How to Replace a Kitchen Faucet - DIY Home Improvement Guides - How to Repair and Remodel your Bathroom, Kitchen and more

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Home Improvement > Kitchen > How to Replace a Kitchen Faucet

Learn how to replace a kitchen faucet and install shut-off valves beneath the kitchen sink.

As part of a larger kitchen renovation project, a homeowner wants to start with the simple replacement of the kitchen faucet with a new model that he has already purchased. It original faucet is a single tap and lever model. As part of the faucet retrofit, we install shut-off valves and then update with a single tap and individual water valves.

Turn off the hot and cold water to the kitchen faucet. If there are no shut off valves under the sink, as is the case in this project, locate the nearest hot and cold water shut-off valves and turn the water off there. In our case, there were separate valves for the first floor, but you may have to shut off water for the entire house. Here, the shut-off levers simply require rotating them to the opposite position.

Turn on the kitchen faucet and any other faucets that are controlled by the same shut-off valves to drain the water and bleed off the remaining water pressure. Place a basin beneath the sink, positioning it under the drain and pipes to catch any residual water as you work.

Loosen the clamp on the dishwasher hose with a screwdriver in preparation for removing the sink drain. Removing the drain is not a necessity, but we opt to do so and create more work room in the cramped space under the sink.

Use your fingers to loosen the large plastic nuts on the PVC pipe starting at the drain and ending at the wall and remove it. There is no need to disassemble the P-trap and other components.

Use a small pipe cutter to sever both the copper water lines (hot and cold) where they protrude from the wall. Such cutters typically have a little wheel that scores the copper and that can be tightened gradually to score deeper. The trick is to tighten and score gradually to avoid crimping or bending the end of the soft copper tubing.

Unscrew the copper pipes where they meet the faucet. The best tool for this task is a basin wrench, which has circular wrench-like jaws on the end of a long handle and enables reaching into tight places to loosen the nut holding the pipe. Use the tool in a ratcheting motion, rotating the nut a fraction at a time until it is loose enough to be removed with your fingers.

Use the basin wrench to loosen the retaining nuts at the base of the faucet. Loosen it until you can remove it with your fingers.

Remove the faucet assembly, working from the top of the sink. Discard the assembly and hose.

Clean up any residual plumbers putty or debris from the sink where the old faucet rested. A plastic putty knife will scrape it away without scratching the surface of the sink. Follow up with a plastic scrubbing pad, until the area is clean and smooth. This step completes removal of the old faucet.

Add new shut-off valve assemblies to each of the severed copper pipes at the wall. Slip the valve over the end of the pipe and tighten the compression fittings using two wrenches. This method prevents the valve from spinning and twisting the soft copper pipe as the fitting is tightened. Compression fittings make a tight seal on the pipes and eliminate the need for using flux and solder or joint compound of any type to seal the joint.

Place a rubber O-ring on the base of the new faucet. The model being installed is an updated single tap model with individual valves for hot and cold water.

Insert the lower end of the faucet base through the correct cut out in the sink.

Slip a mounting plate and washer over the faucet base, working from the underside of the sink.

Secure the plate with a retaining nut, finger-tightening it in position.

Use the plastic socket wrench provided with the faucet fixture to finish tightening the retaining nut. To provide leverage, insert a screw driver through the hole at the base and turn the screwdriver as a handle.

Insert the spray nozzle hose into the end of the faucet.

Push the hose all the way through and out the bottom side of the faucet base.

Mold plumber's putty into the fitting that will lie between the individual hot and cold water valves and the sink. The putty will make a water-tight seal at the base of the valves and prevent water from seep underneath and dripping into the cabinet below.

Have a helper work beneath the sink to push each water valve body through the correct cut out in the sink. Ordinarily, the hot water valve is on the left and the cold water valve is on the right.

Add a C-ring to the threads on each valve, working from the upper side of the sink.

Push or pull the valve down against the c-ring and then finger tighten the nuts on the underside of the sink. Finish tightening the nuts with the basin wrench.

Slip on the clips that connect the water hoses to the valves and snap them in place. If the faucet model that you are installing does not use this method of attachment, follow the manufacturer's directions.

Connect the water supply lines to the faucet and use the basin wrench to secure the nut.

Position the other end of the water supply lines at the new shut-off valves.

Finger-tighten the nuts until they are snug and then finish tightening them with a wrench.

Place the valve handles and trim on top of the valve body and screw them in place.

Drop the pump housing for the liquid soap dispenser in place and secure it from the bottom with a retaining nut. The pump, itself, just sits on top so that it can be lifted out for refilling. This completes installation of the new hardware and connection of the water supply lines.

Reattach the original drain piping beneath the sink, tightening the plastic nuts on the P-trap/pipe assembly. This assembly was in good condition and does not need to be replaced.

Reconnect the hose from the dishwasher and secure it with the pipe clamp.

Turn on the water at the shut-off valves.

Test for leaks by placing some paper towels on the bottom of the cabinet beneath the drain and pipes. Wait a few minutes and then look to see if there is any sign of moisture on the paper towels.