The Home Depot guys are here for a do it yourself Tuesday. They are showing us a home project to switch out your faucets and do quick fixes like stopping drips and tightening hardware.

Fixing a leaking faucet:

There are four basic types of faucets. Each have a different approach to repairing leaks.

Ball-type faucets have a single handle that moves around a rounded ball cap just above the base of the faucet spout.

Cartridge faucets generally use an up/down motion to regulate water flow and control temperature with a left/right motion.

Compression faucets are typically older faucets. They have separate hot and cold handles. The handle rises slightly when turning the faucet on.

Ceramic disk faucets typically have a single handle and a wide cylindrical body with two highly polished discs that move across one another in a smooth operation to control the flow of water.

To read more about common problems for each type and how to fix them, click here.

Removing an old faucet:

Removing an old kitchen faucet is simply a matter of disconnecting the faucet's hot and cold water supply lines and unscrewing the nuts that hold the faucet in place. Follow these easy steps and you should have no problem removing an old faucet.

Before You Begin 

 

-Clean out the cabinet and inspect the area where you will be working.

-Block the drain opening with a cloth.

-Have a bucket on hand to catch any water.

-Position towels so the edge of the cabinet doesn't dig into your back as you work. 

 

1-Turn Off Water

Turn off the water at the shut off valves under the sink or at the main water supply. To learn more about shutting off the water, watch our How to Shut Off a Valve video.

 

2-Disconnect the Supply Lines

Use an adjustable wrench to disconnect the hot and cold water supply lines. 

 

3-Remove Mounting Nuts

Spray penetrating oil on the mounting nuts, wait 15 minutes and loosen the nuts counter-clockwise with a basin wrench. 

4-Remove Faucet 

 

1.  Lift the faucet straight up. If it sticks, use the edge of a plastic putty knife to gently work it loose, being careful not to scratch the sink. 

 

2.  Use the putty knife to remove any old plumber's putty or caulk from the sink surface. 

To read more, click here.