Faucets of utility sinks will start leaking frustratingly enough. When not taken care of in due time, they can result in explosive messes that will require you to clean the entire room. A lot of the time, restoring certain parts will not be enough. You will need to reinstall a new faucet altogether.
Installing a new faucet is a rather easy task. You need to go through the hassle of hiring a plumber and wasting tons of money. Instead, today we will teach you how to replace the utility sink faucet. Read through and learn how to successfully handle the task by yourself!
Read Also: Best Utility Sink Faucet
Table of Contents
Step-by-Step Guide to Replacing a Utility Sink Faucet
Things you will need
- A new utility sink faucet
- Flat-headed screwdriver
- Plumber’s putty
- Wrench
- Putty knife
- Channellock pliers
- Brush
- Cleaning agent
Step One: Turning off the Water Supply
Before continuing with any plumbing tasks, you always need to disconnect the water supply. To cut off your faucet’s water supply, you will need to rotate the knob that is present below the utility sink. Once this has been done, turn on your faucet and let any remaining water drain away.
If your faucet has shut-off valves, you can also try using them to block the water supply. When you do this, remember to detach the hot and cold water supply tubes too.
Step Two: Removing the Old Faucet
Using your flathead screwdriver, remove the faucet’s handle from its body to expose its screws. The basin wrenches should be used to solely get rid of all the attachments one by one. Start by lifting the body up and then you can fish out the stem, washer, and O-Rings.
Step Three: Cleaning
Using a cleanser and brush, scrub the hole in your sink that is dedicated to the faucet. Once it looks all neat and clean, get rid of the soapy texture with water. This will help you easily insert the new utility faucet into the sink.
Step Four: Attach the New Faucet
To prevent your tap from moving around or leaking, you need to seal the gap between the hole and the tap. Putty can be used to properly achieve this.
Take your plumber’s putty and lay it around the hole; the more the better. Once the sides are properly lined up, insert your faucet through it until its sides are against the putty. If any space is left, then do make sure to add some more of the plumber’s putty.
Step Five: Installing the New Faucet
With the faucet held into position by your putty, you need to now work on screwing it down. Use the nuts and screws provided along with the necessary set of tools to achieve this task. While using your basin wrench to tighten all the nuts, make sure your tap is in the right position.
While you finish this task, some of the putty you applied will be coming out through the surface. Using the putty knife, scrape off the excess to leave the sink top free from specks.
Step Six: Connecting the Water Supply
If you had detached the hot and cold water supply, now would be the time to reconnect them one by one and turn on the shut-off valves. To do this, you will require the help of your Channellock pliers.
Anyone who twisted the knob at the bottom of the sink to cut off supply should rotate it in the opposite directions. This will automatically turn on the flow of water to your tap.
Step Seven: Testing your Newly Installed Faucet
To check whether is you did a good job, turn on the faucet. A good stream of water through your faucet is the outcome of a task that is successfully done.
Tips
Keep your basin’s drain covered to prevent screws from falling through it. You should also try duct taping the mouth of your wrenches and pliers to prevent the formation of scratches on the surface of your faucet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put a kitchen sink in a laundry room?
Yes, you can install a kitchen sink in your laundry room. This is because they have nearly the same functionality and can be effortlessly used to soak your clothes. Many will also praise it for being the neater option.
Why put a sink in the laundry room?
Putting a sink in the laundry room will allow flexible handling of delicate clothes. You can simply wash them separately in the laundry sink or remove harsh stains by scrubbing with your hand.
What is the standard size of a utility sink?
Unlike bathroom sinks, utility sinks will have a depth that is somewhere between 10 to 25 inches. Most utility sinks have a rectangular or square shape and offer a huge amount of space for cleaning.
Can a washer and sink share a drain?
Although most of the time washers and sinks require separate drains, sometimes they can be allowed to vent together. This is only possible when they are placed close together. Excess pressure is not created and thus, there will be no problem.
What should I look for in a laundry faucet?
One should mostly look for a spray head or a side spray on their laundry faucet. This will make your laundry tasks easier to handle. This also needs to be accompanied by quality and the right type of material.
Conclusion
You now know how to replace a utility sink faucet. So, when you stumble onto a leakage or simply want to upgrade, go through all the above-mentioned steps diligently. Also, be careful while shopping for your faucet as otherwise, you will frequently have to go through these steps!
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