Glossary

 

 

FAUCET DEFINITIONS

 

 

4” CENTERSET:     

 

A STYLE OF BATHROOM LAVATORY FAUCET THAT HAS A COMBINED SPOUT AND HANDLES ON ONE BODY.  THE FAUCET HANDLES ARE 4” APART ON CENTER.  IT CAN ALSO BE A SINGLE HANDLE FAUCET ON INSTALLED ON 4” CENTER TO CENTER FAUCET HOLES.

 

 

8” WIDESPREAD:  

 

A STYLE OF BATHROOM FAUCET HAVING SEPARATE SPOUT AND HANDLES.  USUALLY THE HANDLES ARE 8” APART ON CENTER.  HOWEVER, SOME WIDESPREAD FAUCETS ARE ADJUSTABLE FROM 6” TO 16” ON CENTER.

 

 

1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 HOLE:

 

THIS IS REFERRING TO THE NUMBER OF FAUCET HOLES IN A SINK.

 

 

DIVERTER:

 

A VALVE THAT DIRECTS WATER TO VARIOUS OUTLETS IE:  SHOWER HEADS, BODY SPRAYS, TUB SPOUTS, ETC.

 

 

PRESSURE BALANCED MIXING VALVE:

 

THIS IS A SHOWER MIXING VALVE (FAUCET) THAT AUTOMATICALLY MAINTAINS BALANCE BETWEEN INCOMING HOT AND COLD WATER SUPPLIES BY IMMEDIATELY REGULATING FLUCTUATIONS IN PRESSURE.  AS A RESULT THE OUTLET TEMPERATURE REMAINS CONSTANT, THOUGH THE OUTLET PRESSURE MAY DROP.  ALSO KNOWN AS AN “ANTI-SCALD VALVE”.

 

 

THERMOSTATIC MIXING VALVE:

 

THIS IS A SHOWER MIXING VALVE (FAUCET) WITH AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL.  WHEN TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATIONS OCCUR AT THE WATER INLETS, A THERMAL ACTUATOR ADJUSTS THE HOT AND COLD RATIO TO MAINTAIN THE ORIGINAL TEMPERATURE SETTING.  THERMOSTATIC MIXING VALVES ONLY CONTROL WATER TEMPERATURE AND CAN NOT TURN THE WATER ON AND OFF.  VOLUME CONTROLS ARE REQUIRED

 

 

VOLUME CONTROL:

 

THESE VALVES ONLY TURN THE WATER ON AND OFF, AND ARE REQUIRED FOR THERMOSTATIC MIXERS WHICH ONLY CONTROL TEMPERATURE.  DO NOT USE THESE WITH PRESSURE BALANCE VALVES!  IT MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THESE TYPES OF MIXERS.

 

 

 

SINK AND LAVATORY DEFINITIONS

 

 

LAVATORY:

 

MOST PEOPLE MISUNDERSTAND THIS TERM.  IT HAS BEEN THOUGHT OF AS THE TOILET, AND ALSO THE BATHROOM ITSELF.  A LAVATORY IS ACTUALLY WHAT IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS  “THE BATHROOM SINK”. 

 

 

SELF-RIMMING (DROP-IN):

 

THIS IS A STYLE OF BATHROOM LAVATORY OR KITCHEN SINK WITH A ROLLED AND FINISHED EDGE, OR RIM.  THE FIXTURE FITS IN A HOLE AND IS INSTALLED ON TOP OF A COUNTER WITHOUT THE NEED FOR A RIM.

 

 

UNDERCOUNTER (UNDERMOUNT):

 

UNDERMOUNT LAVATORIES AND KITCHEN SINKS MOUNT BENEATH THE COUNTER OF SOLID SURFACE AND STONE COUNTERTOPS.

 

 

VESSEL (ABOVE COUNTER):

 

VESSEL LAVATORIES ACTUALLY SIT ON TOP OF THE COUNTER AND ARE EITHER RECESSED SLIGHTLY, OR NOT AT ALL.  BECAUSE THEY SIT SEVERAL INCHES ABOVE THE COUNTER THEY REQUIRE EITHER A WALL MOUNT FAUCET OR A TALLER DECK MOUNT FAUCET. 

 

 

TILE IN SINKS:

 

TILE-IN SINKS HAVE FLAT, STRAIGHT EDGES AND SQUARE CORNERS FOR A NEAT, FLUSH FIT WITH TILED SURFACES.

 

 

 

 

MATERIAL DEFINITIONS

 

 

CAST IRON:

 

HEAVY METAL COVERED WITH A PORCELAIN ENAMEL COATING FORMED BY CASTING ON MOLDS TO MAKE FIXTURES SUCH AS SINKS, TUBS AND LAVATORIES.

 

 

VITREOUS CHINA:

 

CERAMIC MATERIALS FIRED AT A HIGH TEMPERATURE TO FORM A NON-POROUS BODY, HAVING EXPOSED SURFACES COATED WITH CERAMIC GLAZE FUSED TO THE BODY.

 

 

FIRECLAY:

 

THIS IS A VARIATION OF VITREOUS CHINA HAVING GREATER AMOUNTS OF QUARTZ AND FELDSPAR IN THE CLAY MATERIAL BENEATH THE VITREOUS SURFACE.  FIRECLAY IS HEAVIER (30%), DENSER, AND THICKER THAN REGULAR CLAY.  THESE PROPERTIES INSURE SMOOTH, FLAT SURFACES ON LARGE FIXTURES, WHICH IS NOT ACHIEVABLE WITH STANDARD VITREOUS CHINA.  IT IS ALSO EASIER TO SHAPE.