Change faucet - Instructions for mounting in the kitchen / bathroom
- Turn off the water
- Loosen the connections
- Disassembly of the faucet
- Change faucet
- Connecting the cables
- Restore water supply
It can quickly happen, especially with calcareous water, that the faucet stops working properly. To save costs and to have running water at weekends, it is good to know how to change a faucet. But there is a lot to consider here, so that a flooding of the apartment is prevented.
Taps are among the most important things in the household. If the faucet is broken, good advice is expensive. Especially at the weekend, artisan hours are not cheap, and that a new faucet in his warehouse is located and also fits the establishment of the client, is not self-evident. That is why it is not wrong to be able to do smaller manual work yourself quickly and easily. The knowledge to change a faucet is taught in this DIY guide.
Turn off the water
It is not possible to change the faucet without first closing off the water supply. For this reason, first the water supply to the main tap is interrupted. Usually the main tap is in the basement right in front of the main water meter. Close the tap slowly to prevent pressure surges in the system. 
When the work is done, all taps in the home are opened on both the cold and hot sides, so that the rest of the pressure can come out of the water system.
Before starting to work, depending on which faucet is changed, under the sink or under the bath cabinet you should create enough space to work and remove all things that should not get wet. If there is a power connection near the sink, eg. As for the operation of a dishwasher, it is advisable to turn off the power, since splashing water in the socket can lead to life-threatening injuries.
Under the sink or under the sink, they should have a bucket and several rags ready, as still some water can escape. If the water connection pipe has shut-off valves, such as angle valves, they must also be closed before starting work.
Loosen the connections
There are two possible scenarios for the next step.
- The faucet is connected with two hoses to corner valves.
- The supply lines end with one compression fitting each.
In both cases, the screw connections are released with the appropriate open-end wrench or fitting pliers.
Disassembly of the faucet
In the following step different possibilities can occur to dismantle the faucet. Each manufacturer has its own fastening system here. Mostly located at the implementation of the sink or the sink a large washer with a union nut, with the help of the faucet is attached. Loosen the nut with a wrench or a suitable socket wrench.
By hand, then the mother and everything else to remove washers and gaskets. Then the old tap can be removed upwards. The connection hoses are threaded through the passage of the sink or washbasin.
Change faucet
Before the new faucet is installed, first clean all dirt. Contaminants and possibly remaining remnants of the old seal must be removed without residue, so that the new seal can also fulfill its tasks and no water can flow under the tap. The connection hoses are now screwed to the tap with an open-end wrench. It is important to pay attention to the seal of the connection hoses, depending on the manufacturer, there may be differences. In most cases, the seals are already pre-assembled on the connection hoses, so that only a screwing together is necessary.
Also on the bottom of the tap is a seal. The new tap is now attached to the sink or sink. If the tap can be re-attached with a union nut, first attach the enclosed washer, then tighten the union nut. Make sure that the tap on the sink is properly aligned.
Connecting the cables
From the tap come two lines, one for the hot water, one for the cold water. Since the hoses are flexible, they can be adjusted to the correct position. If the connecting pipes from the faucet are rigid, positioning is also possible here. With a little power and skill, the pipes can be brought into the correct position and, if necessary, cut with a copper pipe cutter. It should be noted here that the bending radius must not be too small, otherwise the pipes are bent and their tightness and stability is no longer guaranteed. Furthermore, shortened tubes must be chamfered so that the seals in the connections are not damaged.
The cables are now connected with the compression fittings to the supply line. Normally, the hot water is always on the left side. Various types of connection are available for different compression fittings. Seals should also be checked for aging and damage. If in doubt, replace the gaskets.
Restore water supply
After completion of work, the main tap can now be opened again, this is done slowly to prevent pressure surges in the system. The angle valves and barriers can also be opened afterwards. It is now at this point to check that no water leaks anywhere. If this is the case, carefully retighten the connections. Should something still run after, the water should be turned off again and the reason to look for. For the most part, the problem is a wrong screwed on compression fitting or a forgotten, mismatched or poorly fitting seal.
Tips for quick readers
- Close main water connection and angle valves or other closures under sink / washbasin
- Turn off the power
- Open union nuts at the angle valves / connecting lines
- Open union nut under the tap and unscrew
- pull out old faucet
- Thoroughly clean the procedure
- Screw connecting hoses to the new faucet
- Do not forget seals!
- Thread the connection hoses through the bushing, place the faucet on
- Fasten tap with washer and union nut
- Check the seals of the angle valves / connection lines, replace if necessary
- Straighten rigid connection hoses and shorten if necessary
- alternatively connect armored hoses (flexible hoses)
- Tighten union nuts
- Open main water connection and angle valves / barriers
- Check everything for tightness
