American Standard Faucets

On Sunday, I installed a new faucet in my kitchen. The old one had been leaking.

Last week, I went to Home Depot and found the perfect faucet. $100. Not too bad. American Standard trumpets their lifetime warranty. Powerful sales tactic when your previous one just failed. Very nice packaging.

On Sunday (after two trips to the hardware store), I installed the faucet. The cold water didn't work. Just a trickle. Lots of hot water. I disassembled the faucet and looked at the cartridge. No visible problems.

Like most big vendors in big box stores they had a flyer in the box. "Do not return this item". The tremendous negotiating power of Home Depot and similar means the manufacturer eats return costs, shipping, etc. $30-40 down the tubes. Call <b>us</b> if you have any problems. The first key that they were not serious was that they had no hours on Saturday or Sunday which is when amateurs fix their houses. So I waited until Monday morning. I spoke to a nice gentleman who wanted me to disassemble the faucet which I had already done. I insisted on a new cartridge. 7-10 business days.

Now 7-10 business days was fine when my outdoor fireplace was missing a few bolts. It could be assembled regardless, just not as sturdy. This is my kitchen faucet. No water for cooking (at least not hot water -- I had reversed the hoses since only cold water is better than a scalding). No washing hands or hand washing dishes. For two weeks.

I told the gentleman I would be returning the faucet to Home Depot. Which I did. Their feeble attempt at customer service "call us first" only served to annoy me. They should have offered to fedex the part next day or simply told me to return the product. Either would preserve the relationship.

Instead, they polluted their brand and won points for Home Depot, since they come off as the defender of the consumer.

Note: I returned a bathroom fan purchased 10 months ago to Home Depot last month. Never got around to the project. The cashier was quizzical, but I was more than happy to get store credit.

Comments

[Morton Gale]

U have writen twice to the faucet division with no response. Ipurchased a kitchen one lever faudet which is now leaking and the white enamel has pealed off.
The guarantee must be valid yet. I would prefer chrome which shouldn't peal The model numbers listed are 4205.671 and 4205.670. Please advise my next step in replacement

[Erik]

The fact is that you shouldn't buy from HD. Buy from a supply house. Yes, they are more expensive. How much time/energy did you "spend" saving money at HD?

Lifetime warranty is just a marketing term these days. I'd rather have no warranty--you get much better service when you pay for it. Or, when stuff doesn't break. Get the good stuff first, not the AS faucet from HD...

[C Hughes]

The bigger the company, the less they care for their customers.

[pegasusfaucets]

Sorry to hear of your negative experience at Home Depot. I have heard from a lot of other consumers who've touted nothing but positive experiences so I guess it could just be one of those one-time deals. (Or perhaps, your local HD hires only jerks! ;-) Anyway, did you end up ultimately with another American-Standard or something else? (Pegasus is a hot up-and-coming brand right now: low price-point and competes with more of the higher-end luxury fixture manufacturers like Moen.)

[john richard]

Same problem with my enamel on the white 4205.671. faucet.
Peeling off and since it was new with the purchase of the house i have no receipt so American Standard is blowing me off on their so called lifetime warranty.

[Louise King]

I had the same experience with a American Standard faucet 4205.671 from Home Depot. The first one leaked, but I had the receipt and American Standard sent another one. After two years all the white enamel has peeled off on the back of the plate and I have no receipt. I was willing to pay retail, but found they don't even make this model in white anymore. My sink is a white enamel and in great condition. I'm stuck in what to do and very dissapointed with American Standard products.

Louise King