given faucet set. Depending on the model it might include escutcheons, a tub spout, the shower arm and head, the control handles, and other parts.

    No. of handles. A wall-mount or deck-mount faucet with two handles is a traditional style, but it requires independent mixing of hot and cold water. Some faucet sets have a single ball-type handle instead. It simultaneously controls both hot and cold water but people with limited hand strength may find it awkward to grip, particularly when hands are wet and soapy. Another alternative is a single lever-type handle, which many people find easiest of all to use.

    Finish. The overall finish of any faucet is a combination of several factors. Finish appearance type distinguishes between faucets that have a metallic finish (e.g. chrome, polished brass, etc.), and those with an enameled or colored-epoxy finish. Finish material describes the specific material used to finish a faucet. Generic finish refers to the style of the finish (e.g. polished, antique, oil-rubbed, powder coat, etc.). To prevent materials from tarnishing and to improve their scratch-resistance, faucets may have a generic coating that provides a protective barrier. This coating can be lacquer, sometimes called a clear coat, PVD (physical vapor deposition), or a powder coating.

    Handle type. The shape of a handle is partly an aesthetic decision, but it also determines how easily the faucet can be operated by anyone with limited dexterity.

    Temperature control. There are two types of valves that prevent uncomfortable or unsafe changes in water temperature. A pressure balance valve, sometimes called an anti-scald valve, maintains steady outlet temperature even if water pressure suddenly drops at the hot inlet or the cold inlet. A thermostatic valve can be set to maintain a specific water temperature despite changes in the temperature of incoming water. Some valves combine a pressure valve with a thermostatic valve.

    Accessibility. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) calls for faucet controls that can are easy to operate by people with various levels of physical ability, including limited hand strength. ADA-compliant typically include some sort of temperature-limiting controls or valves to prevent scalding.

    TUB MOUNTING DETAILS
    In the standard tub configuration, a 5 ft. tub enclosed by three walls, all the controls, including the tub spout, are mounted on the wall at one end of the tub. Whirlpool tubs and soaking tubs, however, are often built into a surround. In that case, separate controls for hot and cold water are common, and they're typically mounted on the tub deck or on a horizontal surface of the surround. Freestanding claw foot tubs require faucets designed specifically for that use. The faucet and controls can be mounted on the tub itself (deck mount or tub-wall mount), on a surrounding surface (deck mount or bathroom-wall mount) or on the floor adjacent to the tub (freestanding mount).

    Faucet Specifications Resources:
    American Society of Plumbing Engineers
    http://www.aspe.org/

    National Association of Plumbing, Heating, Cooling Contractors
    http://www.phccweb.org

    National Kitchen and Bath Association
    http://www.nkba.org/

    Plumbing Manufacturers Institute
    http://www.pmihome.org/

    Valve Manufacturers Association of America
    http://www.vma.org/html/flow_control.html