And from what people have told me who have purchased and attempted to use them, more miss than hit.

but i really really love that little faucet :(

i wonder if i could order it, have our plumber look at it and if he thinks it's junk, return it.

he will be working on a bunch of other things, so that one bathroom won't hold him up.

That's good to know BevAngel. I have only read bad reviews but yours carries more weight especially after a few years have passed.

Thanks for the feedback, bev. I ordered the faucets (2 for the hall bath). If the plumber thinks they aren't good, ill send them back. I'm also really liking the Guthrie kitchen faucet, but it has blue and red rings. If they end up being removable and the bathroom faucets get the plumber's approval then I'll order the Guthrie too

You might want to read this, from a source I trust, saying their faucets can't be legally sold in the U.S.:
http://starcraftcustombuilders.com/sources.faucets.Signature.Hardware.htm

bmh - Hope you post back here. The only tub filler that I liked was a Signature but would settle for something I liked less just to not throw the money out the window.

I'm happy with my Signature bridge faucets, well made, solid construction.

What's a little lead in your drinking water when the price is right!

@ worthy

It's a little tardy, but your silly question deserves an answer, and here it is:

Lead is by some accounts more dangerous than arsenic. The maximum acceptable level of lead contamination in drinking water in the U.S. and Canada set by the EPA and CEPA is 5 parts per billion (ppb) — that's billion with a "b".

Yet, that may still be too much lead. According to the World Health Organization, "[t]here is no known level of lead exposure that is considered safe." Regulators would prefer a zero-lead standard, But, the EPA's maximum lead level of 5 ppb in drinking water reflects what is do-able at this time. It is about what current technology can achieve, but expect it to be set lower as technology improves.

Lead has deleterious effects on human health particularly of children, attacking the brain and central nervous system causing developmental and learning disorders and, in severe cases, dementia, coma and even death.

In China, the source of Signature Hardware faucets sold in the U.S. and Canada, there is no lead limit in drinking water, and faucets made in China for the domestic market often contain large amounts of lead. Lead is prized in manufacturing in China because it is plentiful,
cheap, malleable, and resistant to corrosion. Lead compounds are regularly added to plastics and vinyl to make them more resistant to high temperatures. Because lead is heavy, it is added to cheap metal products to make them seem more substantial.

Most Chinese (including doctors) do not recognize lead as a significant hazard. As a result, few regulations have been enacted to control for lead. There is no consumer product safety commission and no laws mandating lead-free buildings. Lead contamination is not taken seriously by the Chinese faucet industry or by government regulators.

Acute lead poisoning of entire towns and villages from nearby smelters and factories is common in China. Chronic long-term exposure from smokestacks, lead paint, coal burning and contaminated water affects millions of Chinese citizens.

According to Human Rights Watch, Chinese parents seeking help for children with typical lead poisoning symptoms: loss of appetite, incessant fever, sluggish and agitated behavior, are commonly arrested rather that given aid. By recent estimates, as many as 1/3rd of all children in China are affected by some degree of lead poisoning.

China has no EPA to help control environmental pollution, and nothing like OSHA to regulate exposure to dangerous pollutants in the workplace. Chinese government assessments of contaminants in the environment are known to be wildly unreliable. A recent study by Chinese scientists of water in the reservoir that feeds 60% of Beijing
households found levels of lead 20 times the maximum set by the World Health Organization.

Chinese faucet testing standards (GB18145) do not include a lead contamination limit for faucets. Shi Hongwei, Deputy Director of Quality Supervision for China's National Building Material Industry, Inspection and Testing Center indicated in 2013 that China would implement standards for lead content in plumbing fixtures in 2014. But, 2014 has come and gone without action by the Chinese government.

No one, not even the most experienced expert, can tell by looking at a faucet whether or not it contains a dangerous amount of lead. The only safeguard is laboratory testing and certification by an accredited laboratory that a faucet is "lead-free" to the very strict North American standards.

Signature hardware faucets are not certified, although the company repeatedly claims that they are. None of the seven organizations that test and certify faucets to North American standards has heard of Signature Hardware and none has issued a lead-free certificate for SH faucets. We don't know that the company's Chinese faucets contain unacceptable levels of lead, but we also don't know that they don't. The testing required to find out has not been done.

I've had Signature faucets in 3 bathrooms now for about 6 years. I'm just fine.

@ Anglophilia

Most people who have chronic lead poisoning don't know it. So, you may think you're just fine, but can you be sure?

Oh please! I have none of the symptoms. There are far more important things about which one must worry. Do you truly think this company would be in business if they were selling a health hazard? In our "nanny state"? Geeze...

The only real way to determine where the faucets are safe is to have water run through the faucet, collect the water, compare to water run through other non Signature Hardware faucets in the home and have the water assayed for Pb, comparing the collected samples from different faucets (using hot water, as this leaches Pb to a greater extent)

any danger in their claw foot tub? I have the tub and faucet for the tub

@Nikki,

Don't drink the bath water and you will be just fine.

I'm so torn. I have ordered cabinet handles and french door hardware from SH and wow, they are substantial and quality. Getting ready to make a room of our master into a master bath. House is 260 years old. I have had the best customer service with SH, and given their quality so far I'm really inclined to outfit our entire bathroom with their products. Honestly, I'm a brand snob. But I've also lived in finer homes with brands that are often not worth their price tag. It's really hard to believe everything you read these days!

I bought my glass knobs, my copper powder room sink, the soap tray for the tub, my free standing gorgeous cast iron tub and a few other small things from Signature Hardware and would absolutely recommend them for items such as those, but for my faucets, I stuck with name brands. Delta, American Standard, Moen and Rohl. My feeling is that anything I'm going to drink from or wash my body with, I want to be sure about.

I ordered my bathroom sink faucet and shower combo from Signature and they are crap! I've had to replace the sink faucet parts on both hot and cold once and now, just today the cold broke again causing water to spray everywhere. This is why I'm now researching this company and want to warn others. The shower/tub spout diverter thing won't move and let me change to shower mode. My husband can't even get it to budge! I think these are very bad quality and now that I researched the lead issue, I'm replacing all my SH items. Yes, their customer service is good and lifetime warranty....now I know why?!? BEWARE!!

Gosh, this has not been my experience at all!!! I bought faucets for them for 3 bathrooms I remodeled about 6-7 year ago and have had ZERO problem with any of them. They are lovely and very good quality. And I found their customer service to be outstanding. Perhaps they have changed...

For what it's worth, building a new house and was about to buy faucets from them for my master bath (sinks and tub filler). The response I got back from SH when asking if they were "lead free" I got the ...we are compliant with safe ... meaning, NO they are not lead free. So function/safety over pretty for me... Delta, here I come.

Here's what Signature says on its web site:

"All Signature Hardware kitchen and bathroom sink faucets are compliant with lead regulations determined by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This includes NSF/ANSI 61 (to meet North American drinking water standards) as well as AB1953 (to meet California drinking water standards). They are safe to use, as required by law, and undergo a rigorous testing and inspection process before being authorized for sale. We are also proud to stand behind our products with a lifetime warranty."

Here is what Delta's web site says:

"Delta faucets comply with all of the laws and regulations governing the sale and installation of faucets in North America and may be legally installed in any State or Territory of the U.S. or any Canadian Province unless otherwise restricted. Some States and Provinces may impose additional requirements. See more information below."

Looks pretty much the same to me!!!!

Anglophilia

You are too trusting!

Ask both companies for current listing certificates to prove the claims. I guarantee you will either get a stonewall stall from Signature Hardware, or a certificate for a faucet that is not a Signature Hardware faucet.

To be a certificate for a Signature Hardware faucet it must contain the "Signature Hardware" name, the model name or number of the faucet, a date indicating it is a current certificate and the standard to which the faucet is being certified. It also must be a certificate from one of the seven accredited organizations authorized to test and certify faucets to North American standards.

You will not get one from Signature Hardware.

There is NO SIGNATURE HARDWARE SINK FAUCET legal to sell in the U.S.

It has less to do with being "too trusting" than being aware that to do this would be fraud, and that seems like a stretch.

I will call them next week. I find it highly unlikely that they could post what they did and then not actually do so. I think the gov't would be down on them in a heartbeat.

Anglophilia

The problem with faucet standards is that there is no one level of government that enforces them. Enforcement is spread from county and cities through states and up to the federal government. One consequence is that since no one is particularly responsible, no one does much of anything about violations. In fact, the Department of Energy which is responsible for enforcing one federal statute specifying standards for faucets has been chastised by its own Inspector General for being very lax.

In the end, as it almost always is, it is up to an informed consumer to ensure that he or she is buying a safe and legal faucet. But, it's hard to get information about faucets, which is why we publish our reviews that include whether or not the company is selling contraband faucets.

I ended up with two Signature Hardware faucets in my house. One for the cast iron bath tub I ordered from Signature Hardware which is absolutely amazing and one for a laundry room faucet. The rest of the house is Kohler and Delta. Honestly the Signature Hardware seems like higher quality faucets. They feel much more substantial than even my $700 Kohler Bridge faucet.

Sounds like others have had good experiences. I’m weary since mine wasn’t so great and after reading about lead regulations. However, the company is issuing me a full refund for my items and it’s been a couple years since purchasing. I will say their customer service has always been good. Maybe their quality has improved since. ‍♀️

Okay. I finally had time today to call Customer Service at Signature Hardware (DGS1 is graduating from HS tomorrow - lots of events taking my time!).

It is AGAINST THE LAW to sell any bathroom or kitchen faucet that provides water for human consumption that contains lead and does not meet all the federal requirements. In addition, some states have more stringent requirements (can anyone say "CA"?). The Customer Service rep with whom I spoke said that ALL such faucets that they sell DO meet these requirements and may also be sold in CA. In addition, if requested a copy of the certificate will be provided!!! He said they are typically emailed as a PDF file.

He also said that they will inform customers that certain faucets may not meet local building codes. This is typically one such as the faucet I bought for my own bathtub from them, that does not have a valve that won't allow only the hot water to run. This is very similar to the one I purchased <https://www.signaturehardware.com/bathroom/tub-faucets/woodrow-leg-tub-faucet-with-hand-shower.html>;. I knew this when I bought the faucet, and someday when the house is sold and an home inspector says this faucet is not to code, I will give an allowance at closing so it can be replaced if the buyer so wants. In the meantime, I'm not likely to scald myself and much prefer this style faucet!

All this scare-mongering is just that. Not only is the EPA involved in this, but the consumer protection provided by the Attorney General's offices in every single state. One cannot state on ones web site that all the faucets one sells are compliant and have them not be. That is fraud and state attorney generals take this very seriously.

Items being imported from other countries have to clear US Customs. Having brought things in through Customs, I can assure you these are the ultimate nitpickers when it comes to details and certificates. Just try bring an alligator handbag or wallet into the US with a CITES certificate, even if it's being carried by on an airplane! They'll seize that $45,000 Hermes bag in a heartbeat and good luck ever getting it back (no, I have NOT done this as I do not own one, but it has happened to people I know through an internet forum!).

Do people bring illegal stuff back with them in their luggage (and the luggage of family and friends) and then sell it on eBay? Probably. But then that's not the greatest place to buy a no-brand faucet and who wants to buy a no-brand faucet anyway - you'll never find parts for it.

I have no idea what the agenda is of the OP, but this is a dead horse that is time to bury it and stop beating it.

@ Anglophilia

Let me get this straight. The guy that sells illegal faucets tells you his faucets are not illegal, and you take that as gospel. Do you have any interest in buying a bridge in Brooklyn? I have one for sale.

OK, the real scoop -- one more time.

1. Faucets that are legal to sell in California include ONLY those in the California MAEDBS list of approved faucets. Signature Hardware does not appear in the list at all, not once. Its faucets are not legal to sell in California.
2. Signature Hardware is not in any list of faucets certified compliant with ASME A112,18.1/CSA 125.1 (Plumbing Fixture Fittings) by any of the seven testing organizations authorized to test and certify faucets in North America. This certification is required for a faucet to be installed in a drinking water system anywhere in the U.S. or Canada.
3. Signature Hardware is not in any list of faucets certified compliant with ANSI/NSF 372 (Lead-Free standard), by any of the seven testing organizations authorized to test and certify faucets in North America. This certification is required for a faucet to be installed in a drinking water system anywhere in the U.S. or Canada.
4. Signature Hardware is not in any list of faucets certified compliant with ANSI/NSF 61 (Drinking water Safety) by any of the seven testing organizations authorized to test and certify faucet in North America. This certification is required for a faucet to be installed in a drinking water system anywhere in the U.S. or Canada.
5. Signature Hardware is not in the Department of Energy's list of faucets certified compliant with Energy Policy and Conservation Act. This certification is required for a faucet to be imported, advertised, held for sale, sold or delivered after the sale anywhere in the U.S.

Signature Hardware plays games with listing certificates. If you ask for a certificate, you will get a certificate from an entirely different, usually Chinese, company with totally different model numbers. One of the model numbers will be circled and a note will indicate that this is the same model sold by Signature Hardware.

Speaking of no-name faucets. Signature Hardware IS a no-name faucet, and good luck finding parts.

Attorneys General typically do not bring consumer fraud cases, leaving it to the plaintiffs' bar of litigation attorneys to do that sort of enforcement through class actions. AGs have more important things to do, and if you try to get the AG in your state interested in illegal faucets, that's exactly what you will be told.

StarCraft, clearly you and I will never agree on this. I have dealt with Signature in the past - have bought their faucets, a sink and a toilet. I've been to their showroom in Northern KY. I have been very happy with their products and have received excellent customer service. Why on earth would I think they would lie about something that is this important? To do so, would destroy their business and reputation and it is actually quite a good one.

I have no idea who you are or what your personal agenda is. I have no reason to think that their customer service people are lying - we're not talking about some guy selling stuff he imports privately out of an apt in the Bronx on eBay. They've been in business now for many years and do a huge business. If they were liars and thieves, surely someone would have shut down such a big operation.

Go ahead and badmouth them all you want and call me naive - it's your right. I've been called a lot of names in my 74 years, but naive is not one of them. I'm a pretty savvy consumer. I seriously question your motives where this is concerned.

@ Anglophilia

Well, let's see.

Signature Hardware's customer service says their faucets are certified and legal to sell and install in the U.S.

That's one side.

Seven accredited testing organizations ( the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, The International Codes Council, The Canadian Standards Association, the National Sanitation Foundation, the Water Quality Association, Underwriters Laboratories, and Intertek/Warnock-Hersey) and at least three government agencies (U.S. Department of Energy, the California Energy Commission and the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Plumbers and Gas Fitters) all say that Signatur Hardware faucets are not certified.

That's the other side.

Who to believe? It's a tough choice, I know. A real brain stumper! Hummmmmh!

After thinking about it a long time -- maybe 2 or 3 seconds -- we decided to believe the seven accredited testing organizations and three government agencies over self-serving claims by Signature Hardware's customer service. Sorry.

You, sir, seem to be one of those people who has decided on an answer and defends that answer at all costs despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. If that's the way you think, then buy all the Signature Hardware faucets you want. Best wishes to you, and to your family.

We assume that there are other people who will read this thread who are more open-minded and who might believe the evidence. In fact, based on our many years of participation in this forum, we believe we are wholly correct in our assumption.

We have no agenda other than determining the true facts. If Signature Hardware decided today to mend its ways and get legal -- something we have more than once urged the company to do -- we would be delighted and amend our report on the company accordingly as soon as we confirmed the change.

If this is such an issue then why are you the only one that seems to be reporting anything about lack of certifications for products that display certification markings?

A good portion of my day was spent researching this particular topic and the only source of any data on this is a remodeler rated in the 22nd percentile for contractors in Nebraska.

https://www.buildzoom.com/contractor/starcraft-custom-builders 

@Sarah Piper

"Ad hominem (Latin for "to the man" or "to the person"[1]), short for argumentum ad hominem, is a fallacious argumentative strategy whereby genuine discussion of the topic at hand is avoided by instead attacking the character, motive, or other attribute of the person making the argument, or persons associated with the argument, rather than attacking the substance of the argument itself."

Dr. Michael C. Labossiere (2002–2010). "42 Fallacies: Ad Hominem" (PDF). p. 2. Retrieved 2018-07-10.

Identified in Paul Graham's Hierarchy of Disagreement as the second lowest form of argument in a disagreement exceeded only by outright name calling.

If you have anything at all of substance to contribute on the discussion of the issues, then please do so. Attacking the speaker, however, is not an accepted practice among rational, civilized persons.

Just because the product has not been tested for lead does not mean that it contains lead. Analytical testing is expensive, so the testing does not get done. The advertising may be misleading, so shame on them for that. People are over-reacting to the possibility of lead in a faucet. I have "silver" fillings in my teeth. They are not pure silver. They are a mixture of silver and mercury referred to as a silver amalgam. Everything I drink, including beer, soda, bottled water etc, goes over those fillings when I drink. No problem with mercury poisoning. Dentists still use amalgams. You probably have dental fillings that have mercury in them. Will you have those ripped out? Do you have mercury poisoning? The chemistry and toxicity issues are more complex than you think, and are beyond the level of discussion here. If you eat lead based paint chips, that is problematic. We will die from heart disease or car accidents or guns. None of us will die from lead poisoning from a faucet.

Bring back the good old days when asbestos protected us from fire, we washed our hands in gasoline to get grease off, mercury kept lady's skin white and pure, lead pipes supplied our water--still more than 31,000 lead water supply pipes here in Toronto--and a good soaking of Chlordane kept your home bug-free for years!

With all that lead, China's economy is booming. Must be doing something right. (More melamine in my meals, please!) Besides, would Alibaba lie??

Just a follow-up, could it be that Signature Hardware is a DBA name for a different company? E.g. your CVS selling Listerine as the store brand? If they do have the files available via email, for those who care.. they can probably validate the authenticity of the document with the associated agencies?

I think Signature bridge faucets are well constructed and their overall quality is also good.

Nope.

I'm very happy with my Signature faucets in my bathrooms/tub that I've had now for about 8 years. They're beautifully made and still work perfectly.

It is my understanding that Ferguson's purchased Signature a couple of years ago so I have no idea how that might or might not have changed it.

Yes Ferguson owns Signature Hardware now. Not sure for how long. They will price match online prices in their showroom because of this. Verified by a designer and builder

Look it up

To update my earlier posts on Signature Hardware Faucets.

The company was bought by Ferguson Enterprises (think build.com, faucetsdirect.com, etc.) in 2016. After a slow start, the company is now in the process of getting its faucets certified.

As of now, some are and some are not. If buying an SH faucet, ask for and READ the listing certificate.

Make sure the SH name and the model faucet you're planning to buy are on the certificate.

For more information, see Signature Hardware Faucets Review and Rating.

Dang. Starcraft builders sounds like a hater. 2 years of posting your dislike on this product? just don’t buy it.

@ gianni19

Se neither like nor dislike faucets company, we just report the facts.

@StarCraft Custom Builders Can you share a link to the report and testing that found lead in these faucets?

I have use Starcraft’s well researched and impartial faucet review site as a great resource for years. I very much appreciate the time and dedication that it takes to do this. The incredible gall of people trying to tear down such a well run and impartial resource is astounding.

@ MBAK

There really is no such thing as a report that documents the presence of lead in faucets. Certification listings document the ABSENCE of lead in faucets.

You should read through this entire thread to better understand the certification process, or better yet, read Keeping Faucets Safe and Reliable.

Signature Hardware is doing a better job of certifying its faucets since it was acquired by Ferguson, but as of our last update, not all of its faucets were certified lead free.

@StarCraft Custom Builders Thanks I will check the link out!

@StarCraft Custom Builders I just took a peak at that link and wow that is very thorough. I promise to read more myself - but selfishly can you tell me where I should be looking//what is most important to deduce in terms of the lead testing?

I see Signature says "some (but not all)" .. So assuming that is the issue?

Comparatively - does something like Kingston Brass seem to check those boxes better? I see for them:

Certified to Joint U.S./Canadian Standards. of Safety, Reliability & Durability

(ASME A112.18.1CSA 125.1)

Certified Lead-Free and Drinking Water safe.

(ANSI/NSF 61/9)

@ MBAK

I don't understand your question. If you are looking for an easy way to check whether faucet are certified lead free, there is none. Which is why we put the information in our review. Read the SH review. It tells you how to go about getting the information.

FWIW, Signature was added to the California approved list in 2021. Just saw it my own eyes.