When shopping for plumbing fixtures there’s an old adage you ought to keep plastered firmly to the back of your mind: The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
It’s not a matter of “if” a cheap fixture will break, but “when.”
Here are 10 reasons why low-cost plumbing supplies will come back to bite you in the rear.
1. Constant leaks
Sure, washers and O-rings don’t cost a lot of money, but it’s a real pain in the neck to be perpetually dealing with a leak somewhere in the house.
2. Decreased longevity
Top-quality faucets are built to last for decades. Bargain basement fixtures are not.
You may save money now, but you’ll wind up buying two or three replacements and probably spend more in the long run.
3. Outdated technology
Cheap fixtures won’t feature the same modern conveniences provided by quality manufacturers.
From Touchfree to WaterSense energy savings, these technologies simply aren’t available with the no-name brands.
4. Hard-to-find parts
As tempting as it may be to head to Amazon.com and score a deal, purchasing low-cost fixtures online is a huge risk.
They often arrive missing critical pieces for installation, and finding parts for future repairs can be next to impossible.
5. Rapidly fading finishes
Right out of the box the “imitation” brand looks almost as good as the real deal. However, it doesn’t take long for the finish to fade, discolor or even crack.
Quality faucets stay looking new for years and years.
6. Worn internal parts
Threads on the aerator or spout quickly strip or rust, making aerator replacement challenging. As the internal parts within the valve assembly begin to break down it becomes difficult or even impossible to repair a cheap faucet.
7. Minor annoyances
Just because your cheap faucet “works” doesn’t mean it works well. Common issues include a squeaky or wobbly handle, clanking or clicking sounds, flow problems, water leaking from the base or handle during use and just overall poor performance.
8. Problems with water pressure
From the inability to deal with hard water to a clogged aerator or faulty sprayer diverter, it’s just a matter of time until you encounter a serious decrease in water pressure.
9. Hard-to-use handles
Low-cost cartridge faucets become tough to operate when sediments, metal, minerals or debris damage the seal within the cartridge.
10. They simply don’t look as nice
Inexpensive plumbing fixtures just aren’t as stylish and don’t provide much of a wow factor to the focal point of your kitchen or bath.
While it’s easy to convince yourself at the point of purchase that a low-cost alternative will do, the reality is that you’ll most likely be kicking yourself when the renovation is finished and it’s obvious you went with the cheapest faucet you could find.
Why skimp when you’re shopping for something you could literally use for the life of your home?
