Over a decade ago, brass handles for doors were considered an old fad and were largely ignored by homeowners, choosing instead for the more attractive aluminium ones. However, scientific studies have now been published that suggest that brass handles, door plates, and other door fixtures should be brought out of mothball status to help fight off harmful bacteria and viruses, surprisingly including hospital superbugs like E-coli and MRSA as well as other bacteria resistant to chlorine disinfection. The report says that the brass switch might be justified because it is stronger than aluminium (a fragile metal) and can be used in a larger variety of applications. However, it also warns that unless you regularly maintain your brass door handles and fixtures, they can become damaged by mineral deposits that form when the door is dampened after being cleaned. In addition, the corrosion process speeds up when there is no air or moisture to slow down the chemical reaction.
It’s important to remember that coffee is not exactly a food and does not have the same nutritional value as a portion of cooked food, so drinking brass handles for door fittings is not a good idea. Similarly, if you have kids in the house, avoid using brass handles for their toys or other door handle material, as they tend to be extremely sharp and can easily cut or bruise their delicate fingers. For older children or adults, do not attempt to use a brass handle for any reason. Remember too that as the temperature warms up, so does the value of your home’s interior design, so if your brass door handles begin to rust, you should probably get rid of them until the paint/coating can protect them. However, there are plenty of other door handle materials available, so it’s not necessary to completely give up brass handles just because you have decided to try out the new material.
So, where do you go for an excellent guide to buying these types of door handle material? A good first place to look is on the internet as there are plenty of manufacturers selling these products on the web. The downside, however, is that, as with most things on the internet, there are often scam sites out there whose only interest is profit from ill-informed or misinformed buyers. So it’s up to you to do your homework and research properly before buying from any seller on the web.
One of the best places to get quality door handles and other hardware is Home Depot and Lowes. While there are certainly some perfect handles on the market, the prices are pretty reasonable when you consider they’re made from solid brass knobs. In addition to looking at the price tag, you should also look for a warranty. If there isn’t a warranty on the piece, then it’s probably not a good deal.