Most professional plumbers and DIY home project lovers own a basin wrench. It is a tool purposely made to remove or install a faucet.
It can access nuts under the sink and other places a standard wrench or pliers cannot access. Unfortunately, you may not have a basin wrench and want to remove your kitchen’s faucet.
Kitchen faucets are vital fixtures. Without them, sinks and their environs wouldn’t stay tidy. Cleaning things in the sinks would also be a hustle. A time comes, and you get required to remove your kitchen faucet. It could be you want to repair, clean, or replace it.
The removal process is straightforward and fast, but it can be tricky. Some homeowners think they cannot remove a faucet without a basin wrench, but they are wrong. Though a basin wrench would be the ideal tool to use, you can use other tools in its absence.
First, let’s look at the reasons to make you remove a faucet. Some homeowners remove their faucets unnecessarily. It’s essential to know when you require disassembling your faucet to avoid wasting your time and money.
Table of Contents
Reasons for Removing a Kitchen Faucet:
Aged Faucet
Age comes with its disadvantages. The faucet’s parts can get worn out due to prolonged usage. Its efficiency goes down. If you have an old faucet, you can remove it to replace it with a new one.
Blockage
Your kitchen faucet may be pleasing to look at but useless if it can’t allow water to flow out. There are several reasons for having a blocked faucet. They include;
- Mineral deposits: Hard water is the reason for limescale or mineral deposits. The minerals from the water accumulate along the faucet stem and aerator. As a result, the water may fail to flow out. Sometimes when it comes out, it is with low pressure. You should maintain your faucet regularly to avoid blockage.
Clean the faucet with vinegar if you discover limescale. It will help remove that kind of dirt.
- Corrosion: If the faucet gets made with parts that can rust, it is prone to blocking. When the rust accumulates, it seals the faucet’s water passage. Distilled white vinegar will help loosen the corrosion, making it easy to clean.
- Debris and Dirt: The water flowing through your kitchen’s faucet could contain particles that can block the faucet. You will have to remove the faucet to clean it and remove anything that’s blocking its passage.
- Malfunctioning
When any part of the faucet breaks down, the entire fixture malfunctions. The only solution is to remove the faucet to replace or repair the damaged part.
Design
Your faucet may not have any problem, but its design could be outdated or not pleasing to you anymore. If this is the case, you can remove it and install a design that you prefer.
Some faucet styles blend excellently with the interior décor of any kitchen. You may find yourself changing your faucet to improve your kitchen’s appearance.
With the above reasons, you are sure when to remove your kitchen’s faucet. It could be because of any or all of the above reasons. Whatever the case, use the following step by step guide to removing your kitchen’s faucet in the absence of a basin wrench.
Steps to Remove a Kitchen Faucet without Using a Basin Wrench:
Even without a basin wrench, the removal process is easy. The trick is removing the nuts with tools other than a basin wrench. Here is what to do;
Step 1: Assemble the Required Materials
In the absence of a basin wrench, you will need other tools and items to help you in removing your kitchen’s faucet. Collect the following items before the faucet removal process;
- Screwdriver
- A clean, soft cloth or towel
- Channel-lock pliers
- Socket wrench
- Tape gauge
- Grease
Step 2: Shut the Valves
After assembling all the required items mentioned above, it’s time to initiate the removal process. The faucet usually contains cold and hot valves. Mostly, they get located beneath the sink or its cabinet. Locate and turn them off to prevent the water from flowing while disassembling the faucet.
Shutting the valves is a precautionary measure. It must get done even when carrying out other plumbing work. Otherwise, you will not like the flooding experience on your kitchen floor while carrying out the process. The time and energy you will waste in cleaning the water mess on your kitchen’s floor can be avoided!
It is also advisable to place a bucket beneath your kitchen’s faucet or sink before undertaking the removal process. It will help fetch any remaining water that could drip to your kitchen’s floor.
Step 3: Remove the Pressure from the Faucet
When both valves are shut, remove any pressure within the faucet. Without water in the faucet, it might be full of air pressure. Such a faucet will be a challenge to remove. Release the air by opening the faucet.
Keep the faucet open for around 2 – 3 minutes. The air pressure will have gotten released by then, making it convenient to work.
As a result, the faucet becomes light, making it easy to remove.
Step 4: Detach the Water Lines
After removing pressure from the faucet, disconnect your kitchen’s water line. This step may be a bit tricky than the previous three, but it’s easy. Pick your channel lock pliers and attach them tightly to your kitchen’s water line.
It would be best if you were careful about handling the pliers while attached to the waterline. Otherwise, you will damage your kitchen’s faucet and water line. While securely attached, pull the pliers off carefully.
Step 5: Take Out the Nuts
The faucet comes secured with many nuts. After disconnecting all the water lines to your kitchen, remove all the nuts found on the faucet. A socket wrench will work out great. Sometimes the nuts may be challenging to remove if not replaced or maintained for an extended period.
If tightly locked, applying some grease on the bolts, screws, or nuts will help. The nut joints will soften, making them turn with ease. Turn the wrench in the anti-clockwise direction to remove the nuts or screws.
Remove all the nuts, each at a time. Place the screws, bolts, or nuts in a secure place immediately you remove them to avoid misplacing them.
Step 6: Detach and Remove the Hose
After removing all the screws securing the faucet, disconnect the hose. Begin disconnecting it from the sink. Then pull out the faucet. Congratulations! You have successfully removed your kitchen’s faucet without the help of a basin wrench.
If the faucet is damaged or has got some defects, consider fixing it first before returning it. You could also opt to install a new one. If dirty, remove all the debris and dirt and clean it with a soft brush or scrubbing pad dipped in warm water mixed with dish soap. Remove rust and mineral deposits with vinegar.
Conclusion
As explained above, removing a kitchen faucet using a basin wrench is a piece of cake. It is because it gets explicitly made to remove or fix a faucet. But it doesn’t mean that you can’t take out a faucet in the absence of a basin wrench.
The above step by step guide has illustrated that it is possible to remove a faucet without a basin wrench. Ensure you don’t miss out on any step. Otherwise, you will not be successful. It would also help if you were careful while using the tools as they can damage the faucet.
If the bolts, screws, or nuts are tight, apply some grease to loosen them instead of applying more force. Always switch off the water valves and disconnect the water line before the removal process.
