subject: Choosing and Installing a New Kitchen Faucet [print this page] Choosing and Installing a New Kitchen Faucet
The faucet and sink are the hardest workingconponents in the kitchen ,but they can also be attractive and set the tone for the kitchen as a whole..When you are shopping for a new faucet,think of the faucet and sink as one item as a team.Kitchen faucets get daily use,so don't skimp,choose the best you can afford.
There is a wide variety of finishes today ,chrome is the most popular,but finishes like brushed nickel,polished nickeland antique nickel are rapidly gaining in popularity for a more upscale contemporary look.Wrought iron and oil-rubbed bronze are a relatively new look ,that have an old world appeal.They can be used with todays modern kichens such as cherry cabinets, stainless or black appliances.
OK lets get to work !
1.Shut the water off, if you don't have shut-offs under the sink,and even if you do sometimes they don't work,you'll have to shut the water off in the cellar at the main shut-off.
2. Disconnect supply lines, Use an adjustable or a basin wrench to loosen nuts on supply lines.Take care not to twist copper line if nuts are hard to loosen.Take a pair of channel locks and gentle hold the copper tubing while you unloosen nuts.
3. Remove faucet from sink,Untighten the nuts that attach faucet to sink with a basin wrench. You don't have much working space and nuts can be corroded and hard to remove.Plumbing can be a tricky job so have patience,removing the faucet is the hard part.
4. Install new faucet,if you are replacing the sink ,it is easiest to install faucet on a new sink before the sink is put in place,follow the installation instructions that came with the faucet.
If you are installing on the old sink, attach flexable supply lines before you attach faucet to sink and make sure you use the gasket that came with the faucet before you tighten the nut on the underside of the sink to secure the faucet to the sink.
install the spray kit that came with the faucet,check to make sure everything is snug then turn on the water and check for leaks.
