Although it may seem simple to fix little things around your house, the fact of the matter is that there are a few professionals who really do work hard to make your life better. For instance, while you may be likely to paint your place on your own, even doing something as simple as switching out a toilet can be really challenging. I started thinking about how valuable professionals like plumbers were for my business, and I wanted to start a new blog that centered around how much a plumber can help to make your life better. Check out this website for tips on finding a talented plumber.
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Installing a new faucet seems like it should be easy. If you've done it before, then you might be able to put in a new kitchen faucet yourself. If you've never installed a faucet, then the project could be more difficult than you think and leave you frustrated. Here are some things to look into before you make the plunge and take your plumbing apart.
Check For Room Under The Sink
Working on sink plumbing is uncomfortable, especially since you'll be at it for a while. You'll probably need to be on your back, and that might not even be possible if you have back problems or other issues that make contorting your body painful. Try getting under the sink to see if you can reach all the parts of the old faucet. One problem you may run into is that the garbage disposal and drains are in the way and blocking your reach. If so, you'll have to remove and replace those too, and you'll want to consider if that is something you should attempt, or if it's best to call a plumber to do the faucet installation.
Try Turning The Valves
Even if your plumbing is fairly new, the shut-off valves and old faucet may be rusted or corroded in place. Test this by trying to turn off the valves. If they won't budge, you could have a problem. If you force a valve, you might break it and cause a plumbing emergency. Try spraying the valve with some penetrating oil to loosen it. If you can't turn the valve, don't have shut-off valves, or if a valve is damaged, then you should probably call a plumber to put in new valves at the same time the faucet is installed. After you try turning the valves, check the nuts on the faucet. These might be frozen with rust too, and you can try spraying them with oil to see if you can get them loose.
A problem you might run into is being able to grasp the nuts with a tool. You may need to buy a basin wrench to work in the tight space. If you can't get frozen parts loose, it may be necessary to cut through the old pipe, and that is probably a job for a plumber.
Examine All The Parts
If you can turn the parts and you have enough room to work comfortably on your back, then you are ready to try the faucet installation. Just be sure to turn the water off before you begin. Also, examine all of your old parts before you remove them and line up the new parts, so you know exactly where the new connections have to be made; otherwise, you may not be sure how to install the new parts if you're not familiar with plumbing.
Some sinks are designed so it's easy to replace a kitchen faucet and others can be a nightmare due to frozen connections and a tight working space. If you run into trouble at any point, it's best to call a plumber for help rather than try to force a valve or nut because something might break and then you'll have to leave the water off until a plumber comes to the rescue.
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