Faucet Installation or Replacement
Even if the old faucet is working fine, it might be time to change faucets just so the kitchen or bathroom can reflect the latest fashions and have an updated a new look. Luckily, faucets are available in a huge variety of price ranges and styles, from less than $20 for a faucet made primarily of plastic up to $350 or even more. Of course, the more expensive faucet should be made mainly of metal, such as brass, and will come with a multi-year or even a lifetime warranty. So keep this in mind when picking out your new faucet, that you do "get what you pay for."
Things that you'll need to install the new faucet:
- The new faucet itself
- Some locking pliers and/or an adjustable wrench
- Slip joint or water pump pliers
- Maybe a basin wrench
- A utility knife
- Silicon caulk or Plumber's putty
- A flashlight to help you see under the sink
- Water supply lines and TeflonŽ tape
First get rid of the existing faucet. Always start by turning off the water supply, either by shutting off the main water supply to the house, or by closing the shut off valves on the water supply lines to that faucet.
Next open the tap to allow water to drain out of the lines and remove any water pressure.
Then use the adjustable wrench and disconnect the hot and cold water supply lines running to the faucet. If you're going to replace the lines, then disconnect them at the shutoff valve, but if you're going to reuse the existing lines, do your disconnects at the base of the faucet itself.
When it is time to remove that old faucet; remember that faucets are attached in one of two ways. Either bottom mounted faucets, which are removed from the top of the sink. To remove a bottom mounted faucet, you will need to take off the faucet handles and escutcheon to get to the nuts holding the faucet. Once the nuts are exposed, use the wrench to take them off.
Or it can be a top mounted faucet, which is held in place by nuts located on the underside of the sink. You will need to get under the sink to remove these. If you're lucky, you'll be able to use your slip joint or locking pliers to loosen the nuts. However, if pipes are in the way, you'll need to use a basin wrench, which is a wrench specifically designed to work in tight spaces where there is not enough room to use an ordinary wrench or pliers.
Once the nuts holding the faucet are removed, just lift it up off the sink. If there is some caulking holding the base to the sink, slide the blade of the utility knife carefully around the faucet base to cut it loose. You'll also need to remove any old caulking or "grunge" that may have built up around the old faucet. You might get some silicon remover at your local home or hardware store, and a mixture of vinegar and water or an orange cleaner will remove that grunge.
Time for Installing the New Faucet
If you are installing a bottom mounted faucet, then put the faucet in place and put on the washers and mounting nuts, then hand tighten everything. Line up the faucet with the back of the sink and tighten them with the wrench. Run a bead of silicon caulking, or plumber's putty, around the base of the faucet, and then you can install the escutcheon and also the faucet handles.
Installing a top mounted faucet follows a similar process. Lay down the bead of plumber's putty or silicon caulk before you place the faucet into the sink openings. Since you'll be working underneath the sink, it's easier if you have someone working on top to assist you by aligning the faucet and holding it in place, while you use a wrench to tighten the mounting nuts underneath.
After the faucet is firmly attached to the sink, then you can re-install the water feed lines, and turn the water back on to check for any leaks. You can then clean up any plumber's putty or silicon caulk around the faucet itself before it has a chance to set up.
One last thing before you are finished; take off the aerator from your new faucet, turn on the tap and let water run for a couple of minutes. This will flush out any type of debris, metal shavings, or dust that might be inside the faucet that was left over from the manufacturing process and will insure that the new faucet runs clean.
When shopping for a new faucet, or anything faucet related, please visit the folks at www.MasterFaucet.com where they have the greatest selection you will ever see!
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