Faucet Installation Tips

If you have a leaking faucet or you want to change the style of your faucet, fortunately these days it's not as complicated as it used to be. You can quite easily change a kitchen faucet yourself with these easy to follow faucet installation tips.

Start Under The Sink

The first place to start is under the kitchen sink. Looking up you will see the two faucet mounting bolts and connections. These connections lead to the hot and cold faucets. Some faucets have separate shut-off valves. Turn off the water with the shut off valves beneath the sink.

If you think you may not be able to remember how to reconnect the water lines, take a quick snap shot with your phone or camera then you'll have an easy reference.

Safety First

You will need to remove the faucet attachments from the top and the bottom. When you are removing an old faucet always wear eye protection in case of falling washers, dust or nuts. Keep the nuts in a safe place for reconnecting the new faucet. If you are unable to reach the nuts with a wrench you can use pliers.

Prep the Area

Clean the sink area where you have removed the old faucet, you may be surprised buildup of minerals, caulk and other residue. Scrape away any old or stuck on caulk or plumber's putty. You can use a mild abrasive and hot water to remove any persisting residue. Do not use chlorine bleach if your sink is made of stainless steel as this may lead to corrosion.

If you can, connect the shut-off and the faucet with inlet tubes before positioning the faucet on the sink. Attach the water supply tubes then attach the faucet to the sink. Tighten the body of the faucet to the underside of the sink and apply plumber's putty to all seals. It's quite simple to attach the faucet to the plumbing and check seals. Don't over-tighten the nuts otherwise you may break them.

Plastic flexible hose is much easier to install and it can also reduce the chance of leaks from having to bend pipes. Next, turn on the water and let it run for a few minutes so you can check for leaks. If you have no leaks you are good to go.

If you do not feel comfortable following these faucet installation tips, or you don't have the time to replace the faucet yourself, you can call on the expertise of a plumber to do the job for you.