A faucet refers to the spout or nozzle through which water is emitted to perform one or more common household functions such as washing hands or cleaning dishes.
Faucets can be used to regulate the flow through a pipe, allowing a thin stream to be produced (to wash armpits or rinse sticky fingers, for example), or a heavy stream to be produced (highly desirable for filling a bath). In terms of their design, faucets are usually made in two parts: an upper part attached to the wall or the sink, and a lower part, called spout.
The faucet can either be mounted directly on the wall above the sink, or on the countertop. To determine whether or not the faucet is to be mounted on the sink or to be placed on the countertop, the following aspects must be taken into consideration:
- The type of sink that is being used;
- The budget available;
- The decorum of the place;
The material that the sink and basin are made of.
These factors are not relevant to the type of a faucet itself, but they are relevant when choosing the ideal faucet.