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The Old House Plumbing Kitchens

Union Brass Faucets?

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Does anyone have any experience with kitchen faucets made by a company called Union Brass. The spec sheet says it has a cast brass body and meets California low-lead standards, but that's it. Nothing about the cartridge, how the chrome is plated, etc. One seller says it's made in the US, another made in Italy. The company website is totally bare bones, and no help at all. They don't show up in the @StarCraft Custom Builders faucet reviews, and I can't find any reviews anyplace else.

Featured Answer

kudzu9

2 years ago

Here are my general standards with faucets made in foreign countries or companies that don't have much of a presence in the U.S.:

1) How easy will it be to get parts when, say, the cartridge fails in 5 or 10 years?

2) Do they have a lifetime warranty?

3) Do they have a customer service department that is readily available by phone?

If you can't answer these questions to your satisfaction, pick an American company with a good customer service department, like Kohler, Moen, or American Standard. They may make plumbing products outside of the U.S., but you are going to be able to quickly access them when you need help, and they are going to still be in business years hence.

Comments (6)

socalgal_gw Zone USDA 10b Sunset 24
2 years ago
I have one of their bathroom faucets. I got it a few years ago. I did email the company a question (I think about lead and where they were made) and they answered.
Ellie G
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks, @socalgal_gw Zone USDA 10b Sunset 24. Do you remember what they said? Have you been happy with it?
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socalgal_gw Zone USDA 10b Sunset 24
2 years ago
I’ve been happy with it. The style is perfect for our 1932 house and it has an adjustable width between the handles so it fits our old sink. Cartridges are fine so far. I think they said it was cast in Asia (don’t remember the country) and assembled in the USA. They also said it would meet lead standards but it wasn’t certified.
Ellie G
Original Author
2 years ago
That all makes sense @kudzu9. Partly why I'm trying to find out more about the company! The other option is a classic Chicago Faucets one, which ticks all the right boxes.
Grant Forssberg
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Call the mftr. and ask for a materials test sheet. My understanding is that many of these companies have third-party auditors test their materials to see what needs to be labeled for prop 65 and other statutory requirements. I've gotten several such composition data sheets from mfrs. I like the look of brass, but I've done a lot of research on the effects of lead (admittedly, mostly in its dust form) and I want no part of it in a context where it has the potential to leech into drinking water.

I'll put it this way: since we really started understanding the impact of lead exposure in the 60s and 70s, medical science continually discovers its worse than we thought, say, every 15 years prior. The threshold for blood lead levels is at 5 now. It's dropped from 10x that decades ago. Studies have shown that 'normal' levels in the 3 + range can cause cognitive deficits. In the next 5-10 years, that threshold is going to be lowered from 5 most likely.

That makes me suspicious that the "low-lead" threshold will be reduced in the future as well from the .25% it is now on fixtures. Direction is always down on phasing out lead. Perhaps not. But its something to think about.

Ultimately, obviously, the risk assessment is your choice entirely. I didn't know a lot of this stuff only a couple years ago and it changed the way I think, so I like to mention it.

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