Kitchen plumbing often gets the short end of the stick, but your kitchen faucet is a big part of your kitchen decor. Is it looking dull and worn out? This could be due to the hard water you have if you live in an area where you have that issue. But that can also be easily repaired with some upkeep. Here we will recommend some tips for How to replace kitchen faucet that may come in handy for you.
Are you looking for a guide to replace your kitchen faucet because you want something to work faster and better? Do you realize that the faster and cleaner working the faucet is, the healthier it would be for your family? Are you sure that you can replace your kitchen sink by yourself? My friend, I have good news for you! You are able to replace your kitchen faucet on your own without any concern. All that should be done with care and strongly believe in this. Then whole process will go as smoothly as possible.
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How to replace kitchen faucet
If your kitchen faucet is dripping excessively, it’s time for a replacement. A leaky kitchen faucet can waste water and cost you money. Replacing your kitchen faucet is not as hard as you may think.
- Before you begin, turn off the water using the shut-off valves underneath the sink. If there are no shut-off valves, turn the water off at the main valve in the house. Turn on the tap to drain out any remaining water in the pipes and to check if it has been shut off completely.
- Disconnect the supply lines to make room for installation of your new kitchen faucet. With an adjustable wrench, loosen the nut that attaches each of these lines to the old faucet and remove them from underneath the sink.
- By using an adjustable wrench or channel lock pliers, loosen and remove the nuts that hold the old kitchen faucet in place. Now carefully pull out your old faucet from the mounting holes in the sink.
- Inspect your new kitchen faucet set for missing parts or defects before you install it. Compare what you have with what’s shown in your owner’s manual or installation guide that came with your new faucet set to see if anything is missing
Turn off water supply
- Turn off the water supply to the sink. You can find the shutoff valves under the sink or behind an access panel in the same room. Turn on the faucet to make sure it is off.
- Place a bucket under the faucet in order to catch any remaining water and unscrew the supply tubes from the shutoff valves using pliers or an adjustable wrench.
- Disconnect the drain lines by unscrewing them from their fittings under the sink with a screwdriver or wrench. If necessary, use pliers to loosen corroded nuts and rubber seals.
Unscrew water supply lines
Unscrew the water supply lines from the faucet. If you have a spray hose, unscrew it, too. Wrap the threads of the water pipes with Teflon tape and screw them into the corresponding ports on the new faucet.
Remove faucet handle and/or sprayer
Remove the handle and/or sprayer from your old faucet by prying off any decorative caps or screw covers from the handle(s). Then loosen and remove the screw(s) that secure the handle(s) to the faucet stem. Pull off each handle (and sprayer).
Unscrew old faucet from the sink
- Turn off angle stop below the sink and open faucet to empty pipe of water.
- Unscrew the water-supply lines from the angle stops, using two adjustable wrenches.
- Remove the mounting nuts that secure the faucet to the sink and lift out the old faucet.
Install new faucet
- Install new base plate on new faucet at threaded holes in center of plate. Place plate over hole in countertop and pass mounting hardware through plate and into hole. Secure with washers and nuts hand tight only.
- Connect the hot and cold-water lines to shut off valves. Install spray hose by connecting it to end of sprayer fitting on underside of your spout. Check all the connections for leaks before tightening with wrenches.
There are two types of faucets: compression washer and ceramic disk. Compression washer faucets are older models and require less money to fix than newer ceramic disk types. If your faucet has ceramic disks (see image above), you’ll need to buy another one like it because the cartridge for a ceramic disk faucet is not sold separately (although each manufacturer has its own proprietary cartridges). A compression washer cartridge can be purchased at any hardware store or home center.
Conclusion
Replacing a kitchen faucet is fairly simple as long as you have a few basic tools and a replacement faucet on hand. Replacing a faucet can seem intimidating at first, but it’s really not difficult as long as you are careful and follow the instructions. It’s a good idea to have a few basic tools on hand before you begin, and make sure to take your time during the installation process. Don’t get frustrated if your new faucet leaks for a few days after the installation; that is normal.
If you want to replace a kitchen faucet, there are two basic options: repairing the existing one, or installing an entirely new one.
