Changing a faucet can take some effort from you. Replacing old faucets always seems to steer up some trouble. But, at the end of the day, changing faucets is not anything out of the ordinary and you can do it yourself. With that in mind, we hope to give you a step by step guide on how to change a sink faucet.
You’ll find the replacing procedure super easy. All you need is the right tools in hand and a proper idea of things. And that is what we aim to provide you in this article.
Do You Need a Plumber’s Help?
While it is true that some tasks are better left for the expert. You CAN change a faucet without needing any expert in the area. Besides, modern and advanced sink faucets are making installation much easier nowadays.
Yes, changing a faucet is nothing impossible. But, you might be in for a few hiccups if you don’t know what you are doing. That is why it is better to know about the things that can and might go wrong during the replacement.
Soo… before we show you the way to change a faucet… here are some things to keep in mind as you ready yourself for the change-up.
Things You Need To Know Before Replacing a Faucet
Shutting off the water supply valves is of the first things you have to do. You simply turn the valves off. Nothing fancy. Except that it is not so easy in faucets that are a year or two old.
Whether you have an awesome stainless steel kitchen sink or a cheap granite sink, the valves might get stuck seeming impossible to turn off. Besides, getting below a sink is never comfortable. Simply use a wrench or locking pliers to accomplish this task. But, be careful to not apply too much pressure.
Having all the necessary components at your disposal before starting to change the faucet is both time saving and important. You don’t wanna end up looking for important things in the middle of the replacement which you should have gotten before.
Whether it is a simple wrench or new supply lines, know what you will need and get them first.
Know how messed up your old faucet is. Before you put on the plumbing gear yourself, you should clearly know if you can get the job done. If the task seems daunting for you then simply move away and let an expert handle the business.
Finally, you better make sure that the new faucet will fit in your sink configuration. Design and holes are important things to note down before you head to the faucet market.
Okay then… keep these in mind and you should be all ready for completing the steps we are about to show you.
How to Replace a Kitchen Sink Faucet: Step by Step Guide
Time to take you through the steps you came here looking for. Hopefully, you will find some courage to replace your faucet after reading these steps.
Remove the Old Faucet
Can’t have the new and stylish faucet before taking out the old one, right? Here are the steps for removing the kitchen faucet:
Step 1
This is pretty much the obvious step. Come on you know it. Gotta stop everything that’s moving. Your faucet system should have something called shut off valves. One for the cold and another for hot water.
The water movement is stopped with these valves turned off. Easy peasy, isn’t it?
You might face one slight issue with some old faucets. The shut-off valves are missing or sometimes they just don’t work. In such cases, you have to go beyond and turn off the main water valve of the house.
Are we okay? Got the 1st step? Great.
Step 2
This step involves checking if you did the first step the right way. But before this checkup, do keep a small bucket below the shut-off valves to collect any residual water.
Okay, now you can turn on the faucet to see if any water is coming out. It might drip a little but then it should completely stop. No water means you did the first step well.
Step 3
Got the bucket in place? Is the faucet not dripping any more water? That means we can start removing or disconnecting the supply tubes. You will find the hot and cold water supply tubes near the shut-off valves connecting to the faucet.
Start unscrewing the supply tube nut. But, don’t let your guards down and keep an eye on the shut-off valves. Keep the valves assembly stable as you disconnect the tubes.
Use an adjustable wrench with the supply tubes and you can use pliers to stabilize the valves.
Step 4
Step 3 might be the trickiest part for most. So, do that with complete focus.
Now, it is time to say goodbye to your years old faucet. Yep. Removing the old faucet is step number 4. And by the way, this step is not as easy as you might think. So, pay attention mister!
Your faucet remains secured on the sink thanks to one or more mounting nuts. Remove the nuts and you’ll take out the faucet. Simple. Right? Just one problem though…
The mounting nuts are generally situated in a difficult position. And you may not reach the nuts as easily as you might think. If this is the case for you then use a special tool called a basin wrench. This will make it easy for you.
By the way, put some penetrating oil if you find the nuts too hard to remove.
Step 5
The final step before you start focusing on installing the brand new faucet. Simply clean up the surface and the faucet holes. Keep things clean and neat for the new faucet to shine like it’s supposed to.
Installing the New Faucet
Time for the new and stylish faucet to take its place. Follow the below steps for installing your new kitchen faucet.
Note: Not all faucets have the same installation method. Follow the instruction manual. We are showing you the general steps.
Step 1
Before placing the deck plate, put the trim ring or the gasket over the faucet holes on the sink. You can use plumber’s putty for stopping water sipping into the faucet assembly.
Step 2
Take out the new faucet and simply enter the faucet lines into the holes. Yep. As simple as that. Clean out the extra putty (if you used any) underneath the sink.
Step 3
Try finding a comfortable position below the sink. Get down and tighten the retaining nuts. It’s not gonna be easy. Trust me. You can use a wrench but if it’s too difficult to reach the nuts then use a basic wrench.
If you are lucky then your faucet should come with a socket wrench.
Step 4
Now, you can connect the supply lines and valves. Using plumber’s tape will seal the deal for sure. But, it is not a must. Turn on the water to check if there’s any leak. Tighten up if necessary.
Step 5
Remove the aerator and allow water to flow through the new faucet. See if the flow is smooth or not. In addition, this will take out any small debris and stuff that might remain inside.
Double-check for any leaks and then turn off the faucet. Don’t forget to put the aerator back into place.
Conclusion
Follow these simple and easy steps on how to change a sink faucet. And enjoy your brand new faucet without any hiccups. Good luck.