There are many different types of bathroom fixtures for sinks, toilets, showers, and bathtubs. Some range from the basic “construction grade” types, used by builders on a budget to the more elaborate custom styles which are often preferred because of looks rather than function.
Choosing a “common” size or style mainly depends on a person’s own taste and use patterns. Let’s start with bathroom sinks.
There are several types of fixtures but not all will fit the existing sink bowl configuration. Take a look at the number of holes and their locations along the top rear rim of the bowl. Usually the bowl will come with a standard three-hole configuration for the water stem and hot and cold water faucets. But once in a while an oddball configuration may pop up so be aware that not every fixture will fit every bowl. The basic configurations include:
- Single hole faucets which have one arm controlling hot or cold water and one stem or spout for the water flow.
- Centered faucets where there is on stem centered between the hot and cold faucets, with all components included on one fixture.
- Spread faucets where each component is unattached and designed to fit into one of three holes in the sink.
There may be space restrictions in your Washington, DC home which would limit the size of the faucets, i.e. a medicine cabinet or window sill which may conflict with a tall spout.
Bathtubs and showers can also use a variety of different fixtures and have similar characteristics as sinks. There can be one fixture with one faucet controlling water flow and temperature. That same fixture might also control flow to the tub filler or to the shower head. This is very common and often the easiest to install and maintain. Other tub and shower fixtures include separate hot and cold water faucets and a separate button or lever to change the water flow from the tub filler to the shower head.
There generally would be no space restrictions on the size of tub and shower fixture, since all are designed to fit into a standard envelope.
Toilets are perhaps the most standard of all bathroom fixtures. The only real differences are in toilet bowl size – and that has become standard thanks to the National Energy Policy Act which mandates 1.6 gallon toilets. Older homes built before 1995 may have larger capacity bowls of 3.5 gallons. The “guts” of a toilet (flushing/water control) may vary and its cosmetic look may definitely vary, but in the end its function remains the same.
The only size restriction to consider may be the shape of the bowl and how it would fit along a wall or in a corner. And it might be a minor point but keep this in mind: not all toilet seats come in generic sizes, i.e. round or oblong. For more information about plumbing installation in the Washington, DC area, give Service Doctors a call today!
