C/D Taps V’s C/D Mixers...

[Batpig]

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.

[wonderplumb]

BatPig,
Im assuming its a rental property, and if you really do want ceramic disc taps I will advise as follows;

In the laundry I would put a cheap flick mixer, same with the kitchen and basin, as long as each fixture is supplied via mini cocks, mixers are cheap these days so if they bugger up you simply bin it and fit a new one,
as for the shower if you want to put CD taps I would suggest buying a reputable australian brand such as caroma-dorf, simply for quality of build and availability of parts.
As for 1/4 or 3/4 turn and lever or cross style handles it really comes down to personal choice.
Hope this helps.

[Batpig]

Thanks trusty Wonderplumb,

If I go for Separates, I was going to go for Ram, which seem to be a pretty honest Aussie brand...

I have to say that I'm leaning towards wall-mounted Separates in the Kitchen too, mainly because I'm wanting to re-use the existing "Star" style sink, which doesn't really have any flat area on it near the bowl that is large enough on which to sit the 50 or 54mm base of a Mixer (after drilling out a 34mm hole). So if the Shower and the Kitchen were both Separates on combo's, then I'd only have to get a 3-hole Vanity Basin instead of a 1-hole in order to use Separates there too. The Laundry Tub will be one of those slimline units - jammed into a corner - making a wall combo a little awkward, so I might just go for a Mixer there, installed in one of the little knockouts in the corners.

Now in case you're thinking "Sounds like you've already made up your mind, so why the original post, then?...", it's because I could also take the other route of buying a new 1-hole Star sink for the Kitchen, as well as a 1-hole Vanity Basin. But the savings from using Mixers in these two locations would be offset by the cost of the new Kitchen sink, so the deciding factor would seem to boil down to tap reliability, which led me to ask which type stands up to abuse better.

So if you have any more thoughts on which type seem to be holding up better in service, please give us a "hoy"...

Thanks again Wonderplumb.
Batpig.

[wonderplumb]

Ram are a good make of tap and been around for quite a while too, if the recess tee for the kitchen is already in the wall, go for it!! Why bother changing it.
With the taps they are pretty hardy, Ram sell the seperate service kits for them too.
My outlaws have some ceramic disc taps in the downstairs bathroom that have lasted 14yrs so far (dorf ) so Id say wing it and see how you go.
They would take a fair bit of abuse to fail prematurely.