In 1997, MGS started producing high quality stainless steel faucets for consumers with extreme attention to detail and design. The thought was to create faucets and fixtures from stainless steel, a noble metal that is unalterable, non-toxic, non-corrosive and high temperature resistant. Although making faucets out of stainless steel posed many problems during manufacturing, the company still persevered. In 2001, MGS began producing the UNICO faucet, which became recognized as the “Rolls Royce” of faucets in Europe.

While most other manufacturers only finish their products to look like stainless steel because of the complexity and cost of engineering and production, MGS continued with their commitment. After four years of research, MGS discovered and developed a new application of Investment Casting Technology that was predominantly used for high tech parts in the aviation, aerospace and medical industries. Using the most progressive machines available, each part is seamless and smooth, without the use of screws. The result is a product that is one hundred percent stainless steel on all exposed parts. After the mechanical fabrication, the final touch is given by expert polishers who hand finish each single part to an impeccable shine or soft luster of natural brushed stainless steel.

MGS is one of the only “true stainless steel” fixture manufacturers offering products in North America for the kitchen, bath, and outdoors.

Homeowners, who are committed to bringing lifelong quality into their homes, are serious about their kitchens, and should not make any compromises. MGS stainless steel faucets offer all the features expected of a specialized grade faucet. The benefits of an MGS stainless steel faucet include- low maintenance, easy to clean that will not rust or discolor, resilience appropriate to the rigors of a commercial kitchen, a strong, exceptionally hard and scratch resistant surface.

MGS faucets are available from DreamFaucets.

Now that its summertime, and July 4th. is around the corner, its time to head outdoors. There are many great websites about outdoor kitchens. As you know the best materials to use on your barbeque’s, sinks, and faucets is stainless steel. Here is a great site from HGTV on designing an outdoor kitchen. This website from Outdoor-Kitchen has some really great information. This link will bring you to a check list of ideas on the outdoor kitchen.

If you live on the water have no fear. Use the proper stainless steel that we wrote about yesterday, and your barbeque’s, sinks, and faucets should last a very long time. Spending a little extra for a better grade stainless steel will save you money in the long run.

People often ask why spend more on a Stainless Steel Faucet.

Here are the top ten reasons why a Stainless Steel Faucet is worth the extra money.

1. Won’t rust
2. Won’t stain
3. Will last a lifetime.
4. They are easy to clean.
5. Hygienically better. (won’t hold bacteria)
6. Won’t leach lead into your drinking water.
7. 100% recyclable.
8. Won’t chip
9. Are made from recycled Stainless Steel.
10. And most of all they look unbelievably more appealing.

If it is high quality stainless steel it will never rust. MGS uses 316 stainless steel on all their products This is why commercial kitchens and food processing plants use stainless appliances and hospitals are required to be outfitted with an even higher quality of stainless. Surgeon’s tools are made of surgical stainless steel. The reason why it does not rust is because it has, if any at all, very low amounts or iron in it.

Iron is what oxidizes in metal to give it that red rust. The higher amount of chromium in stainless steel is what gives it its better strength.

No it is not just for the looks and ease of cleaning. Stainless steel is exactly what the name implies. A steel alloy that extremely resists rusting and most material will not stain the metal. Normal steel would rust very rapidly and be stained by many chemicals. Depending on the quality of the stainless steel it will last for many years with no signs of corrosion and still look good if it has reasonable care. In the long run it would save you money!
You most likely have seen iron and steel that was very rusty so would you like your tableware made of that material. Eating food with a very rusty spoon would not be what I would like.

Stainless steel is known for its ability to be a clean surface that resists corrosion and rust. Dirt, dust and grime, however, put stainless steel at risk for corrosion and rust. Luckily, stainless steel responds well to cleaning, never wearing out from excessive cleaning, as long as certain rules are followed.

1. Water and a cloth.

Routine cleaning can be accomplished by using warm water and a cloth. This is the least risky option for cleaning stainless steel. Dry with a towel or cloth to prevent water spots. Wipe in the directions of the polish lines.

2. Mild detergent, (dish washing liquid) and cloth.

For cleaning that needs more power, mild detergent and warm water can do a great job without damaging the stainless steel. Make sure you rinse the surface thoroughly to prevent staining and spotting. Towel dry to prevent water spots which can be caused by minerals in water.

3. Glass cleaner for fingerprints.

Fingerprints are one of the biggest complaints about stainless steel, but can be taken care by using glass cleaner or household ammonia. Rinse thoroughly and towel dry. There are some newer types of finishes for stainless steel that resist fingerprints, a must if your pint-sized helpers leave their mark on your stainless steel appliances.

4. Stainless Steel Cleaner.

If you’ve had staining or scratching, or need to polish your stainless steel, a stainless steel cleaner may be a good option. Some of these cleaners and polishes can help minimize scratching and remove stains. They also can polish stainless steel surfaces nicely. Read the directions on the stainless steel cleaner and test in an inconspicuous spot. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and towel dry.

Faucets

The Mechanical Plumbing Program works with voluntary standard NSF/ANSI Standards 24 and 61 that represent consensus of manufacturers, users, and regulatory people. NSF offers a conformity assessment program which includes performance and health effects testing, certification, and production facility inspections — to verify compliance.

The registered NSF Certification Mark on a mechanical plumbing product confirms that NSF has assessed – and certified – its conformity with the relevant standard. In addition:

• the production facility is audited once each year to assure that only authorized materials are used in the product;
• quality assurance and quality control procedures are followed in fabrication, and all the requirements of the applicable standards continue to be met;
• products are sampled and retested on schedule; and
• labeling and product literature are true and accurate with respect to the NSF listed products.

The 1996 amendments to the U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) require that pipe, fittings, and fixtures introduced into commerce after August 6, 1998, be lead-free. For pipe, fittings, and devices, this requires that the products not contain more than 8.0% lead.

In addition, for devices that are intended by the manufacturer to dispense water for human ingestion (faucets, drinking fountains, etc.), these SDWA amendments also require that the product comply with the lead leaching requirements of NSF/ANSI Standard 61, Section 9. Under this standard, certified products are limited to 11 parts per billion (ppb) of lead in water from endpoint devices.

Endpoint devices subject to the lead leaching requirements of NSF/ANSI Standard 61 include faucets, hot and cold water dispensers, drinking fountains, drinking fountain bubblers, water coolers, glass fillers, residential refrigerator ice-makers, supply stops, and endpoint control valves.

To receive NSF Certification, faucets must meet three basic requirements:

1. Review of materials and formulations
2. Inspection of the manufacturing facility
3. Testing of finished products selected at random during the facility audit

Only after successful testing and inspection can the NSF Mark be used on the product packaging and product literature. Continued certification involves annual inspections of the production facility and repeat product evaluations to assure conformance to NSF/ANSI Standard 61.

Downsides of a Stainless Kitchen Faucet

A stainless kitchen faucet will keep its shine forever. If you’re looking for a faucet that doesn’t need much maintenance, and will never chip or patina, this type is a great choice. These faucets offer an attractive, sleek appearance. They often come in great, minimal-looking styles that help complement the material’s natural smoothness and shine. However, if an old fashioned look is what you’re after, you can also find stainless steel kitchen faucets that fit the bill there, too. Installation of one of these faucets is just like any normal installation, and you’ll have the peace of mind that comes with knowing your faucet will last as long as you need it to. You can find these faucets in single handle and double handle styles, and as sink or wall mounts. Stainless steel is a material that’s used in almost every kitchen faucet type there is.

While stainless steel is a great material for your new faucet, it does have a few downsides. The biggest one is cost. Because it’s more difficult to make stainless steel than the usual materials kitchen faucets are produced in (many are brass, which is then plated to the appropriate finish), the faucet will be more expensive. Also, some people don’t like the shiny, pale look of stainless steel kitchen faucets. They should check out traditional brass or oil rubbed bronze finish faucets, instead.

However, for the majority of people, stainless steel and its durability have a timeless appeal. While these faucets may cost a bit more (a quarter to half as much added to the price) as a nickel plated or other coated kitchen faucet, they’ll stay pristine a lot longer. Stainless steel is actually the number one choice of most home owners. If you’re redoing your kitchen, faucets and all, you owe it to yourself to check out durable, attractive stainless faucets and see if you find one you love. If you’re looking for something special, consider shopping on line.

The Green Side of Stainless Steel

MGS manufactures environmentally friendly K&B products.

- As consumers become increasingly more environmentally conscious, MGS – who turned green way before the current trend – is there to meet the growing demand for green building products. Having a profound respect for the environment, MGS uses the most environmentally friendly procedures and materials available, manufacturing products that are composed of 100 percent recyclable stainless steel.

MGS stands apart from the majority of faucet manufacturers with their central design principle of utilizing solely “true stainless steel.” Breaking away from the industry standard of plating brass to appear satin or polished, MGS’ collection of minimalist kitchen and bathroom faucets, showers, tub fillers and accessories are crafted with the utmost attention to detail and incorporate the finest stainless steel in the world.

Considered to be a true “full life cycle” material, stainless steel is self sustaining with an excellent environmental track record as a material that is actively recycled on a large scale around the world. Systematically separated and recovered back into the recycling process, scraps are recharged into an electric furnace for re-melting back into stainless steel.

The Stainless Steel Industry of North America contributes the long life of stainless steel to an invisible layer that naturally develops on the surface from the iron and the chromium contained in all stainless steel. This invisible layer, if damaged, instantaneously reforms, making stainless steel remarkably self-repairing, protecting the material from any corrosion.

As a result, MGS faucets, composed of solid stainless steel, are extremely hygienic and are one of the few faucets pre-approved by the National Sanitation Foundation, the leading global provider of public health and safety risk management. While other materials, such as brass, require a water-based wash to pass NSF tests, stainless steel is completely pure in composition, assuring that no lead or other toxic particles will leech into drinking water.

MGS manufactures lead-free faucets including its new ANTARES
In a time when the harmful effects of poor air quality, pesticides, sun exposure and
other environmental toxins saturate media topics, many would be surprised to learn that in-home levels of
lead absorption continue to reach record highs. With adults absorbing between 10 and 20 percent of lead
and children absorbing as much as 30 to 70 percent, household faucets and fixtures may be leaching
dangerous levels of lead into precious drinking water.
Lead is commonly used in household plumbing and water service lines, but taps can include up to 8
percent lead, a level legally considered “lead-free,” according to EPA spokesman Dale Kemery. Lead in
fixtures, especially those made of brass or chrome-plated brass, can leach into drinking water in
significant levels, particularly into hot water. So it is best to assume, unless a manufacturer can assure
otherwise, that faucets and taps contain this metal.
Because lead is known to cause serious health issues among children and adults, MGS is working to
eradicate these preventable illnesses by governing the standard for creating lead-free faucets. Operating
on the central design principle of using only true stainless steel, MGS faucets – like the ANTARES, Vela
LD and Randa KD – eliminate the need for lead fittings or solder that could leak dangerous levels of lead
into running water. Here is an article from the Green guide on Lead in faucets.
It can take up to 30 years for just one person to eliminate half the amount of lead absorbed by the body,
No parent is willing to wait that long, and neither MGS. Using only
stainless steel, the ANTARES reflects MGS’s commitment to lead free living and ecological design.”
Featuring a single lever mixer, a pull-out dual spray available in a matching steel or black finish, and a
rotating body, the ANTARES faucet, as well as all MGS faucets, are pre-approved by the National
Sanitation Foundation, the leading global provider of public health and safety risk management. While
other materials, such as brass, require a water-based wash to pass NSF tests, stainless steel is
completely pure in composition, assuring that no lead or other toxic particles will leach into drinking water.
MGS continues to be the ideal choice for lead free faucets and environmentally friendly manufacturing.
Exclusively using what is considered to be a true full lifecycle material, stainless steel is self-sustaining
and actively recycled on a large scale around the world.
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