When designing your perfect outdoor area and garden most people will include a faucet of some kind. What many people get wrong is assuming any old faucet will do, and the ramifications of this poor choice can last quite a while. To avoid that, you need to find a good quality outside faucet right from the get-go, but before you do that there are a few things you need to know about plumbing outdoors. Here are three tips to help choose the best outside faucet parts you can so that they last through rain, hail, or shine and fit your needs perfectly.
Hose Bibb Or Faucet?
There are two main types of outdoor faucets: hose bibbs and regular faucets. A hose bibb is designed specifically for use with hoses, so it will most likely have a nozzle that looks a bit different and that can more easily accept a hose. Outside faucets are just faucets that can be used outside. They do not have to be especially compatible with any type of hose and can come in a range of different options when it comes to materials, size, output, and so on. If you really need to work with a hose every time you go outside, hose bibbs are likely a good idea. Otherwise, a regular outside faucet will do virtually every other job just as well. To learn more, visit a supplier of outside faucets.
Metal
What you really want to avoid when choosing your faucet is a cheaper type of metal that you might get away with inside but will almost certainly wither away and crack when installed outside. You want a metal or alloy that does not corrode, which is why most of the better outside faucets are made out of brass. Brass is strong, looks great, and is not affected by rust or the elements as easily. If you can't get brass, at least ensure there is some type of protection against the environment you live in or you will be replacing it quickly.
Strong Handle
Even with the best material in the world, your outside faucet parts are likely going to get stiff and cramped over time, just by the constant onslaught of different temperatures and the presence of dust and grime that gets everywhere. That is why you want a strong and very easy-to-grab handle, no tiny delicate one that you might find at an upscale restaurant bathroom. You want a thick handle with a good grip that will be able to open even if it has been closed shut for a few years at a time.