How to Change a Kitchen Faucet

How to Change a Kitchen Faucet

Share Our Blog With Someone It Might Help!

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

If you are looking for how to change a kitchen faucet, yours is probably broken and leaking right now. Or perhaps you are just looking to upgrade your kitchen space with quality and a better-looking faucet. While changing faucets seems like a small task that can be done using common tools, a minor mishap can lead to compromising the integrity of your home’s plumbing system. It’s possible to successfully swap your old faucet with a new one but hitches start showing up sooner or later.

That’s why we encourage you to consult with us at Palm Beach Premier Remodeling before you can replace your faucet. A professional plumber will get in touch with you to help you understand your system, and suggest solutions to successfully install a faucet.

Ready For A New Kitchen?

Go From Demo To Cooking in Two Weeks!

6 Things to Know Before Replacing a Kitchen Faucet

Kitchen Faucet

Not all faucets are the same. 

The style of the kitchen sinks or countertops might also vary. This means that the processes of changing your kitchen faucet might not be the same as another person’s experience. 

What things should you know before replacing your kitchen faucet?

  • When you are looking to replace a new faucet decide on the features you want on the new one to enjoy all the value in a new installation.
  • Count the number of holes in the sink or countertop to help you decide which faucet is the best fit for your kitchen.
  • The spaces between holes on your sink or countertop are known as spreads. Measure them to choose the right size of faucet features.
  • The eight-inch spread is the standard in most kitchen sinks and therefore great for suit center set faucets (these are faucets with the handle and spout that come as a single unit
  • Widespread faucets can be installed on any sink or countertop regardless of the spread because they come as separate units
  • Kitchen sinks and countertops have one to four holes for faucets. If yours has less than what is needed, you can drill more as necessary. Drilling additional holes require special equipment and tools which professional plumbers come with.

How to Remove an Existing Kitchen Faucet and Replace it

Getting Ready for the Faucet Replacement

Kitchen faucets installation happens when lying on your back under a sink. Yet there’s little space under the kitchen sink and the surface isn’t even in most instances. So you want a sheet of plywood that’s big enough to lie on as you replace the faucet and a pillow to place your head. Get a flashlight to help you see things clearly under there. Safety glasses ensure your eyes are protected. If there are any supplies and products under the sink, remove them. A professional plumber will often come with all the required tools of work to replace a kitchen faucet.

Once you’ve cleared under your sink, go in there and check how many holes it has. A one or two-hole sink can work with a one-hole faucet. Two and three-hole faucets will need corresponding sinkholes. Also, check how many components your faucet has from the top. This informs you where you’ll insert various faucet units.

Turn Off Electricity and Water

Make sure you turn off the water supply and electricity supply before changing your faucet. In most households, you can do this by pressing a switch (to cut the supply line for power) and turning off valves (for water). You can turn off power switches at the meter. Water supply valves are often somewhere under the sink.

If your plumbing system has seen better days, there are chances that the valves will be rusted and stuck. If this is the case, heat the valve to loosen it a bit. The heat from a hairdryer is often enough to do the magic. You can use an adjustable wrench or pair of locking pliers to hold and turn the valve. But you have to be careful not to break the unit which can lead to water gushing and flooding your kitchen. To avoid such incidents, shut down the main water supply line. Once you’ve turned off the water, make sure you turn on your faucet to remove any water trapped there. If you don’t do this, you could cause damage to stuff or hurt yourself.

Ready For A New Kitchen?

Go From Demo To Cooking in Two Weeks!

Detach the Old Faucet

Detaching old kitchen faucets is all about unscrewing the nuts and pulling out. If it uses plastic nuts, you can use your fingers to unscrew them or apply a pair of pliers. Might seem an easy task, but quite tricky. The screws are under the sink, yet the space, where they attach, is very narrow. Even worse, it’s pitch black and dark. This requires a strong spotlight to be able to see and loosen the nuts.

If your faucet has been around for several months or years, it might be rusted and stuck (just like the valve we discussed above). You can use a wire brush to clean the corrosion and apply a little penetration oil. Then wait for a few hours for the oil to clear the rust. If the nuts still won’t turn, use a hacksaw to cut the system off. If you were attempting to do the project by yourself, call a plumber or remodeling expert to help.

When you remove the nuts, the faucet should be easy to pull out from the kitchen sink. Grime and sealant will be trapped on the sink and so will require you to clean. Depending on how dirty it is, you might need to wipe clean or scrub it using soap and water.

Install the New Kitchen Faucet

With the old faucet out and you have cleaned the kitchen sink, it’s time to install the new kitchen faucet. For things to flow seamlessly, your new faucet should have the same configurations as the old one. If you’ve not purchased one yet, go with the old tap to the local home improvement center to compare the configurations and get the perfect faucet that can fit into your sink.

A two-handle faucet can fit on a sink with three holes. A single handle faucet will also fit on two and three sinkholes. You’ll need to buy a base plate (escutcheon plate) that is wide enough to cover the unused sinkholes and looks the same as the tap.

What happens when you have a single sinkhole but need to install two or three-handle faucets? Drill additional holes in the sink or countertop to accommodate a new faucet. Doing this requires industrial-grade machines and so get a contractor with the necessary tools and skills for the work to help.

Some manufacturers also have an installation manual for the customers; so you can check this as well. Insert it into the holes in the sink. Mount and secure it using the components that come with the kit. Once that faucet is in position, tighten the screws or nuts to hold it in place. An adjustable wrench can help with this.

Try Out the New Faucet

You know you’ve successfully installed your faucet if it looks stable and functions properly. So test it out by connecting your faucet to the supply lines. Turn the water on and make sure the hot and cold water valves are working fine. In case your faucet is leaking from the handle, turn it in the on the direction as far as possible. Doing this will reset the sealing gasket and block the leaking gaps. If this doesn’t work, replace the valves to solve the problem.

You should also flush the sprayer for about a minute. Turn the handle to release hot and cold water a few times to be sure it works well. Flush the faucet as well by leaving it on for a minute and alternating between the hot and cold water handles.

As you do all this, check for connection points along the system to see if there are any leaks. You should address the leakages by tightening your connections until the water flow stops. Check for leaks again as you flushing the faucet unit to help get rid of debris that might be trapped in it. If everything looks fine, then your kitchen faucet replacement is successful.

kitchen island with faucet

Kitchen Faucet FAQ’s

When should you call a plumber for your kitchen faucet?

You might be wondering, can I replace a kitchen faucet myself? The short answer is, yes. But you should know your limits if you are not to cause damage to the water supply lines. If you’ve never been in a plumbing class or done a similar project before, it’s better to call a professional from the onset – don’t even attempt to disintegrate your faucet system.

Another reason you should call a professional is if you want to install a wall-mounting faucet. This is not just because they are new and trendy but also because they are very involving. You’ll need to bring down parts of your wall to successfully install this type of faucet. You might also need to replace your countertop or sink for this faucet to work properly.

How Much Does a Plumber Charge to Change a Kitchen Faucet?

The cost of changing a kitchen faucet widely varies depending on who you hire, the type of faucet you want to install, and where you live. If the plumber is in charge of removing the old faucet, the price will rise.

If it’s just installing a new faucet, you might spend an average of $150. It can go as low as $114 to as high as $189. But if the plumber has to remove the old faucet and replace it with a better unit, you can pay anywhere between $225 to $275. The cost can be even higher if you’ll need your contractor to adjust the water supply system.

Corrosion is one of the common issues that lead to higher costs of replacing a faucet. Rust might require a plumber to saw the faucet out or even need two people to get it out. They collaborate so that one works under the sink while the other works at the top. Two plumbers on your project mean spending more. Drilling the sink or the countertop also calls for more work and additional spending.

Plumbing costs often tempt homeowners to do faucet replacement on their own. But if you are not skilled enough to carry through the entire dismantling and installation process, it’s better to hire a professional plumber from the onset. This way, you avoid causing further damage or poor installation. With a plumber, you are sure of quality results because they come with skills and tools. What you want is a reputable and experienced plumber who is licensed and insured.

Should You Replace a Kitchen Faucet Yourself?

You should know your limits if you are not to cause damage to the water supply lines. If you’ve never been in a plumbing class or done a similar project before, it’s better to call a professional from the onset – It’s not worth ruining your Beautiful Kitchen or floors.

Another reason you should call a professional is if you want to install a wall-mounting faucet. This is not just because they are new and trendy but also because they are very involving. You’ll need to bring down parts of your wall to successfully install this type of faucet. You might also need to replace your countertop or sink for this faucet to work properly.

Kitchen Faucet and Kitchen Appliance Professionals.

Plumbing costs often tempt homeowners to do faucet replacement on their own. But if you are not skilled enough to carry through the entire dismantling and installation process, it’s better to hire a professional plumber from the onset. This way, you avoid causing further damage or poor installation. Palm Beach Premier Remodeling has installed hundreds of successful kitchen design projects throughout Palm Beach County Florida and we are happy to help you with all of your kitchen appliance needs.

You’ll agree that some jobs are better left for experts – like dismantling and replacing a faucet. It might seem like a small task, but it’s challenging and requires caution, tools, and skilled hands to get good results. Whether you are replacing a damaged faucet or just want to upgrade to a better looking one, getting professional help can save you the hassle, time, and money in the long run. Approach us at Palm Beach Premier Remodeling to help you safely replace your faucet and provide quality results. We give free quotes for projects and free consultation as well.