If your kitchen faucet starts to leak, it can be annoying and frustrating. You may not know how to fix it or where to start. This blog post will show you how to change a kitchen faucet in a few simple steps.
Faucets are one of the most common household repairs, so don’t worry – you can do this! Be sure to have all of the necessary tools and parts before beginning this job.
Changing a kitchen faucet is relatively easy, and it can save you money in the long run by preventing further damage to your faucet. Follow these steps below and you’ll be up and running in no time!
How To Remove An Old Kitchen Faucet?
The first thing you need to do is to turn off the water supply. If your old faucet is a single-handle faucet, it will have only one supply pipe whereas a double handle faucet will have two supply pipes to supply hot & cold water respectively.
Use your adjustable wrench & loosen up the fasteners that connect the supply pipe with the waterline. This may take some time, continue to loosen up the fasteners until the supply pipes are free.
Next, remove the mounting screws or nuts that are holding the faucet in place. Depending on the type of your faucet, it might be attached differently, to the wall or countertop. So you’ll have to follow different strategies for this step.
In the case of a wall-mounted faucet, you’ll see a nut at its base, use your basin wrench to loosen up the nut. If the faucet is a double handle faucet, remove the nut from both of the bases.
If the nuts are stuck too tightly, use some penetrating oil. Spray or apply the oil and leave it for 15 minutes. Then you can easily loosen the nuts.
Anyways, in the case of a sink or countertop mounted faucet, look under the countertop to find the base of the faucet. You’ll notice there are some nuts or screws that have held the faucet firmly.
Again, use your basin wrench to remove the nuts. In order to loosen these nuts, you have to rotate the nuts in an anti-clockwise direction. Use penetrating oil to the stubbornly attached nuts.
Remove The Faucet
We’re now on the final step of this tutorial. Once you finish all of the steps above, you should be able to pull out the faucet easily. Gently pull the faucet & try to take it out. Remove the putty using the putty knife around the base if it’s still stuck to the bottom.
If the faucet is a double handle one
If the faucet is a double handle one, it will be a little more tricky to remove. Most of the double handle faucets are actually a combination of several faucet pieces, you can easily take them apart by using your basin wrench.
Loosen up the nuts between the pieces and separate them using a hammer. Then pull out the pieces gently. After you successfully remove the faucet, you are done! If you intend to install a new faucet, make sure to do it instantly.
How to install the new faucet?
If you’re also looking for a tutorial on installing a new faucet, we also have a tutorial on that too. Check our kitchen faucet installation guide.
Tools you need for the job!
– adjustable wrench
– pliers
-Phillips screwdriver
-putty knife
-sealant tape (optional)
-teflon tape (optional)
- Before you begin, shut off the water to the sink. There are usually valves under the sink, so locate those and turn them clockwise to shut them off. If there are no valves, then you’ll need to shut off the main water supply to your home. Once the water is off, open the faucet to release any remaining water in the lines and confirm that the water is indeed off.
- Use an adjustable wrench to remove the aerator from the end of the faucet. This is the small screen that screws onto the end of the faucet.
- Use pliers to remove the decorative caps or indexes from each handle. Some handles will have a small set screw holding them in place. Loosen or remove these with a Phillips screwdriver before proceeding.
- Underneath each handle, you should see a packing nut. This is a large, hexagonal nut that holds the stem of the faucet in place. Use an adjustable wrench to loosen and remove this packing nut.
- With the packing nut removed, you should now be able to pull the stem of the faucet out from its housing. Depending on your particular model of faucet, you may need to use a putty knife to help pry it out.
- Inspect the O-rings on the stem of the faucet. If they appear to be damaged or worn, then you’ll need to replace them before reassembling the faucet.
- Wrap the threads on the stem of the faucet with sealant tape or teflon tape. This will help to create a watertight seal when you reassemble the faucet.
- Screw the stem of the faucet back into its housing, being careful not to cross-thread it.
- Replace the packing nut and tighten it with an adjustable wrench.
- Replace the handles on the faucet and tighten the set screws with a Phillips screwdriver.
- Screw the aerator back onto the end of the faucet.
- Turn the water back on and check for leaks. If there are any, then you’ll need to go back and check your connections to make sure they’re tight.
Conclusion
That’s all it takes to replace a kitchen faucet. While it may seem like a daunting task, it’s actually quite simple once you know what you’re doing. Just be sure to follow the steps carefully and take your time, and you’ll have your new faucet installed in no time.
FAQs:
Q: How do I know if I need to replace my kitchen faucet?
A: If your kitchen faucet is leaking, then you’ll need to replace it. If it’s not leaking, but you just don’t like the way it looks anymore, then you can also choose to replace it.
Q: How often should I replace my kitchen faucet?
A: There’s no set time frame for replacing a kitchen faucet. It really just depends on how well you take care of it and how often you use it. With proper care, a kitchen faucet can last for many years.
Q: Can I install a new kitchen faucet myself?
A: Yes, you can install a new kitchen faucet yourself. Just be sure to follow the steps carefully and take your time. If you’re not comfortable doing it yourself, then you can always hire a professional to do it for
you.
