Replacing the utility sink faucet in your home can be daunting, leaving you feeling more than a little out of your depth. But fear not – following these tips will help even the most amateur DIY enthusiast sail through the process quickly!
While replacing any faucet certainly comes with its own inherent challenges, tackling it head-on is far more preferable than fretting and worrying over it indefinitely. So roll up your sleeves, bring out your trusty toolbox and get ready to repair that pesky faucet once and for all!
Before You Begin
Utility sinks and faucets in hard-to-reach places such as basements or garages can take time and effort. Investing in sturdy brass fixtures is your best bet, as they are durable and come in many different designs. For easy maintenance, the cartridge lever faucets with arched gooseneck spouts make it simple to fill buckets while cleaning tools or brushes. Additionally, two-handle models are usually preferred in utility sink applications compared to single-handle ones.
What You’ll Need
Equipment / Tools
- Basin wrench
- Channel-type pliers
- Putty knife
Materials
- New utility sink faucet
- Plumber’s putty
Shut off the Water
Replacing a utility sink faucet can be a tricky job indeed. You need to contend with a clunky old tap and the prospect of turning off the water to get it done. Sure, it sounds like an easy enough task, but when you’re faced with having to do it, you suddenly don’t feel so sure anymore. Fear not! Whether you’re dealing with a tricky kitchen faucet installation or an outdoor hose bibb replacement, the steps for turning off the water are straightforward.
- First and foremost, find the main shutoff valve that controls the entire house’s water supply. Depending on your plumbing setup, this could either be located inside (underneath a kitchen or laundry room sink is often familiar) or outside somewhere near the property line of your home/building.
- Once you’ve taken care of that, all left is to turn each of the individual valves at each sink/tub off until you reach the one for which you are replacing its attendant faucet.
Hofen tips
- A few emergency tips should also be kept in mind. If all else fails and you cannot locate your main shutoff valve at all, consider keeping emergency supplies handy in case a massive rush of water starts blasting out from somewhere inside or outside your home or business–a wrench for quickly shutting off valves (should they have handles–which their brand considerations could enable); plumbers tape; small tubs; and toilet plungers may all come in handy in such emergencies before real professionals arrive on the scene.
- Installing shutoff valves on your utility sink faucet will make future repairs or replacements more straightforward. Take your time with an issue – act preemptively to ensure the process is as easy as possible!
Disconnect the Supply Tubes
Disconnecting the supply tubes is relatively straightforward and requires minimal effort. Here’s how you do it:
- First, disconnect the hot and cold water supply lines from the shutoff valve. This is important to avoid any chance of water leakage during the installation of your new faucet. Typically, these lines are secured using insulated saddle valves that should be unscrewed with a wrench.
- Once this work is done, turn the mounting nuts on the supply tube counterclockwise until they disengage from their points on the faucet tailpiece. Apply consistent pressure until these are completely removed, then lift them away from the fixture to complete their detachment from the system. This step might take time and patience if you’re working in a tight space! And remember to plug up any exposed pipes before continuing with the installation.
That’s all there is to it — when done correctly, having disconnected supply tubes makes changing out a utility sink faucet relatively pain-free!
Remove the Faucet Body
Removing the faucet body to replace a utility sink faucet is more manageable than it sounds.
- First, identify the nuts that secure the sink faucet in place. Depending on what type of nuts you have, you may need some slip-joint or adjustable pliers to loosen and remove them.
- A pot wrench is an ideal tool since they are designed with a cross-over handle and swivel head to help get at tight spaces and awkward angles. That said, if the nut is extra stubborn and won’t budge, try using a pry bar or a 4-in-1 screwdriver to turn the nut until it comes off successfully.
- Once you’ve loosened the bolts with your wrenches, slowly unhook them from the lead nuts and washers underneath. Set these aside in a safe space until your replacement parts arrive. Remember to loosen each drain stopper so no debris can fall into any of them when removing the sink faucet.
- Carefully remove the old stem from its housing by rotating it counterclockwise and carefully pulling it up and out. Installing a new stem requires twisting it into its housing clockwise; however, be sure all connection points between pipes and drains are working correctly before doing this step.
Prepare the New Faucet
If your new faucet is equipped with a foam or rubber gasket, you won’t need to use a plumber’s putty. But if it does not have one of those seals, make sure to place a thin layer of putty around the base so that there is an extra water-tight seal between the faucet body and sink panel. After that, press down on the fixture until some putties ooze out from under its edges – this will indicate that everything has been installed correctly!
Secure the New Faucet
Installing a new faucet is a task that requires both practical skills and finesse. When securing it to the sink, all the small details matter—a job that’s no joke! Let’s take a look at installing the faucet step by step.
- First, thread the new faucet’s mounting nut from under the sink to the tailpiece, then secure it with a basin wrench. Take your time snaking those threads together—you don’t want any slips that might leave you with leaks in the future!
- As you tighten those nuts, be mindful of keeping the faucet straight and aligned correctly; no one likes an uneven-looking sink.
- Once it’s in place and secured tight, apply the plumbers putty between the faucet base and the top of the sink until it forms a ring underneath your shiny new addition.
- Your foil-wrapped gift is now set to make its debut with proper ceremony. But hang on just one second—like Cinderella before her ballroom entrance, she didn’t forget to take off her slipper tags. Similarly, you’ll want to scrape away any excess putty using a putty knife before making it official.
Attach the Supply Tubes
Adding a new faucet is simple enough to do yourself:
- The first thing required is attaching the supply tubes. This involves tightening both the hot and cold water supply pipes onto the tailpipes of the faucet.
- You can start them by hand, but you must keep turning with a basin wrench to achieve that extra quarter turn and ensure tightness so no leaks occur.
- Otherwise, you could find yourself with quite a mess on your hands! In addition to these steps, all the other hardware that comes with your new fixture must be handled carefully — from handles and handle screws to springs and valves.
Test the Faucet
When you’ve been handy with tools, and you decide to take on the task of replacing a utility sink faucet, congratulations! You’ve already sped past the most challenging part. Now, testing the faucet should be easy-peasy.
- After ensuring tight connections, place your trusty bucket underneath the faucet. You’ll be running quite a bit of water, and no one wants to stand in a mini-lake while they work… so a bucket might be your new bathroom buddy for the remainder of this little project.
- Once you flip those switches, watch closely in case you see any leakage in the plumbing lines or around gaskets that may need further repair or replacement. If everything is hunky-dory, go ahead and test both hot and cold water valves in multiple cycles until all seem secure.
- Testing between cold and hot water also helps detect if something funky is happening inside those walls, which could spell disaster otherwise. It may sound relatively dull but remember that from tests like these come preventative maintenance – sure fun in its own way – that will help keep those pipes rocking through thick and thin years down the road!
Hofen tips
When replacing a sink faucet, it is essential to install a new water supply line for optimal results.
FAQ
Q: How do I ensure a successful installation?
A: First, take all the necessary measurements before buying the new faucet. Then, read through the instructions thoroughly and follow them step-by-step regarding the installation process. Finally, always test the new faucet before calling it a job well done!
Q: Are there any additional tips I should keep in mind?
A: Always have an extra set of hands around to help – two minds are better than one! Also, make sure you have some replacement parts on hand just in case something goes wrong. Finally, take your time and enjoy the process – there’s nothing like the satisfaction of a successful DIY project!
Q: What material should I look for when buying a faucet?
A: Stainless steel is the best option as it’s resistant to corrosion and generally easy to clean. However, if you’re looking for something more stylish or unique, plenty of other materials like bronze and brass are available on the market. Just make sure to check the reviews before making your decision.
Wrapping up
Replacing a utility sink faucet may be intimidating initially, but with the proper instructions and tools, you can turn it into an enjoyable DIY project. Make sure to correctly measure your sink before buying the new fixture, and always test everything carefully before calling it a successful job!
For over a decade, Hofen Sanitary has been manufacturing high-end faucets. This article will assist you in troubleshooting your own fixtures. For any questions about our products or services, please don’t hesitate to reach out for help! Thank you for reading, and we wish you the best of luck with DIYing!