Replacing a kitchen faucet: a complete guide in 5 steps
Replacing a kitchen faucet is a plumbing job accessible to everyone, provided you follow a few simple rules. The replacement usually takes 30 minutes and will save you the cost of a plumber.
The materials needed
- The new faucet (with its hoses and gaskets)
- An adjustable wrench (or a 32 mm flat wrench)
- A pair of pump pliers
- A bucket and some rags
- PTFE tape (thread seal tape)
- A flashlight (under the sink, it is often dark)
Step 1: shut off the water
Close the two shut-off valves under the sink (hot and cold water). If your installation does not have any, shut off the main water supply at the meter. Then open the faucet to purge the residual pressure, and keep the bucket under the connections.
Step 2: remove the old faucet
Unscrew the nuts on the hoses with the wrench. Depending on the model, the old faucet is held by a fixing nut or a threaded rod under the countertop. Remove it from above. Clean the area and wipe off the limescale residue.
Step 3: prepare the new faucet
Before installation, fit the supplied sealing gaskets. Some faucets come with pre-attached hoses, others require screwing hoses onto the faucet body (tighten by hand, then retighten with the pliers without forcing).
Step 4: install the new faucet
Feed the hoses through the hole in the countertop, position the faucet, then secure it with its mounting system under the sink. Next, connect the hoses to the valves: hot hose to the hot valve (marked), cold hose to the cold valve. Tighten by hand then retighten half a turn with the wrench — no more, to avoid crushing the gaskets.
Step 5: turn the water on and check
Slowly reopen the valves (cold first, then hot). Immediately check the tightness of the connections under the sink. Place absorbent paper under the connections and let the water run for a few minutes. A small leak? Retighten slightly. A persistent leak? Dismantle and add PTFE tape to the threads.
The mistakes to avoid
- Forgetting to shut off the water (flood guaranteed)
- Overtightening (crushes the gaskets and breaks the nuts)
- Swapping the hot and cold water
- Fitting hoses that are too short or too taut
- Forgetting the supplied sealing gaskets
With this method, your new faucet will be installed cleanly and without leaks. If your sink has two holes but the faucet only occupies one, you can plug the second with the stainless steel plate supplied with most kits.