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How to Change a Sink Faucet

By Scott Rodgers

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 29Jan2009
Word count: 554
Viewed: 375 time(s)

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Replacing a sink faucet is amongst the most common plumbing problems people face every now and then, and some do-it-yourself tactics in this regard can save your hard-earned bucks. If you think you can't handle wrenches, and plumbing isn't your favorite type of work, then get help from professional plumbers. But if you want to try it out yourself, here is a detailed how-to on changing a sink faucet.

Although one would think buying a new faucet is the first step, I place it next to dismantling the old one. The very first thing you need to do is check your tools so that you don't get mad finding it in the middle of the job. Amongst the various tools, you would need suitable wrenches, WD40, and pliers.

Now locate the shut off valve, which is usually situated beneath the sink. If you don't find it there, then go out of your home to find it; it may be situated at the water meter. Take WD40 and spray it on the valves to loosen them a bit and make your job a bit easier. If you find it hard to grip them, wear gloves or use a towel piece. Also disconnect hot and cold water lines using a suitable wrench. Once you are done with this, turn on your sink faucet to confirm the water supply is off. Some water that was left inside the pipeline may come out initially but the flow would stop then. Taking these measures would ensure you don't end soaked up in water while removing the faucet.

Now check other connections for hardness; if that's the case, use some WD40 again. Pick up your pliers and take off the nuts beneath the sink that connect the faucet to the sink. Now detach the faucet and clean rust from the sink.

What you need next is another suitable faucet. If you just go to the local shop without doing your homework, you would be puzzled with all types - varying in size, shape, style, weight, etc. So the best thing to do is take the dismantled old faucet with you in case you forget the size. You can also manually take measurements to facilitate your selection. Choose whichever style suits you but make sure the size would fit. Almost all faucets have a manual that explains how it should be installed. Read those instructions to avoid any possible issues later. Put each piece on its place as directed in the manual and use wrenches and other plumbing tools to tighten connection points. Just take care not to over-tighten the points. Double check all connection points and make sure you have placed every little piece in its place. Now turn on the shut off valves and check through the lines, especially the connection points, for any leakage. If there is any leakage from a point, you can dismantle and join that again and tighten a bit more until the leakage stops. Also consult the manual again in the middle of the work if you face any problem. The whole process of changing the faucet may seem complicated to some. In case you are one of those, just call your local plumber and let him do the job in a professional manner.

Scott Rodgers is a master plumber who has recently begun writing articles for both a plumbing and non-plumbing audience. To view more of plumbing articles, visit http://eLocalPlumbers.com

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