Easiest Kitchen Faucet Installation
If your faucet leaks or looks scratched, or you just want a shiny new one, you may want to install a new kitchen faucet. You don't have to hire a plumber to change the kitchen faucet, nor do you need a lot of plumbing experience. Changing and installing a new faucet can be easily done by the average homeowner, as long as you replace the old faucet with a faucet that has the same number of holes and those holes are spaced the same distance apart. The hardest part of changing the faucet is reaching the nuts under the sink. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- New faucet assembly
- Trouble light
- Pipe wrench
- Bowl
- Warm water
- Liquid dish soap
- Baking soda
- Rags
- Soft-bristle toothbrush
- Plastic scraper
- Plumber's putty
Instructions
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Inspect the faucet under your sink and count the number of holes that your old faucet has. Most kitchen faucets have one to four holes. Buy a faucet that has the same number of pipe fittings as your old one. If you buy one that is different, you will have to make adjustments to the pipes, and this is a lengthy process.
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2
Shut off the water to both faucets. Some homes have a shut-off valve under the sink or in the basement. Turn the knob clockwise by hand. If your house does not have a shut-off valve indoors, you will have to shut the water off outdoors where the city's main water line attaches to your home by the street. If you need to shut the water off at this point, you need a special tool for this job, or you can contact your city's water department to turn the water off for you.
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Turn on the water taps. This relieves the water pressure in the lines and also ensures that the water is completely shut off.
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Hang a trouble light inside the kitchen cabinet to help you see better. Crawl under the sink to locate the two nuts that hold each faucet to the water supply and to the sink. Turn the nuts on the water pipe clockwise with a pipe wrench until the water pipe is disconnected. Remove the other nut that holds the faucet to the sink.
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Lift the faucet up and out of the sink. The faucet may be stuck in place by grime or old plumber's putty. Move the old faucet back and forth to loosen it, being careful not to scratch your sink top.
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Clean the dirt, grime and old putty from the area. Wash the area with a solution of warm water that has a teaspoon of liquid dish soap mixed in.
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Mix a solution of one part baking soda with two parts water in another bowl. The consistency of the baking soda solution should resemble a paste.
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Wrap your finger with an old rag and scoop up some of the baking soda mixture. Scrub the grime away with this solution. You can also use a soft-bristle toothbrush to scrub the area clean. For stubborn grime and putty deposits, use a plastic scraper to remove this residue.
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Check the faucet you are about to install to see if it comes with a rubber or plastic gasket, or a putty plate. If your faucet came with a putty plate, turn it upside down on the counter. This will be the section that goes against the cabinet. Apply a bead of plumber's putty in the groove of the putty plate. This groove runs close to the outside rim of the faucet. If the faucet comes with a gasket, place the gasket in the sink holes. Some faucets do not have a gasket or putty plate. For this kind of faucet, apply the plumber's putty on the underside of the rim of the deck plate. Place the deck plate over the holes.
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Insert the assembled faucet into the holes on top of your sink, matching the hot and cold sides of your faucet with the hot and cold water pipes.
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Crawl under the sink to install the washers, and then tighten the nuts that came with your faucet. Tighten them with your fingers, and then use a wrench to finish tightening them. Do not tighten the nuts too much, or you risk breaking them or stripping the threads. You just want them to fit snugly so your faucet won't move around.
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Connect the pipes with the nuts that are at the end of your pipe. Tighten them with your fingers, and then use a pipe wrench to make them secure.
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Turn the water on and check for leaks. If your pipe leaks, turn the water off and tighten the nuts some more to make the seal tighter.
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Tips & Warnings
When working with plumber's putty, roll the plumber's putty between your palms, making it into a thin rope or bead. Press the plumber's putty in place.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
