How to Shop for a New Kitchen Faucet or Bathroom Faucet Aerator

An aerator adds air to the water flow from a faucet.

The aerators on your kitchen and bath faucets are some of the smallest parts that can cause the biggest problems. They clog with sediment and debris from old waterpipes and spray everywhere when worn out. Faucet aerators are almost imposable to repair; so many small parts inside have to fit together perfectly to work. You can make shopping for a new aerator easier by familiarizing yourself with these small devices.

Things You'll Need

• Pliers
• Duct tape

Instructions

1. Remove your old aerator, turning it in a clockwise direction as you look down at it. If you know you are going to replace it, you do not need to worry about scratching it with pliers. Note how the aerator connects to the faucet, whether it screws into female threads on the spout or screws onto male threads.

2. Take the aerator with you to the hardware store. Sort through choices of style, color and function. Just replacing your kitchen or bath faucet aerator with an identical part may not be possible. Some faucet manufacturers have designed special aerators that only fit their faucets. Matching the thread size and pattern may be your only option.

3. Compare swiveling faucet aerators, double swivel aerators and the stationary faucet aerator, with a choice of bubble stream flow or straight flow. Some kitchen and bath faucet aerators feature shutoff valves, and some have diverter valves for a water filter attachment.

4. Look for measures of eco-friendliness, as measured by 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2.2 gallons per minute, or gpm. An ultra-low flow faucet aerator works well in the bathroom, especially with young ones and teens. Kitchen faucet aerators with higher flow work well if you trying to fill a large pot of water. It takes six minutes to fill a 3-gallon pot at 0.5 gpm.

Tips & Warnings

• Check with your faucet manufacturer for warranty parts that may be available free.

• Avoid damaging the faucet as you remove the aerator. Apply heavy tape around the end of the spout before beginning work.

Resources

• NC State University Extension: Focus on Residential Water Conservation