Choosing Good Quality Tapware – How Can You Tell?
Over the years, the tapware in your home receive a lot of wear and attention. Therefore, when replacing or purchasing new tapware for your home, it can be difficult to determine what brand of tapware will stand the test of time but also, accommodate for your personal taste and style. See our quick guide on how to determine good quality tapware.
Avoid Cheap Imported Tapware
It is common to see in the Australian market, or any market, poor quality, cheap imported manufactured tapware going for around $100. Though they may replicate the finish such as brushed metal that quality brands have designed, the difference is in the technical aspects of the tapware. This is due to the dye-cast material which is a lesser quality metal. It is costly to purchase the actual raw material and therefore, this dye-cast material is a cheaper alternative to manufacture. However, you may find that it has a lot of impurities within the tapware and bonding of the finish to not last exceptionally long. These impurities can be seriously harmful to your health and some taps are non-compliant with Australian standards. Therefore, it is imperative you steer clear from cheaply made tapware not only for the quality, but for your health.
The difference in quality when it comes to renowned brands such as Sussex and Brodware is that the entire tapware piece is made of solid brass. These brands offer a superior finish coating called PVD and can be considered as good as chrome plating. We say it is far greater than anything else on the market currently. In most cases, like the cheap imported products, the colours are sprayed on. Therefore, the colour fades over time. However, with this PVD coating, you can expect the finish to remain for the life of the tapware. And when we say that we are looking at 15 to 30 years. For the slightly higher price tag for branded tapware, you can save yourself hundreds in the cost of new tapware and labour to replace the old tapware over the course of a few decades.
Do They Have Spare Parts?
Another way to determine good quality tapware from an established brand is their ability to stock extra parts for the particular model even decades after release. Cheap tapware/lower quality tapware manufacturers will not have spare parts as it is too expensive to stock and continue to manufacture. Therefore, in the case that something happens to your tapware, you must replace the entire unit, costing you time and money. Just Bathroomware stock spare parts for majority of the models since we have opened in 1997. Customers that have purchased a tap from a decade ago will be able to order a spare part without needing to replace the entire unit.
Warranty
As with any product that we purchase, a consumer values a warranty as it gives us peace of mind as the manufacturers are confident in their product and can vouch for their quality. You will find that most designer brands will offer a warranty on all their products and will offer replacements should anything happen.
Reliable Supplier
An established supplier like Just Bathroomware can be your point of contact for all your questions and concerns. Not only should a supplier be available for your calls, but they should also be able to educate you on all their products, finishes and options. Additionally, purchasing from a reputable brand such as Brodware, your supplier will be able to offer you the entire bathroom suite to match your tapware. You will find that with cheaper manufacturers, a particular colour will not be the same across the board.
Just Bathroomware can guide you and find the perfect tapware to suit your home. Visit our showroom today or call for more information on our products.
