Not sure I’d chalk it all up to “lazy installs and no real standard.”
I’ve read that some manufacturers actually design their cartridges to turn a certain way for hot and another for cold, depending on which side of the sink you’re on. Maybe it’s more about the manufacturer’s quirks than the installer’s shortcuts? Either way, I still get confused and end up turning the handle the wrong way half the time... feels like a rite of passage at this point.I don’t think it’s regional, just a mix of lazy installs and no real standard.
Yeah, I’ve noticed that too—sometimes it really does feel like a manufacturer thing.
I’ve swapped out a few cartridges and the instructions even mention “reverse rotation” for certain models. Makes me wonder if there’s any logic behind it or if it’s just tradition at this point. I still get tripped up when I visit someone else’s house and the hot is the opposite of what I’m used to...Maybe it’s more about the manufacturer’s quirks than the installer’s shortcuts?
Honestly, I’ve scratched my head over this too. It’s wild how something as basic as turning on the tap can be so inconsistent from one house to the next. I do think you’re onto something with it being more about the manufacturer than the installer—sometimes it feels like they just want to keep us guessing. I’ve replaced a few myself and always double-check which way is “on” before I finish, but even then, muscle memory gets me. At this point, I just chalk it up to one of those little quirks of homeownership... keeps life interesting, I guess.
I get what you mean—my last place had the kitchen faucet turn left for on, but the bathroom was the opposite. Drove me nuts for months. I tried to swap them out for water-saving models, and even then, the directions weren’t consistent. It’s weird how there’s no standard. You’d think with all the talk about conserving water, they’d make it more intuitive... but nope. Just another tiny mystery of home life, I guess.
Yeah, I’ve run into that too. My current place has the shower handle turn right for hot, but the sink is the opposite. Drives me a little crazy, especially before coffee. You’d think there’d be a universal way by now...
