How to Replace a Kitchen Faucet

Nowadays,

We see a lot of people upgrading their kitchen through a number of DIY projects and everything seems to be so easy.

But when you actually execute it, you find out that its not as simple as it appeared.

There are certain tasks and processes, which plays a very important role while doing it. One such important task is to replace the kitchen faucet properly, by removing the old one.

To learn,

How to replace and Install a Kitchen Faucet, you require some proper tools, a set of procedures, along with a step-by-step guide. Learning, how to do this. will not only help you SAVE MONEY which you would have otherwise spent on a plumber, but also, prepare you for handling crucial situations, such as pipe leakage/blockage below the kitchen sink.

What do you need for it ??

Well, some ‘Just do it’ spirit and an energy drink (just kidding). You can leave the rest on us. Follow the steps below, to learn How to Replace a Kitchen Faucet, on your own.

WHAT DO YOU REQUIRE ??

Let me list down some essentials,

• A big container,
• basin wrench,
• coconut oil, (or any grease removal stuff)
• a big piece of cloth,
• a support bracket,
• a metal circular washer (depending on the thickness of your sink),
• nuts (to fix it),
• spray nozzle hose,
• plumber’s putty,
• water valves,
• C-rings,
• paper towels.

In case, the sink has a SINGLE HOLE, then also use a spout-based gasket.

Or in case If the sink has THREE HOLES, use a deck plate and two stoppers.

Step 1: Disconnect all the water supply lines to kitchen.

Disconnect all the water supply lines, both of cold and hot water, connected to your kitchen. If your kitchen does not have separate cut-off water valves, then you need to stop the entire water supply of the house. If not done, this can result into a real mess by flooding the area of your kitchen and rooms with water.

Pro tip: Check the pipes connected to the faucet and the valves, whether there is any sort of leakage or damage, which might cause a hindrance later. If so, then we advise you to replace them first.

Step 2: Remove the already installed kitchen faucet.

A proper removal of the older kitchen faucet is faucet is very important, in order to replace it with a new one. This is such a process which needs a lot of concentration and learning too. So, be patient and follow the steps below:

1. Discharge the garbage disposer from the plug line (if any)
2. Secure the garbage disposer with a big container when coming out (if any)
3. Dispose the water lines connected to the sink basin.
4. Take a basin wrench and hold it’s by its pivoting gripping head.
5. Grip it properly to the mounting nuts holding the old faucet, to loosen it.
6. Once it loosens, you can take out the old faucet easily.

Step 3: Clean the sink area properly

After removing the old kitchen faucet, take some coconut oil and a big piece of cloth and rub it in the sink area where the old faucet was attached to. It will help to remove any grease stain or corrosion from the sink area. If not done, it can later affect the pipe and even the quality of water.

Now, we can move are moving towards one more questions which people ask, when they want to fit in new faucets for the first time. The question is

How to Install a Kitchen Faucet 

To answer this question, we need to more towards our next step,

Step 4: Install the new kitchen faucet

Now, here comes the real drill when you have to finally upgrade your kitchen faucet to a new one. There are certain steps which you must follow to have a smooth installation of the kitchen faucet. Follow below:

Watch out how many open holes are there in the sink at first.

If you have a single whole basin sinks, then

1. Take a spot based gasket.
2. Ensure the proper alignment of the faucet’s bottom by passing the hoses, through the gasket.
3. Once passed through the gasket properly, pass the hoses coming out of your faucet through the sink hole.
4. Make sure all the holes in the kitchen sink are covered.
5. If your sink is below half-an-inch distance, then use a support bracket.
6. Secure the support bracket and slide it from the underside of the sink over the faucet’s hoses. Also, ensure that the support bracket is in a proper alignment.
7. Slide a metal circular washer over the hoses till it reaches the bracket.
8. Use a nut to tighten the faucet’s shank to secure it to the place (Make sure you tighten the nut properly to secure its place).

If you have a triple whole basin sinks, then

1. Take a deck plate which looks like a rectangular piece of metal.
2. Make sure it has a hole in the middle and has two stoppers to fix on both the sides.
3. Once the deck plate is firmly attached beneath the faucet, pass the hoses through the hole in the sink.
4. Make sure all the holes in the kitchen sink are covered.
5. If your sink is below half-an-inch distance, then use a support bracket.
6. Secure the support bracket and slide it from the underside of the sink over the faucet’s hoses. Also, ensure that the support bracket is in a proper alignment.
7. Slide a metal circular washer over the hoses till it reaches the bracket.
8. Use a nut to tighten the faucet’s shank to secure it to the place (Make sure you tighten the nut properly to secure its place).

Step 5: Just the finishing touch

All’s well that ends well. So is the thing here. You did it till here, so we believe; you can do this end step well too. Doing this step right is very important as the proper working of the kitchen faucet depends completely on this last few steps.

So, make sure you do this right by following up the guides mentioned below.

1. Attach the spray nozzle and push it through the faucet to make sure it reaches to the bottom of the faucet’s base.
2. Apply the plumber’s putty to the base of the water valves and insert those valves and add the C-rings to it, to tighten the nuts of the valves.
3. Double check the nuts with the basin wrench once more to make them as tight as possible.
4. Clean the pipes and the sink properly before setting them up again. It is an important step because hygiene and cleanliness, comes before anything else.
5. After cleaning it up all set them up accordingly and connect back the process of water supply to the faucet. Plugging on the water source is important to check for any leakages, if there are any, in the connecting pipes.
6. Clean the area with some paper towels and keep everything in place, for the next time use.

Well, now after these simple steps you just read, don’t you think that replacing a kitchen faucet is not as tough, as it appears to be.

With all these steps broken down, it should not be a fuss at all to remove and replace the kitchen faucet and upgrade your kitchen like a pro. Just give yourself 45 precious minutes to this task and follow the steps, and it will be done. Let us know about your experience while replacing a kitchen faucet. Hope, we helped you with this detailed guide of “How to Replace a Kitchen Faucet”.

Now, go, make it happen !! Good luck.