Kitchen Faucets--Installation and Repair

Your kitchen faucet should come with an installation manual, so if yours did not, you should contact the manufacturer for installation help. You’re probably in good shape as long as the faucet you purchased matches the sink you have. In other words, your sink should have pre-cut holes for the handle(s), spout, and any additional features, such as a pull-out sprayer and soap dispenser.

 

If you are replacing an old faucet with a faucet of the same type, installation should be an easy job. On the other hand, if you are installing a kitchen faucet into a new house or installing a non-traditional kitchen faucet (e.g. a wall-mount faucet and sink), the job will be much more difficult.

 

If the faucet did not come preassembled, take a few minutes and assemble it. Then, insert the gasket between the base plate of the faucet and the sink top and lift the faucet body up through the holes in the sink. Adjust the faucet into the exact spot you want to use, and then tighten the mounting nuts onto the faucet shafts. Finally, connect the faucet’s hot and cold supply lines to the water supply shutoff valves beneath the sink. 

 

If your faucet leaks, you probably have a compression sink, in which case the cause of the leak is probably an old washer. If water leaks from the handle, tighten the packing nut or replace the packing, but if water drips from the spout, turn off the water to the faucet. Then, take off the faucet handle, remove the stem, and replace the washer and/or other troublesome parts.