The question of outlets in the sink is simple. The outlet should not be perforated so minutely as to prevent rapid exit of the water, and yet the holes must not be large enough to permit foreign matter to clog the pipes of the plumbing system. Very often it is wise to have a wire net over the outlet. Some sinks are equipped with stoppers and with cylindrical outlets familiar in wash basins and bath tubs. In these sinks the water is kept in until it is time to release it, obviating the necessity of wash basins. Sunken outlets are a nuisance to keep clean. FAUCETS Faucets are usually of metal, and high priced ones are of enamel. Some sinks have two sets of faucets, two in each set. Some have a higher faucet, a goose neck pattern, for filling carafes. The metal faucets are generally brass and nickel plated. Brass corrodes and is hard to keep clean. The nickel are very satisfactory but cost more. The enamel are quite ideal because the polishing is absolutely obviated. In this case it is a toss-up to the purchaser what it is best to save--time or money. Then there is the pressure faucet--the one which has to be held in order to get water out of it. These are quite hateful and ought never to be used unless the water price is almost prohibitive. Sometimes a foot pressure faucet is used in order that the worker may have his hands free for work. A new faucet which can be swung into different positions is to be had on the new pantry sinks. If the water pressure is extraordinarily high, try to get faucets on your sink with air chambers to take care of this extra pressure. And try, above all things, to buy faucets that emit a flow of water which does not splash the worker. Unless you are a skilled mechanic, don’t try even to put a new washer in your faucet to stop a leak. Because, unless you are skilled, you may forget to shut the stop-cock which cuts off the sink from the main water supply, which may be under the sink or in the cellar. And to prevent a woeful catastrophe, don’t forget, if you leave your house unheated in the winter, to turn off the water in the cellar. FILTERS The question of filters, (See Chapter XXXII, Polishing The Water Supply) which are attached to faucets, is full of danger, as there are only a few good ones on the market, and those that are good can be rendered, through careless handling, much more of a menace than the ordinary water supplied to you. The porcelain-like candle type is one of the best but not absolutely fool-proof. The water sifts and filters through this porcelain candle. If this is sent away to be thoroughly baked, at regular intervals, according to the manufacturer’s description, it is useful; but, when this is not done, the filter becomes a breeding place for germs. Therefore, all things being unequal, boiled water is the safest insurance against germs.