Installing a new faucet is slightly different than replacing an old faucet. First of all you need to plumb the faucet and flush your lines. Take these tips to heart when installing a new kitchen or bathroom faucet for the first time in a new home.
Before installing a new faucet, you may want to learn how to remove the old one!
Below is our easy DIY guide explaining the necessary steps for installing a new faucet!
Step 1 – Flush our your water supply lines
Always flush out your lines. Installing new pipes requires soldering connections, and excess solder always ends up inside the pipes no matter how careful the installers are. Before installing a new faucet, always connect the new supply lines to the water pipes, point them into a bucket and turn on the water. Let the water run for about ten seconds and then turn the water off. This is enough to flush out solder, flux and other debris that might fall into the pipes during the new faucet installation.
Step 2 – Plumb the water pipes
Plumb the water pipes to the middle of the cabinet. If you install your own water supply pipes, plumb them so they reach up to the middle of the cabinet, or about 18 inches from the floor, since counters are 36 inches high. At this height, the water pipes are in perfect position to connect to the supply lines but will not interfere with the sink basin, garbage disposal or p-trap.
Step 3 – Match your sink to the faucet type
Match your sink to the faucet type. Double handle faucets come in two major styles: center sets and widespreads. Each requires a different type of sink with holes drilled to match the pattern of the faucet handles. Center set faucets has three holes drilled 4 inches apart from the center of the hole. Widespread faucets have three holes drilled 6 to 8 inches apart.
You can’t install a widespread faucet on a centerset sink, and vice versa. If you have a faucet with sprayer, you need to match the type (centerset or widespread) and get a 4-hole sink.
More about matching dimensions and drilling holes for different sinks and faucets!
Step 4 – Plumb the faucet before installing the cabinets
Plumb the faucet before installing the cabinets. This sounds obvious but it is very important and saves a lot of back breaking work.
Extra tip:
Buy a basin wrench. A basin wrench reaches up underneath the sink and tightens the mounting connectors for an easier, faster installation.