Batpig
5th May 2008, 07:46 AM
Dear Chaps,
It’s virtually "Crunch Time" with regard to making a decision about what sort of taps to use in the Flat. Since the place is cavity brick, I will more or less have to go for Separate Taps in the Shower due to the difficulty of installing a Mixer into the brick Shower wall, combined with the risk of inadvertantly turning a Mixer on to fully hot when turning around while taking a shower. That still leaves three other tapware locations in the Flat, though - the Kitchen Sink, the Vanity Basin, and the Laundry Tub - that could safely be equipped with either Separates or Mixers.
From what I can glean, the main advantages of each type over the other is roughly as follows:
C/D Separates: They leak less than Mixers because the cartridges are less complex. The cartridges are also cheaper and simpler to replace than those in Mixers. They are also less prone to Water Hammer than Mixers can sometimes be.
Mixers: They are cheaper to buy (and replace if broken) than a pair of Separates and a Spout.
Have I generally got that right so far?
If yes, it might then boil down to a question of longevity... You see, if I am ever able to move into something bigger, and am also able to hang on to the Flat and rent it out, I am worried about what a rough tenant might do to the taps...
So the question really is, what type of tap system lasts better with rough usage - Separates or Mixers?
Thus far I had thought that perhaps Separates were tougher. Mind you, I have often heard that "1/4 Turn" Separates are fairly easy to Bugger-Up when tenants go "Bang-Bang" (can’t think of a better way of putting it) with them when turning them on and off, so I have been looking mainly at "3/4 Turn" units on the theory that the greater amount of swivel to "Fully On" might protect the tap. But when I think about it, the greater amount of travel might also serve to give them more "Run-Up" (so to speak, if you know what I mean) when turning the things back off, with the nett result that "3/4 Turn" taps might get Buggered-Up more when getting turned off, compared to "1/4 Turn" units, which probably get more Buggered-Up by being turned on... Does that make sense?...
An additional consideration is whether to opt for traditional Cross Handles, or the more modern type Levers. One type or the other might result in the greater application of destructive force down the spindle to the cartridge. Does anyone have any idea of what type are yielding better longevity in service on C/D Separates?
And how do Mixers compare with the Separates? Fully On up and Fully Off down are not far apart, so do tenants go "Bang, Bang" when using these things too, and thus Bugger Them Up?
So the long and the short of it is, what copes with abuse better - Separates or Mixers?... If Separates, are 1/4's or 3/4's better, and do Cross Handles make them last longer than Levers, or vice versa? Any thoughts anyone?
Thank-You Very Much in advance,
Batpig.
It’s virtually "Crunch Time" with regard to making a decision about what sort of taps to use in the Flat. Since the place is cavity brick, I will more or less have to go for Separate Taps in the Shower due to the difficulty of installing a Mixer into the brick Shower wall, combined with the risk of inadvertantly turning a Mixer on to fully hot when turning around while taking a shower. That still leaves three other tapware locations in the Flat, though - the Kitchen Sink, the Vanity Basin, and the Laundry Tub - that could safely be equipped with either Separates or Mixers.
From what I can glean, the main advantages of each type over the other is roughly as follows:
C/D Separates: They leak less than Mixers because the cartridges are less complex. The cartridges are also cheaper and simpler to replace than those in Mixers. They are also less prone to Water Hammer than Mixers can sometimes be.
Mixers: They are cheaper to buy (and replace if broken) than a pair of Separates and a Spout.
Have I generally got that right so far?
If yes, it might then boil down to a question of longevity... You see, if I am ever able to move into something bigger, and am also able to hang on to the Flat and rent it out, I am worried about what a rough tenant might do to the taps...
So the question really is, what type of tap system lasts better with rough usage - Separates or Mixers?
Thus far I had thought that perhaps Separates were tougher. Mind you, I have often heard that "1/4 Turn" Separates are fairly easy to Bugger-Up when tenants go "Bang-Bang" (can’t think of a better way of putting it) with them when turning them on and off, so I have been looking mainly at "3/4 Turn" units on the theory that the greater amount of swivel to "Fully On" might protect the tap. But when I think about it, the greater amount of travel might also serve to give them more "Run-Up" (so to speak, if you know what I mean) when turning the things back off, with the nett result that "3/4 Turn" taps might get Buggered-Up more when getting turned off, compared to "1/4 Turn" units, which probably get more Buggered-Up by being turned on... Does that make sense?...
An additional consideration is whether to opt for traditional Cross Handles, or the more modern type Levers. One type or the other might result in the greater application of destructive force down the spindle to the cartridge. Does anyone have any idea of what type are yielding better longevity in service on C/D Separates?
And how do Mixers compare with the Separates? Fully On up and Fully Off down are not far apart, so do tenants go "Bang, Bang" when using these things too, and thus Bugger Them Up?
So the long and the short of it is, what copes with abuse better - Separates or Mixers?... If Separates, are 1/4's or 3/4's better, and do Cross Handles make them last longer than Levers, or vice versa? Any thoughts anyone?
Thank-You Very Much in advance,
Batpig.