We spent well over one thousand dollars on Santec faucets, Tub, shower and two sinks, for our newly-remodeled bathroom. The finish is "Mahogany". Our entire master bathroom, all lights, ceiling fans, tile etc., is designed and color co-ordinated around these fixtures! These faucets, supposedly, had a Ten-year warranty. After we started using the faucets, we noticed horrible staining all over the finishes. The finish actually coming off down to bare metal. All it took was a drop of toothpaste, soap or shaving cream to get on it, large blotches would appear on the finish. The finish is down to bare copper/brass on the faucet handle I use when I shave!
We contacted the company and they explained that these faucets had a "living finish." They said it's supposed to age and change. When I showed them photos, they agreed to replate them. At our expense, we paid a plumber to take the faucets off and I took them to their distributor.
With the second set of faucets, they immediately became even more discolored and ruined than the first set. I took them down again to get re-plated and the store worker said "You should have used Carnuba wax on them, and you wouldn't have this problem." But when asked, the Santec area representative said "You shouldn't use Carnuba wax at all. It will be fine."
With this third set of faucets, we didn't use Carnuba wax and the finish turned horrible again. It's embarrassing to see what they look like. This time we contacted Santec direct and their warranty guy said "since you have a mirror behind the faucets clearly you are using chemicals such as Windex to clean the faucets and around them. We're not going to replace them. You should have used Carnuba wax." (NOTHING but WATER has EVER been used to clean the faucets!!! We do not EVER use any chemicals!) I told him "what is the purpose of your "living finish" if you have to protect it with wax, and besides, your Rep said NOT to?" We then sent photos and the story to Mike Fedyk, the president of the company. He did nothing to back up the product his company makes, nor de he follow through with the 10-year warranty which was (and still is) in effect. Basically, they all told us "you can pay us $160 per piece to replate the faucets."
In my opinion, the living finish on these faucets was a huge mistake. What person doesn't use soap, lotions, shaving cream, toothpaste, etc, in a bathroom? How many other people got stuck with these finishes, stained and unsightly? We were hugely disappointed in Santec and will never purchase their products again. They should be ashamed.
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