Sharing Knowledge About Residential Plumbing

While it might not be a complete transformation, a new faucet can begin to add some much needed change to the look of your bathroom. While tasks such as hot water heater repair will usually require the services of a professional plumber, you can change a faucet yourself. 

All you need is a minimal amount of tools and supplies, a healthy back, and a less than complete aversion to smelly plumbing materials.

What you will need:

The faucet

Unless your sink is very old, the hot and cold supply lines to your faucet will be a standard four inches apart. This is important, because the supply lines must fit through the pre-cut holes in your sink. Measure the distance between the hot and cold faucet handles before you go to purchase your new faucet at your local home improvement store.

If they are more than four inches apart, you will likely need to go online or to a plumbing supply business to have a faucet custom ordered. 

Plumbers putty

Buy a small tub of this putty to use to seal the base of the faucet.

Adjustable locking pliers

These are long pliers with a slip joint that adjusts according to need. Unlike regular pliers, they grip from an angled position instead of in a straight line.

Teflon tape

This is a thin plastic ribbon used to seal pipe threads.

Removing your old faucet

You will begin by turning off the valves to the hot and cold supply lines under your sink. It's a good idea to remove any clutter under the sink, and to spread rags or paper towels to absorb any spilled water. 

Next, you will unhook the supply lines from current faucet. This is where the locking pliers and the strong back are both needed, because you will need to contort your body under the sink to reach the nuts that connect the supply lines to the faucet.

You will turn the nuts in a counterclockwise direction until they are completely loose, then remove the center nut that holds the faucet in place on the sink by turning it in the same direction. Suggestion: if a typical hexagonal nut is used to hold the faucet in place, take the nut to the home improvement store and buy a wing nut of the same size. A wing nut is much easier to turn in the confined space under the sink.

When the faucet is removed, clean all of the old, wet, smelly putty from atop the sink.

Connecting the new faucet

Wrap teflon tape in a clockwise direction around the two threaded supply ends of the faucet, then scoop some plumbers putty from the tub that you bought and roll into between your hands until you have a long quarter inch bead.

Line the inside of the base of your new faucet with the bead of plumbers putty, and slip the supply ends through the holes in the sink. From under the sink, place the wing nut on the center threaded rod and tighten it by turning it clockwise. Tighten it by hand only, or you may crack the sink.

Next, tighten the two supply nuts onto the threaded ends of the faucet by turning the nuts clockwise. Use the locking pliers for a snug fit.

Turn on the supply lines and you're finished your plumbing task, but just beginning to add your bathroom's new look. To learn more, contact a company like Rapid Rooter Of Central Oregon.