Plumbing Upgrades: Are All Kitchen Faucets Universal?
Every home has a kitchen, and every kitchen has a sink. The centerpiece of the sink is the faucet and there are so many different types available. Most homeowners feel spoiled for choice when planning their kitchen plumbing upgrades!
Due to so many different styles, kitchen faucets are not universal. The base plate is often the differentiating factor with some the mounting holes are the standard 1 3/8” but there are also faucets on the market that have a 1 or 1 1/2” mounting hole.
Styles And Settings Galore!
There are so many settings to choose from for kitchen faucets. Not all faucet fixtures have the same number of mounting holes. You get 1, 3, and 4-hole faucets. 1-hole faucets are the most common as they allow a single faucet handle to control the temperature as well as pressure.
A 3-hole faucet has a place for each cold and hot water handle and the spout. This faucet style was popular in the past and is why they are still found in many older homes.
The more modern 4-hole faucets cater to the same needs as the 3-hole faucets and then some. The fourth hole can be used to house a specialized fitting such as a sprayer faucet. These handy faucets are a nice convenience for cleaning fruit and vegetables gently. They also minimize the spills around the sink!
Base Plate “IdioSINKracies”
Varying styles make the pedestal or base plate an essential feature of the design. When choosing a new faucet for your plumbing upgrades, you could opt for a more delicate vintage design or a more robust, futuristic faucet. These clear differences in design highlight the obvious. Kitchen faucets are not universal. There may be limited space between the wall and the sink. There may be a clearance limitation with cabinets above the sink. The layout of the sink, cabinetry, and available counter space all need to be taken into consideration.
Aerators And Other Hardware Options
Aerators? What are those? Well, the secret is in the name. An aerator is essentially a screen that breaks up the water stream into a gentler, well, aerated stream! The purpose of the aerator is similar to that of the sprayer faucet in that it reduces spillage and is gentler on fruit and veggies. The spout of most faucets will cater to 4 different sizes:
- Female fixtures at 3/4” or 55/64”
- Male fixtures at 13/16” or 15/16”
Pro Tip: With plumbing upgrades, when we talk about male fixtures, we are referring to cases where the thread is on the outside diameter of the fixture. Female fixtures have the thread on the inside diameter.
What About Kitchen Faucet Heads? Are They Universal?
Nope. They too are dependent on the design that is chosen. Not all the pipes used on faucets are even round. Some piping has a square profile. There are even faucets that resemble a waterfall. The water comes out of the spout onto a “plateau” and then gracefully falls over the edge into the sink below. While these do not serve the most practical use, they can be very aesthetically appealing. If you have a flair for the ostentatious and extravagant there is even a kitchen faucet for you!
It Pays To Plan For Your Plumbing Upgrades
When considering your new kitchen, the plumbing, and even the faucets that you choose, it’s wise to plan the design first. Here at Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric, we have helped many homeowners with their kitchen upgrades. With our years of experience, we know about all the caveats and hidden surprises that come with the territory. We’ve been serving South Florida since 1983 and we love what we do! Give us a call at 1-800-475-1504 if you’re planning that upgrade. We can do everything AND the kitchen sink!
