Upgrading the look of your bathroom or kitchen by installing a new faucet is a simple project. Most homeowners can tackle the project with some basic tools and a little plumbing knowledge. When installing a new faucet, keep the following information in mind.
Be sure to have all the necessary parts. Even though most residential faucets come complete with handles, a pop-up drain assembly and are ready to install, there are a number of connection parts are required and might need to be purchased separately. These include items such as the P-trap, water supplies and shut-off valves.
Spend some time under the sink making connections and tightening nuts, empty the area so you can work easier. Also, make sure the faucet body is nice and square to the edge of the sink as you tighten nuts to secure the faucet.
If you are installing an undermount style sink on a thick marble base, you may require a faucet extension so that it lays flush with the surface. If you choose a pedestal or wall-mount sink where the fittings are exposed, you may want to coordinate the finish of the drain and P-trap with the rest of your faucets and fittings.
Some common installation tools include:
Basin wrench
Adjustable wrench
Silicone sealant - Plumber's Putty is not generally recommended
Teflon® tape
Channel locks
Screwdriver (Phillips and slotted)
Flashlight
Before you begin, make sure you turn off the water supply valves to the faucet. This can be done usually by turning the valves off under the bathroom sink. Confirm the water is off by turning the faucet on and checking that no water flows from it.
Follow the installation manual that comes with your new faucet to remove the old faucet and install the new one.
When you are completed, turn the new faucet on and check for leaks above and below the sink. If any leaks are found, turn off the supply line valves and retighten the leaky fitting nuts. Then turn the supply lines back on and confirm that the leaks have stopped.
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