If you want to give your kitchen sink a makeover as a DIYer, getting a nice pull-down kitchen faucet is a nice decision. You could remove the old-style swivel head, and cold and hot handles appealing with a bit of elbow grease. You need to know how to do it.
Replacing your faucet with the latest feature from kitchen cabinets such as a shiny sole arm with a control that could adjust cold and hot water and adjustable spray with the extendable hose would upgrade the style and enhance functionality to the kitchen.
The coverable spray hose that is hidden in a pull-down kitchen faucet would make it easier to fill the pot, clean dishes, or simply rinse out the dirt from every corner of the sink. It is simple and easy to complete this project. If you could use a wrench and twist a few fittings in the right place, you could easily do everything in a single afternoon. Here is the guide for you to install a pull-down kitchen faucet.
The Mechanics of a Pull-Down Faucet:
Plumbing projects could be scary for almost everyone. Installing a faucet doesn’t need a professional plumber because it is all about exchanging the hardware and securing some firmness fittings. You would not have to be qualified to do such tasks, you have to learn some basics about it, that’s all.
The water supply line would have a diverse process that depends on the faucet type that you are installing. Some faucets have flexible water supply hoses which are braided. They are easier to organize than other traditional inflexible tubing.
Some people use chrome or stiff copper as their supply line. In such cases, you would use a threaded fixture on the bottom and then attach it to the braided line along with the compression filling which you would buy separately. Some pull-down faucets come with the hardware only and don’t have any connectors. You could use a solid coupler that gives you a chance to attach it to the braided line.
Another fact that you should consider is replacing the faucet would have left an impact on the appeal of the kitchen sink. The pull-down faucet comes with a single control that can adjust the cold and hot water and is attached directly to the spout. You would need a single hole in the sink rim to house the fixture.
If you are replacing your old faucet which has separate hot and cold water handles, you would have two or three holes behind the sink and it doesn’t look good. You may replace your entire basin or install escutcheon plates to cover the holes.
Pull Down Kitchen Sink Estimates:
- Cost: The installation of a pull-down faucet requires about 250-1100 dollars and this depends on the model you use. The supplies require minimal cost but other fixtures would need a lot of money.
- Time estimate: if you have little knowledge of repairing things, you could complete the whole task in just one or two hours. Installation needs a little time but removing your old faucet requires more time.
- Skill level: Basic understanding and knowledge of plumbing would be helpful for you and adequate skill with tools would get your job done. No former experience in plumbing is required.
How to Install a Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet?
Step 1: Removing the Old Faucet
Firstly, You have to position yourself below the kitchen sink, locating the valves. Remember properly which valve goes to which. Rotate to the right side to turn it off and keep rotating till tightened. Now, turn the faucet on to check if the water flows.
After checking everything, you have to look for the 2nd valve that is situated far down on the waterline. Shut off the valve and you should shut the main water supply to do everything nicely. Once you stop the water flow successfully, take a towel under the water line to make sure that you can catch the remaining water. take a flexible wrench to loosen up the nuts that attach the valves to the water lines. Lastly, go below the counter and after finding the joint, loosen them with a basin wrench. You may find some nuts that secure the hot and cold water handles and you have to loosen them up also. Now it is ready and safe to remove your old faucet.
Step 2: Disconnecting the Supply Lines
Secondly, After loosening the nuts, you could pull up to disconnect the lines from the valves. You should work gently and avoid pushing down hard because it may cause a crinkle in your copper pipeline that comes out of your wall.
Step 3: Positioning Your New Faucet
Screw up the new spray head to the hose line and thread up the hose by the spout. The control handle of the heat is probably attached. If not, fix it by using the set screw and tool which came with the package.
Take the fastening ring and slide it over your supply line and hoses to place it on the faucet stem. If you are going to cover up the holes, place the new escutcheon plate properly. Secure everything and thread by the middle hole of your sink.
Step 4: Fixing the Faucet
To fix your new faucet, place yourself under the kitchen sink and cover the washer, metal washers, and the fiber also with the round nut and glide them through hoses in the right position. After pressing them from below, screw them in their position. Attach the round nut in the assemblage into the big threads situated on the faucet stem. Make the sealing tight by using the basin wrench.
Step 5: Reconnecting Water Lines
Check which braided lines are hot and cold, then attach them to their matching valve on the waterline. Usually, the hot water line is marked blue, gold, or red. Screw the spray hose into the 3rd line that comes out of your faucet and secure the nuts properly.
Step 6: Securing the Compression Nut
You have to secure the compression properly and tightly by a two-wrench approach and do everything carefully so that the hose won’t get twisted. Screw up the nut tightly till you feel adequate resistance. Hold one wrench in position, and find a smaller nut on the top of the compression nut. Tighten them but avoid using Teflon-based chemicals because they may lubricate, loosen the fitting, or cause leaks.
Step 7: Configure the Weight of the Hose
Pull-down kitchen faucets contain a weight that remains at the center of your hose that limits how further it would spread and helps to pull back into the spout. Take a measurement tape and find a 15-inch point away from the end of your fixture on its spray hose. Pull the spout to ensure that it spreads and withdraws as expected. If you could not pull back the hose correctly, this may cause problems later.
Now your pull-down kitchen faucet is installed and ready to use. Turn on the valves for both hot and cold water and check the water flow. If the flow of the water is accurate, you have successfully done everything. If you find any water leakage, tighten the nuts properly. You should check that the flush is working properly.
