How to change the faucet in the kitchen: a step-by-step guide

With daily use of the faucet in the kitchen, a desire periodically arises to change it. Often, it starts to leak and, thus, the owner of the house’s money “drops off” into the sink drop by drop. The main reason for this is the rubber gasket, which has worn out over the entire time of use. Poor material quality and assembly errors reduce the life of the crane. In this article we will consider the aspects of work, as well as tell you how to assemble and install a new mixer.

Types of Kitchen Sink Faucets

The main reasons for replacing a faucet in the kitchen are changing the interior, replacing the sink and wearing parts of the faucet. The process of disassembling and replacing the faucet in the kitchen, regardless of the model, is almost the same, but before that the homeowner needs to decide on the most suitable type. They can be delivered to stores of various configurations, materials, designs.

The configuration of the crane is directly related to the type of installation. There are desktop and wall, but most often in the kitchen they install a faucet on the countertop or on the side of the sink. In most cases, faucets are mounted on the wall in expensive kitchen interiors and not everyone can afford them.

If the old faucet was inexpensive, then when dismantling it, it is advisable to install new flexible hoses so that in the future they do not fail earlier than the new faucet.

As a manufacturing material for plumbing, bronze, brass, ceramics, silumin are used. When using silumin, the device has a long service life, lowest weight and reasonable price. If you prefer reliability to cheapness, then you should choose products from ceramics, bronze and brass. They are significantly more expensive, but also serve much longer. Therefore, for long-term use, this type of product is considered more profitable than silumin cranes.

Types of hoses for kitchen faucets

To install a kitchen faucet, you need to pay special attention to the type of hose for connecting to the water pipe. In order not to often have to install a new connection to the tap, you should choose them with caution and look at reliability.

They can be:

• bellows with an outer metal corrugated layer and an inner rubber insert;
• reinforced - flexible, covered with metal mesh on top, the hoses at the edges have fittings of standard sizes with connecting nuts;
• flexible hoses made of aluminum braid with a short service life;
• steel hoses are used as temporary hoses, they serve less than a year.

With the correct assembly of the mixer, it will last several years. Therefore, in the process of connecting hoses, it is recommended to use a gasket and rubber gaskets.

The advantages of reinforced hoses include: flexibility, ease of installation with an adjustable wrench, resistance to sudden changes in water pressure. Disadvantages: punching the rubber gasket and quick wear of the fastening nuts.

The most durable hoses are nylon and stainless steel, which can withstand high water temperatures and last an average of 10 years.

Advantages of bellows hoses: able to withstand very high water temperatures, easy to install, fittings reliably welded to a corrugated tube, flexible and resistant to mechanical stress. The disadvantages include a low level of sound insulation. This problem is solved by installing a hose with a larger diameter than a water pipe.

If the distance from the inlet to the pipe is about 25 cm, then standard hoses can be used. In another case, buy long flexible hoses in stainless steel braid so as not to flood a neighbor.

Mixer spout

The issue of choosing the height of the spout should be given due attention, since at a high height and a small diameter sink, water will begin to spray. In another case: at a low spout height it will be inconvenient to wash bulk dishes. Therefore, choose the average height of the spout based on the parameters of the sink.

This problem can be easily solved by buying a sink complete with a mixer or by paying attention to a pull-out spout that can be removed from the socket by 60-120 cm. Using a modern spout hose helps keep your kitchen time and clean.

Dismantling the old crane before replacing it. How to take off?

To dismantle and assemble a new crane, you will need tools: an adjustable wrench, Phillips and flat-head screwdrivers, emery paper, a flashlight, a cleaning agent, a fum tape, a sealant.

Before replacing the faucet in the kitchen with your own hands, you need to carry out a number of preparatory work:

1. They cover the floor with a rag and remove all unnecessary objects.
2. Shut off the water supply valves.
3. Old rusty pipes are heated with a blowtorch or they process nuts and couplings with kerosene.
4. Gently unscrew the nut that secures the faucet to the sink with pliers.
5. Washed seat.

When loosening the nut, be careful not to damage the bore hole. If the sink is removable rather than mortise, it is easier to remove it for dismantling and installing a new mixer. In this case, additional tools may be required.

How to assemble, install and connect a mixer?

The installation of the kitchen faucet begins after its assembly, which includes a connection with flexible hoses. The two-valve mixer is first assembled: the spout is inserted into the housing until it stops and is not very tightened, fum tape wraps the end of the eyeliner.

It is not necessary to wrap the hose, since a gasket is provided at its end. The end of the first hose is inserted into the desired hole and screwed with an open-end wrench 10. Then also come with a second hose.

Tightening too tight is not recommended because the gasket may be damaged. Lacking is also bad.

At the end, screw the pin-pin into the hole upwards with a thread. After that, the mixer can be installed: both inlets are threaded into the o-ring, brought to the base of the crane body and secured.

Ensure proper hose connections. They should sag a little, because under the pressure of water they can twitch if tightly stretched. In this case, the design will quickly become unusable.

After completion of work, water is supplied and the tightness of the connection is checked. Now we know how to replace the faucet in the kitchen. And what to do when buying a new mixer is too expensive?

How to change? Repair Recommendations

Regardless of the type of crane used, unexpected breakdowns can occur at any time. In such cases, you can not change the mixer completely, but just eliminate the malfunction.

Types of damage to the kitchen faucet:

1. 
   Depreciation of the gasket, as a result of which the leakage begins. To replace all seals, gently unscrew the fixing nut so as not to damage the chrome finish. You can not remove the sink. Even if all the gaskets are visually normal, it is still advisable to change them.
2. The failure of the axle box, due to which it begins to leak from under the valve and completely block the water, becomes impossible. To eliminate this problem, they shut off the water, remove the cap from the flywheel, then remove the lamb and all decorative accessories. The axle box is twisted with a wrench. Install a new gasket or the entire mechanism.
3. Cartridge breakage at lever mixers. To repair it, unscrew the pin located behind the decorative plug and take out the cartridge casing. The brass or copper lock is unscrewed with a wrench. Replace the old cartridge with a new one. The crane is assembled in reverse order.

When buying a cartridge, you need to pay attention to its design, so they may differ. Therefore, before going to the store, it is better to disassemble the mixer and look at the broken cartridge.

Replacing a faucet in the kitchen or its repair is not very difficult. The main thing is to approach this issue responsibly, and installation work can be done on our own, but how to connect the mixer in the kitchen is shown in the video.

How to replace: installation in a sink, connection (video)