BC Bathroom Faucets

Archive for the ‘Installing Tips’ Category

If you have decided it’s time to replace your old, worn and nasty looking faucet this article will give you instructions for doing the job right.

The old faucets have got to go – she said. So it came time to get new ones, and put them on. You may be looking to replace your own faucets – but do not know where to begin. This article will give you the basic steps as to how to replace your bathroom faucets.

Turn The Water Off

It is absolutely essential to look at the faucets that you have now before you buy. So, go ahead and turn off the water under the sink, and then turn on the water faucets to make sure that it is completely off. If a valve is stuck, you may need to turn it off at the main valve.

Disconnect Water Lines

Using a crescent wrench, loosen the nuts that are on the lines connecting to your faucets under the sink. While you are disconnecting these lines, give them a looking over to ensure that they are in good condition – if not, you may want to replace them while you are down there, anyway. Then, you will need to take the bathroom faucets off of the sink by removing the nuts holding them in place. These may be on top (hidden under the handles), or underneath – depending on the type.

Buy The Right Size

Take the old faucet off and note how many holes there are in your sink for the bathroom faucets. This will vary between three or four holes. You need to remember the number of holes and measure the distance between the center of the holes to the center of the next hole – write it down so you do not forget (or it may mean an extra trip to the hardware store).

If you want to change the type of faucet it can easily be done. You can go from individual handles on the bathroom faucets to a single handle, or vice-versa. When looking to buy your bathroom faucets, you need to know that the better ones are made of brass. They will cost more – but will last more, too.

Follow The Directions

Each faucet has its own parts and directions. Follow them carefully, and be sure to use all the parts – especially the rubber grommets, and washers. Then, hook up the water lines, tighten them down, and enjoy the beauty of your new faucets – and the new look in your bathroom.

Here are some simple instructions for installing a bathroom faucet.

First we need to begin with what we need to get started. You can print this list to bring to your local hardware store.

Supply List:

* Faucet
* Teflon Tape
* Plumber’s Putty
* Penetrating Oil

Tools List:

* Basin Wrench
* Screwdriver (Phillip’s Head and Flathead, just to be safe)
* Putty Knife
* Pipe Wrench
* Adjustable Wrench
* Safety Glasses

Now you are ready to get started! If you have never done this before, set aside about four hours to get the job done.

Safety First!

1. Keep your safety glasses on when you are under the sink

2. Where is your main water shut off? Don’t get started unless you know where this is.

3. Another item you might need is a small bowl or bucket to catch any drips

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step One
First, turn the water off to the faucet you are working on. Then turn on the hot and cold water in your sink to get rid of any residual water.

Step Two
Locate the hot and cold supply tubes to the faucet and remove them.

Step Three
Remove the faucet itself with your basin wrench, unscrewing the nuts underneath the faucet. You might need to use some penetrating oil at this point to loosen the nuts a bit. After you have removed the faucet, use your putty knife to scrape away any putty or caulk left over from the last installation.

Step Four
If your new faucet didn’t come with gaskets to seal it to the sink, spread some plumber’s putty to seal it up. Tighten the nuts under the sink, while making sure everything is aligned until it is secure.

Step Five
Next we need to use the Teflon tape to wrap the inlet fittings. Now we can install the hook-ups. Fasten them to the faucet with the help of your basin wrench, then, using an adjustable wrench, fasten them to the shut off valves.

Step Six
We’re almost done! Loosen the aerator from your faucet’s spout, and open the water shut-offs. Turn the water on for a few minutes. If there are no leaks, you are all set. Tighten the aerator back in place, and you are finished.

Congratulations! You just did it yourself!

Every time you wash your hands, the dishes, or your precious knickknacks, you are using the power and mechanisms of your sink faucet.

When you are giving your newborn a bath in the sink, you may not be thinking about how the faucet works. However, it’s usually when something in there breaks that we wonder how it does its job. We all take many modern technologies for granted, but we certainly take an interest in something when it no longer functions properly. Have you ever wondered how your sink faucet works? How does it produce the water pressure needed to get the water through the pipes and into your hands? It can seem complicated, or intimidating, but it’s really not that complicated. Let’s break it down.

This is what happens when you turn your faucet on –

Water pours through two chambers, which are divided by a hole. Usually faucets today have a screw mechanism that regulates the flow of your water. When you turn your faucet off that device pushes a washer down into the hole between the two chambers. The washer seals the opening so the water flow slows until it finally stops.

All of the action going on inside those pipes that you can’t see from your sink is what makes it work the way we need it to. When you turn the faucet on, the opposite happens. The washer releases from the gap, providing water to flow through your faucet and into your sink. When you turn it off the water ceases, but not instantly.

Glossary (definitions from answers.com):

Chambers – An enclosed space or compartment: the chamber of a pump; a compression chamber.

Washer – A flat disk, as of metal, plastic, rubber, or leather, placed beneath a nut or at an axle bearing or a joint to relieve friction, prevent leakage, or distribute pressure.

Water Pressure – Fluid pressure is the pressure on an object submerged in a fluid, such as water. The pressure can be provided from a number of sources:

* The sheer weight of the fluid, such as in scuba diving, when the diver goes deeper into the water, the water pressure increases; or in the earth’s atmosphere, as a plane goes higher, the air pressure decreases;

* A pump, such as when water “pumped” into a water tower; or

* A compressor, such as in a small water supply system in a rural well for a house connected to an air compressor. Water pressure is used in our daily lives to control the flow of water coming from any mechanical water source.