If there was one room in the home that truly takes a beating, it has to be the laundry room. Not only does this room end up being a dumping ground for all kinds of paraphernalia, but the room itself handles all types of dirt.
From dog hair to human hair, sand, mud, and everything in between, you better ensure that your laundry room and all its parts are ready for it. If you’ve yet to finish off this room or thinking of renovating, here’s what to consider when selecting your laundry sink faucet — because you’ll need one that’s up to the task!
What To Look For in a Reliable Laundry Sink Faucet
Also known as a utility sink, your laundry sink handles plenty of the dirty work in your home. Choosing the right type of sink and a faucet to match should depend on durability, ease of use, and longevity. In short, you need a robust faucet that can stand the test of time (and grime).
Here’s what to consider:
1. Faucet Material
The utility sink and faucet you choose should be designed for hard use. For example, it’s a sink that has to handle harsh chemicals, dirt, grime, hair, and more. In some cases, your washing machine water line may even empty into your laundry sink.
You need a laundry sink and faucet that can handle all of this. You want to opt for a durable material, but you also don’t want to splash too much cash on it, either.
Make sure you choose a hard-wearing material that does not stain, rust, or tarnish and is also low-maintenance. So, what type of material suits these characteristics most?
Your best bet is to opt for a stainless steel or brass sink and faucet. Both of these materials are well-known for their tough nature, they’re also easy to clean, don’t rust, and won’t flake or chip over time.
For brass laundry room faucets, check these out.
2. Faucet Valves and Spouts
Unlike the faucets you’d choose from your bathroom, the spout and valves of your utility room faucet need a bit more consideration. And this consideration comes down to function, rather than aesthetics.
Today, you’ll find a plethora of options when it comes to spout size and shape. Ideally, you want to choose a spout with a straight body that extends from the sink, with a bend at the end to direct water flow precisely into the sink.
Otherwise, there’s also the gooseneck shape that has a longer, higher neck, with a curved ”u” shape for a more contemporary option. This choice is great if your laundry sink is quite deep, but not as wide.
Make sure you opt for swivel spout, too. This allows you to clean larger items in the sink such as oven racks, litter boxes, your trash can, or even a small pet!
Next up, you must consider the type of faucet valves. There are usually two types to choose from: compression and cartridge valves. If you’re looking for a more basic, easy-on-the-wallet option, go for a compression valve. But bear in mind they tend to leak over time.
A cartridge valve is similar to a compression valve but allows for better water flow and temperature regulation. These valves are also a little more durable and will last you longer if you’re willing to spend extra.
3. The Faucet Flow Rate
Most homeowners might not think too hard about the type of flow rate they should opt for. But in the long run, it can help to lower your water bill and put less pressure on the environment.
As a standard, most faucets offer a flow rate of 2.2 gallons per minute (GPM). If you want to opt for a lower flow rate, look out for the WaterSense logo on your faucets, which offers a flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute.
It’s worth mentioning that if choose a low flow rate faucet in your kitchen or bathrooms, this won’t make too much of a difference to your water savings. This is only because you use these faucets so often throughout the day.
But where it can make a difference is in your utility areas of the home, such as your laundry. If you opt for a flow rate of 2.2 GMP or under for a utility sink, this is usually good enough for simple handwashing tasks.
But if you intend to use your laundry sink for filling up buckets or soaking laundry, you’ll need a higher flow rate.
4. A Single or Double-Handled Faucet
Your choice between a single or double-handed faucet boils down to price, really. As well as convenience. When it comes to double-handled faucets, you have plenty of choice and they are a little more cost-effective.
However, some homeowners prefer the convenience and sleek look of a single-handle faucet. If you’re looking for the same, you could even shop around for a hard-wearing type of kitchen faucet to suit your utility sink.
Naturally, single-handled faucets are far more convenient and allow for better water temperature control.
5. The Installation of Your Faucet
You have two simple installation options when it comes to your laundry room faucet: wall or deck-mounted. As the name suggests, wall-mounted faucets attach to the wall, rather than the sink itself. Deck-mounted faucets attach to the sink.
When choosing between the two, you have to consider the time and labor involved. If you want to opt for a wall-mounted faucet, you’ll need to cut a hole in your wall first, attach the faucet, then patch it over. This takes a little longer and could cost more.
A deck-mounted faucet attaches to the rear-end of your sink, at the sink deck. It then connects to the water supply via a supply hose. While a wall-mounted faucet may take more time and effort, it offers greater clearance into your sink.
This may be your only opinion if you have a specialized utility sink, too. But if you’re just looking for something simple and speedy, opt for a deck-mounted faucet.
These Home DIY Hacks Are Yours For the Taking
At the end of the day, choosing the right laundry sink faucet comes down to functionality. But this doesn’t mean you need to forgo aesthetics completely. In today’s day and age, you have a huge variety of utility sinks and faucets to choose from. Just make sure you’re choosing the right one!
If you’re an avid home DIYer or looking for inspiration, be sure to explore the rest of this website for more.
