Your House & Home

By public consumer standards, the highest quality and most expensive faucet is the disk or ceramic faucet. The disc faucet consists of a cartridge, which houses two ceramic discs, which slide over each other to control the water flow and temperature The discs are polished very smooth so they fit together tightly and create a watertight seal. The discs are nearly maintenance free, and are generally guaranteed not to wear out. You can recognize a disc faucet by the single lever, which attaches to the top of a tall cylindrically shaped faucet body. On the inside, the two ceramic discs sit on top of each other in a metal casing. Below the bottom casing, is a neoprene seal which keeps the faucet from leaking.

When disc faucets do develop leaks, it is usually the result of worn neoprene seals, either inlet or outlet seals. Or else it may be that there has been damage to the disc itself. An important point to keep in mind is that the disc faucets are sensitive to sand or grit. If the water in your local water source has sand in it, the sand will build up, in the faucet casing, causing the ceramic discs to wear down, and then start to leak. Once the disc is worn down you will have to replace it. Ceramic discs can cost anywhere from $130-$150 a cartridge. Furthermore, if the cause of the leak is grit in the water, than the problem will recur.

Eventually you will have to switch to a different type of faucet, or purchase a filter for you water source that can effectively filter out the sand and grit. Grit levels in water vary from location to location. But even in an area which is relatively grit free water, people using a private water source, such as a well, frequently have a higher level of sand in their water.
On the positive side, the ceramic faucets work well in hard water. Ceramic discs are hard, and they are not prone to damage from the build up of heavy metals, which is not the cse with ball faucets.

Here’s one other tip that may help with the ceramic faucets. If you find that your faucet is dripping, this could be the result of debris that has lodged in between the ceramic discs. Occasionally, lightly jiggling the faucet back and forth will dislodge the particles and end the drip. It’s worth trying, at least once, before you call the plumber.

Thanks to A-1 Plumbing of Baltimore, for sponsoring this article. If you are in need of faucet repair and replacement, and live in the Baltimore-Washington area, give A- Plumbing a call, they will be happy to send a plumber out to your house to fix your faucet repair.

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