How To Install a New Faucet

Bathrooms play an essential role in your home’s functionality, and renewing old and worn down parts is extremely important. Replacing a shower faucet by yourself may seem like one of those impossible tasks to finish without professional help, but it doesn’t need to.

With the right team behind you, giving you all of the tools you need to accomplish a successful swap, you can easily replace old, damaged, and out of style shower faucets. Keep reading to discover all of the easy steps to take before taking on your next project.

“At Arco Plumbing, we are always looking for new and better ways to help our customers when it comes to plumbing issues and inquiries from the comfort of their home.”

What Are You Going to Need?

First things first, you need to go out and get everything you need. When it comes to your shower faucet, you want to look for functionality but also one that will blend well with the style of your bathroom to give it a distinct look. Here is what you are going to need:

• Hand and reciprocating saw
• Cleaning cloths
• Tube cutting
• Plier set
• Solder(or solderless connectors)
• Gas fittings and connectors
• New bathtub/shower faucets

Turn off the Water

We recommend that you make sure to get a shower in before the new installation because the first step is always to turn off the water. Trust us, the last thing you want is the minute you start to get soaked with a bunch of water. If you don’t have a separate valve to cut off the water to just the bathroom, you will need to cut the entire house’s water.

Get Rid of The Old Faucets

Now it’s time to start, so remove your old faucets. Depending on the specific faucets you currently have, some faucets can be removed by simply twisting them or unscrewing them. The process is unique to your faucet and the manufacturer, so if you are unsure, don’t just yank at it, look for the old manual or call the experts at Arco Plumbing.

Remove and Install the New Valve

Removing the valve for the old faucet is a bit trickier. During this step, you will need to cut a small piece of the drywall of the wall behind your bathroom to have room and comfortably install the new valve. You will need to drill a small hole in the wall of the bathroom. When removing the valve, there will also be a stringer mounted to it that you will need to remove.

Before installing the new valve, make sure that it is the right one for your specific bathroom set up. This step depends on whether you have two faucets, one for water and one for water, or one general faucet. You will then add the stringer and the new valve together, ensuring that the valve(s) are hanging outside of the bathroom wall at the right distance. Remember to always read and follow the new valve’s instructions as all are unique to specific manufacturers.

Make Sure There Are No Leaks

This step requires the use of a torch and lead-free solder. If you don’t have experience using a torch, always ask a friend who does to assist you. This step is simply called “sweating the pipes.” Apply a light coat of the solder to the ends of the pipes and inside of the valve fittings. Sometimes people opt out of using solder, so you can use simple push and lock solderless connectors.”

After adding the solder, you will need to heat the pipes’ middle to strengthen the connection. When that is done, add a small coat of solder to the joint.

The last thing you want is to put everything together and then find a leak. So take the extra time to confirm, cap the open valves and turn on the water. Take a close look at the pipes; if there is no leak, you are good to go!

Install the Faucets

Following your specific faucets’ instructions, now is the time to add that new look to your bathroom, the moment you have been waiting for. After installing the faucets securely, turn on the shower, check the pressure, and ensure no leaks are coming out of the areas around the faucets. IF everything is running smoothly, you have done it, and now you are ready to take a shower and try out your accomplishment.

Easier Alternatives

1. It’s no secret that everything mentioned above can be challenging to do if you have no experience doing it, but there are easier alternatives. If you do not want to go through the hassle of replacing the valves and cutting up your wall, you can take the option of just changing the faucets directly. All you have to do is do some research on the manufacturer of the valve you currently have and choose a new faucet that is compatible with your bathroom’s valve.
2. Your second alternative is calling the experts at Arco Plumbing. Yes, that is right, save yourself time and effort and contact us today! Our team’s years of experience servicing the Chicagoland area defines the incredible services we offer at an affordable price. Making changes to your home that include plumbing can be complicated, and if the job isn’t done perfectly, it can lead to potential damages to your home. If you want a professional team to come and install your new faucets, do not hesitate to contact Arco Plumbing.

Arco Plumbing is always looking for new and innovative ways to help our clients with any plumbing issues and questions that you may have. So make sure to keep checking back to learn more about common plumbing services and information that we have. If you are interested in learning about a specific plumbing topic, we guarantee that you aren’t alone. Contact Arco Plumbing today!

Last Updated on June 2, 2021 by Arco Plumbing Services