How to Uninstall a Kitchen Faucet
The kitchen, they say, is the soul of every home. If your soul is avocado green and looks like it came from the 1970s, your kitchen might be in need of an upgrade. One of the most basic and easiest upgrades is to install a new kitchen faucet. A number of makes and models on the market will breathe life into just about every kitchen. Before you put in that new fixture, however, you'll have to uninstall your old kitchen faucet. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Open up the cabinet beneath the sink and clear out everything so that you have plenty of room to work. Determine which water supply line is hot and which is cold. In newer installations, a blue water shutoff switch identifies the cold line and a red switch for the hot. If the lines aren't labeled, do this yourself by touching the lines. The hot water supply should feel warm to the touch. Use a piece of sticky tape to label the hot and cold lines.
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Shut off the water supply. Turn the shutoff valves for each pipe clockwise. Do this hand-tight and do not overtighten, as you may strip the valve. Turn the faucet and allow the water to empty.
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Detach the supply lines from the faucet. Lay a towel or two beneath the sink. Even though you emptied the water from the faucet, this part can still get messy. Place the bucket on top of this so that it is directly beneath the faucet. Use the pliers to loosen the plastic coupling attached to the underside of the faucet by turning counterclockwise.
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Detach the sprayer hose, if present. Unhook the line at the end attached to the faucet. Use the pliers to detach it from the coupling. Pull the sprayer out through the top of the faucet.
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Loosen the sink from the fittings. Depending on your sink manufacturer and model, there could be a couple of ways it is attached to the sink. One way is by means of plastic washers that thread onto the water supply fittings, above where the water supply hoses are attached. Loosen these with the pliers. They may be fairly hard to remove. In that case, spray them with a penetrating lubricant and allow it to work for a few minutes before trying to remove. The other attachment method is by means of a clip type device that holds in in place beneath the sink. Loosen the nuts on this clip with a screwdriver to remove the faucet.
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Remove the faucet. Lift the faucet up and out from the sink. If it won't budge, try rocking it back and forth a few times, gently, to loosen it from any caulk or putty holding it in place.
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Tips & Warnings
If the water line couplings are in a particularly hard-to-reach spot, purchase a special plumbing tool at most hardware stores that will help reach into narrow spaces.
If you do not have water shutoff valves below the sink, shut off the water at the main. Be aware, however, that this will leave your entire house without water.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit faucet image by Lynne Davis from Fotolia.com
