I just learned how to replace a seriously leaky faucet on YouTube. It took about 30 minutes once I had all the proper tools. It was a lot easier than I was expecting. I'm sure you could pull this off too if you put your mind to it. Saved me a ton of money.
Recommended project music: MGMT/Flaming Lips Pandora Station.
Recommended project music: MGMT/Flaming Lips Pandora Station.
This is the OLD nasty faucet. Which, as you can see, is in the 'off'
position and is clearly still running.
I highly recommend a flashlight. I just used my heavy-duty penlight from work.
This lil guy's day job is checking brain trauma patient's pupils. He was looking for a second job anyway.
The most important step is turning off the hot and cold
water supply line (righty-tighty).
By far the hardest part was getting these plastic washers off. Especially because I was told by a real-life plumber that who ever put this sink in originally hooked all of this up before dropping in the sink, making me very thankful to be a relatively thin female. I have no idea how a beefy plumber would have fit back here.
Next: Enter the Basin Wrench! (Basin Wrench even has his own Facebook page....why???) Picked him up at Third Street Hardware which is an excellent resource for anyone fixing up a house in Detroit. It's small but they always have what I need. Also, they sell bikes. Bonus! I can't decide if I scared or impressed the guy there...hot pink nail polish and all.
Nasty old faucet's last moments.
I bought the medium cheap faucet from Home Depot. Good enough for me. Once the old faucet is out just place the new faucet in its place, screw on the new washers under the sink (righty-tighty) and reconnect the supply lines (righty-tighty). Now turn back on the water supply (lefty-loosey). Lastly, wash your filthy hands and think about how much of a bad@$$ you are.
I think the elephants are much happier about their new situation.
We also sang the praises of the basin wrench last fall, with the very same faucet. Good for you Brit, you are a man's woman, a woman's woman, and an awesome chick. I really enjoy your blog.
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ReplyDeleteJohn seriously learns how to fix everything from youtube. Nice work! :)
ReplyDeleteJob well done on the faucet replacement! It looks like it was done by a pro. It is never a bad idea to do some DIY work at home. It makes you feel in-charge and in control of your own space. But when the problem is more than a faucet replacement, it definitely needs some professional fixing. [Darryl Iorio]
ReplyDeleteRight on, Daryl! As a homeowner, it feels good to do some DIY fix in your home. It makes you feel like you saved the day! I remember one time when I replaced my leaking bathroom faucet. I thought it will be tough, but with a little research, I was able to patch it up. But you are also right about calling for help if the problem is beyond your knowledge and skills. (Javier Hallum)
DeleteReplacing an old faucet is one of the easiest tasks in plumbing, but it can be daunting if you don’t have the basic know-how about it. Well, good thing there is YouTube to help you with this issue. Videos like this are definitely a big help for people who want to have experience in fixing plumbing problems, like a leaky faucet. Well done!
ReplyDelete+Elia Lester