Ever wondered who invented the faucet? The faucet has been around as early as 1700 B.C. when plumbing and faucets were being used to control the water to fountains and private homes. The Romans used plumbing and faucets to run water to public baths, private baths, cisterns, and fountains. The faucet started out with two handles, one for hot water and one for cold water. If you were running a bath you turned on both hot and cold to get the right mix of temperature for the water.
In 1937, Al Moen burned his hand on 
hot water and decided to design a single handle faucet. His first design was rejected and between 1940 and 1945, he finally succeeded in designing a functioning single handle faucet. This allowed people to adjust the stream of water until they found their temperature. Many others continued to improve the design of the faucet. In 1945, Landis Perry designed the ball valve for faucets. The ball valve controls the water flow. The Delta single handle faucet was the first to utilize the ball valve. Wolverine Brass added additional functionality to faucets by designing ceramic discs for water control as they lasted longer than rubber and provide better control.
As time went on, more and more improvements were made to faucets. Some of these improvements include filters to eliminate contaminants, spray hoses that can be pulled out from the sink, electronic faucets, and faucets designed for the handicapped. Electronic faucets are the norm in public restrooms; you don’t have handles to touch to turn them on. You hold your hands in front of a sensor and the water turns on, making these faucets more hygienic than traditional ones. The choices, styles, and brands of faucets available for your home today is amazing. Interested in a new faucet? Call us today at 785-341-4193. De Hart Plumbing Heating and Cooling, serving Manhattan Kansas, Junction City Kansas, Topeka Kansas and some surrounding areas.
