I always double-check before telling tenants how to use them, just in case.
Same here. I’ve had faucets where left is hot in one bathroom and right is hot in another, all in the same house. Drives me nuts. Labeling definitely helps, but sometimes I just take a quick video before I start messing with anything—easier than trying to remember later. And yeah, the missing screw thing... it’s like they evaporate.
I’m still trying to figure out why my kitchen faucet turns one way for hot and the bathroom is the total opposite. Maybe it’s some kind of plumbing prank? I actually stuck sticky notes on mine for a while after scalding myself one too many times. And don’t get me started on the screws—if there’s a parallel universe, it’s made entirely of the ones I’ve dropped behind the sink.
I’ve always wondered if there’s actually a “right” way for handles to turn, or if it’s just up to whoever installed them. Isn’t there some kind of code or standard? Drives me nuts when I go from one room to another and have to re-learn which way is which. Maybe it’s just random, but it feels like there should be some logic behind it... or am I overthinking this?
I totally get what you mean—it drives me nuts too. There actually *is* a standard, at least in the US: hot on the left, cold on the right, and both should turn counterclockwise to open. But in reality, it’s all over the place. I’ve seen some older houses where the handles are reversed or even both turn the same way, which makes zero sense. I think a lot of it comes down to whoever installed them not paying attention, or maybe just not caring. It really shouldn’t be this confusing, but here we are...
It’s wild how inconsistent it is, even though there’s supposed to be a standard. When we moved into our place last year, I noticed the kitchen faucet was backwards—hot on the right, cold on the left. No idea why. The bathroom was fine, so it’s not like the whole house was done wrong. I ended up swapping the supply lines myself just to avoid burning my hand every morning.
I think you’re right about installers just not caring sometimes, or maybe they’re in a rush and figure nobody will notice. Could also be DIY jobs over the years—people just hook things up however it makes sense in the moment and don’t think about the next person.
The turning direction thing bugs me too. I’ve had faucets where one handle turns up to open and the other goes down, which feels totally off. Not sure if that’s a parts issue or just how some brands are designed, but it throws me every time.
Honestly, I wish there was some kind of inspection checklist for this stuff when you buy a house. It’s such a small detail but it gets annoying fast when you use it every day. Maybe I’m just picky, but I like things to make sense, especially when there’s already a standard out there.