Water flow
The maximum water flow during the operation of the tap, in other words, the maximum amount of water that it can pass through in a minute. This characteristic is important, foremost, for models designed for baths (see "Suitable for"): the greater the throughput, the faster the bath will fill. However, the meaning of this paragraph is not limited to this. First, flow information can be useful in certain calculations related to water supply — for example, to calculate the required pump capacity. Secondly, high-end taps can be equipped with aerators to achieve a powerful and efficient jet with low water consumption; the consumption indicated in the characteristics allows you to evaluate the efficiency of such devices in comparison with analogues.
Material
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Brass. Alloy based on copper and zinc; at a relatively low price, it has good strength and corrosion resistance, due to which it has become widespread.
— Silumin. An alloy based on a combination of aluminium and silicon; it has good hardness and oxidation resistance, but it is rather brittle, and therefore it is used mainly in inexpensive models.
— Stainless steel. The most common material for inexpensive models. Steel is inexpensive and at the same time has high strength. Its disadvantage is a certain tendency to corrosion (especially with processing defects, even small ones), which practically does not affect everyday use, but can affect the durability of the tap.
— Zinc. Zinc products are similar in their main properties to the silumin products described above: on the one hand, they are inexpensive, on the other hand, they are quite fragile and not particularly durable. In addition, zinc is believed to be prone to corrosion, which can eventually degrade the properties of the water coming from such a tap and make this material unsuitable for kitchen use. Therefore, zinc bodies are not common, mainly among inexpensive bath and shower taps.
— Plastic. The simplest material used in the manufacture of taps. Due to its weak strength, it is not durable, but it does not rust. It is appropriate to use for sinks of rare use — for example, for a country house.
Tap height
The height of the tap, measured from its base or lowest point to the highest point of the spout. The height of the spout partly determines the installation possibilities — in fact, this is the minimum vertical free space that is required for the tap. In addition, in models with horizontal installation (see "Type of installation"), the spout height is related to the jet height (see below).
