Is your faucet busted or your sprayer on the fritz? Maybe you just want a change. Experts in Your Home will send you the best Chico plumbers. Maybe you're wondering - Do I dare install my own kitchen faucet? Some do-it-yourselfers would gladly tackle a kitchen sink without plumbing help. Here are the basic steps involved in installing your own kitchen faucet, along with some things to carefully consider before attempting to do so.
Removing Your Old Faucet
Understanding Your Sink Type
Before doing anything, you need to take a close look at your sink to gain an understanding of its configuration, because your new faucet must match or be made to match with the configuration of your sink. You’ll need to know how many holes your sink has. Is it only one hole? If there are separate knobs for hot and cold, then there are at least three. Is there a sprayer? That would be four. Consider this a vital step, as choosing an ill-fitting replacement faucet can cost you time, money, and stress.
Turning the Water Off
You'll need to disengage the water pressure by turning off the water valves under the sink. Now, while this sounds easy enough, it's not always a cakewalk. Pipes rust and get stuck. If the valves don't turn off easily, don't force them, as you don't want to break the valve or the supply line and cause a flooding situation. If the valves seem stuck at all, shut off the main water valve to your home. Your main water valve can most often be found where the water line enters the home, like inside your basement or crawlspace.
Disconnecting Your Supply Line
Put a pail of some kind down below the connections to catch residual water in the lines and disconnect the faucet supply lines. You should mark which is the hot and the cold supply line.
Removing Your Old Faucet
The hardware holding the old faucet should be easily viewed. Remove it. Then, lift out the old faucet. If it doesn’t lift out easily, first, make sure everything is properly disconnected. Then, check for supply tubes that may have sweated on or corrosion that may be present. In the case of corrosion, which is quite common, you may have to expend some strength and energy, as well as patience to get the old faucet free. Then, spotlessly clean off any residual sealant or other debris. This is usually one of the more difficult tasks of changing out a faucet and takes a bit of manhandling, but not too much, because you don’t want to damage the countertop or the faucet.
Installing a New Faucet
Getting the Deck Plate Set
It’s time to start installing your new faucet, and the first step is to set the gasket (made of plastic or rubber, or even a trim ring) or a rope of plumber’s putty. Set it thick enough to seal the faucet body completely. Then, set the deck plate. You must do this precisely so that you don’t get a water leak.
Connecting the Faucet
It will benefit you to make as many connections as you can before actually placing the faucet, as this will cut down on the work that must be done while you are contorted under the sink.
Placing the New Faucet
Lay the faucet into its place, being careful not to kink or scratch delicate materials.
Securing the New Faucet
You’ll then secure the new faucet from underneath the sink by tightening the base nuts. You may want to use a piece of wood or a pillow to compensate for uneven surfaces, as this is not a job of comfort by any stretch of the imagination.
Connecting the Supply Line
Remember when you marked the hot and cold supply lines? Right about now, you’ll be glad you did. Reconnect the hot and the cold-water supply lines. Take a short strip of Teflon tape and wrap it clockwise around the threads of each water supply line. Now, connect the hot and cold supply lines, just firmly tightening with an adjustable wrench. Over-tightening causes damage and leaks.
Turning on the Water
Remove the aerator from the faucet, using a tool, if necessary. Turn the water to a weak stream to check the entire configuration for leaks. Run the water long enough to clear out the lines. Reassemble the aerator. Job complete!
Dare you install your own faucet? I don’t know how much patience or sheer determination you have, but things can happen while changing out a kitchen faucet that will put them to the test. If your do-it-yourself kitchen faucet remodel begins to overwhelm, contact Experts in Your Home for a quote on plumbing help from professional Chico plumbers who do supreme work.
