How Do You Replace Tapware?
In this handy step-by-step guide from Victorian Plumbing, we’ll show you how to quickly replace your old sink tapware with a beautiful new one and bring your bathroom back to its former glory. To replace your bathroom taps, you’ll need the new taps you replace the old ones with, a wrench, a locknut (which usually comes with your taps), and some elbow grease. Of course, when it comes to water, if you make mistakes, things can quickly go wrong, so check out our step-by-step guide below on how to install new taps.
3 main steps to replace tapware
- Turn off the water supply
- Disconnect your kitchen or bathroom tapware
- You will then need a wrench to loosen the nut that connects the tapware to the supply hoses
Disconnect your kitchen or bathroom tapware.
The removal method will depend on your tapware type. The kitchen tap should match the bathroom sink, which largely depends on the type of tapware you have. One notable difference between bathroom and kitchen taps is the sink. In order to use the kitchen tapware in the bathroom, it is important to find a tapware that matches the sink.
Most washbasins, bathtubs and sinks have single taps, one for hot water and one for cold. One end is connected to the base of the tapware (under the sink or tub) and the other end is then connected to the water supply pipe (hot or cold). As you probably noticed in the pictures, the water supply is controlled by one lever (similar to the single-lever mixer mentioned above), but, as with all other taps, the hot one is on the far left and the cold one is on the extreme. on the right, with a range of intermediate temperatures, depending on the position of the lever. Only one knob controls the temperature as well as the pressure of the tapware and if you looking specially to change tapware heads then head over here.
Once installed, this ensures that when both taps are on, cold water is not pushed back through the hot water pipe, preventing the hot water from cooling down too quickly. Water can be shut off through a shut-off valve, or it must be shut off from the main. First, you need to make sure that the water supply from the grid to both the cold water tapware and the hot water tapware is turned off. All you have to do is make sure the tapware body is securely attached to the countertop or sink and that the hot and cold pipes are properly connected to the appropriate hot and cold water inlets.
You will then need a wrench to loosen the nut that connects the tapware to the supply hoses. If the new tapware you bought does not fit directly into your existing hose, you will need to use a tapware fitting. Plastic fittings may require a hose connector, while a one-piece tapware (with spout) will require an adapter.
Most new sink and bath taps come with flexible ends (usually a corrugated or braided hose with a threaded connection on one end and a compression fitting on the other) for easy installation. Bathroom sinks can have a main hole for single-lever taps. Installing a single lever tapware means you will be feeding these two pipes through a hole in the center of the kitchen sink.
If you suspect that your new unit is too heavy for your sink, your best bet is to install a tapware holder. Start by loosening the nut that holds the tapware attached to the surface. From here, you can simply unscrew the nut securing your taps to your tub or sink to remove them. The idea is to remove the tapware from the stud so that the tapware can be disconnected along with the hoses.
The valve must not rotate when working with connecting pipes. Check the tapware by opening the tapware and check the pipes for leaks and drips. Now you have your shiny new one connected and installed, it’s time to test it out by turning on the water supply.
When the water supply is turned back on, air trapped in the system will pass through the tapware, which can damage the tapware if you leave the tapware closed. There should now be a good steady flow of water from the tapware, flowing from hot to cold depending on your particular mechanism. Your shiny new tapware will now make your sink shine and add the finishing touches to your taps.
Now that we’ve looked at the different types of taps and tapware mechanisms, as well as the different fittings for connecting them to the plumbing, it’s time to figure out how to install a tapware. Your choice of a new tapware will depend entirely on how each of these options looks in your new bathroom, the type of system you previously had (and therefore you’re used to), and how easy it is to install. There are many types of taps, so be sure to choose the best one for your interior. Make sure plumbing is properly positioned and reaches the tub or sink.
Before you try to remove your old sink tapware, you need to turn off the water supply. Not all taps have a shut-off valve in the pipes that serve them, so if you can’t find one under the sink, you’ll need to turn off the water to the mains. The shut-off valve is usually found on the existing tapware piping and is operated with a flathead screwdriver (sometimes a lever is attached to them) and a 90 degree turn to shut off the water. Once you are 100% sure that there is no water in the circulation, you can proceed to the next step.
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