How to Change a Faucet: Mastering the Art of Kitchen and Bathroom Plumbing Without Losing Your Mind

Water drips steadily from beneath the handle, creating that maddening rhythm that keeps you awake at 3 AM. Another puddle forms on the counter. Your faucet has officially crossed the line from "quirky character" to "domestic nemesis." After years of watching plumbers work their magic in various homes I've lived in, and finally tackling the job myself more times than I care to admit, I've discovered that replacing a faucet sits in that sweet spot between intimidating and surprisingly doable—like parallel parking or making hollandaise sauce.

The plumbing industry would have you believe you need a van full of specialized tools and decades of experience. Truth is, most faucet replacements require about as much technical skill as assembling IKEA furniture, though admittedly with higher stakes if you mess up. Water damage beats a wobbly bookshelf any day of the week.

The Anatomy Lesson Nobody Asked For

Before diving under that sink, let's talk about what you're actually dealing with. Modern faucets come in more varieties than craft beer at a Portland brewery, but they all share the same basic DNA. You've got your spout (where water comes out), handles (what you turn), and the mysterious undercarriage that connects to your water supply lines.

Beneath your sink lurks a network of connections that might look like a steampunk octopus at first glance. Don't panic. Those are just supply lines—usually two flexible hoses that bring hot and cold water up from the shut-off valves. The faucet itself attaches through holes in your sink or countertop, held in place by mounting nuts that were definitely tightened by someone with superhuman strength.

I remember my first encounter with these mounting nuts. Picture me, contorted like a pretzel under the kitchen sink, wielding a basin wrench like some kind of plumbing Excalibur. My neighbor found me there an hour later, muttering choice words about whoever designed sinks with zero consideration for human anatomy.

Tools: The Good, The Bad, and The "Why Do I Need This?"

You could theoretically change a faucet with just an adjustable wrench and sheer determination. I've seen it done. I've also seen people eat soup with a fork—possible, but unnecessarily difficult. Here's what actually makes the job bearable:

A basin wrench becomes your best friend when working in cramped spaces. This peculiar tool looks like someone crossed a medieval torture device with a pipe wrench, but its swiveling jaw reaches places your regular wrench can't. Trust me, after trying to remove mounting nuts with needle-nose pliers (don't), the $15 investment feels like genius.

Channel-lock pliers handle the heavy lifting. Get two pairs—one for holding, one for turning. An adjustable wrench works for supply line connections. Some folks swear by pipe wrenches, but I find them overkill for residential faucets unless you're dealing with seriously corroded connections.

Don't forget the humble bucket. Nothing ruins your day quite like forgetting to put something under those supply lines before disconnecting them. Ask me how I know. Actually, don't—it's still a sore subject with my downstairs neighbors.

A headlamp or flashlight makes everything easier. Those stick-on LED lights they sell at hardware stores? Pure gold when you're working in the shadow realm under your sink. Your phone's flashlight works in a pinch, but good luck holding it while wrestling with plumbing connections.

The Pre-Game: What They Don't Tell You in the Instructions

Every faucet installation guide starts with "Turn off the water supply." What they don't mention is that those shut-off valves under your sink might not have been touched since the Clinton administration. Sometimes they're frozen solid. Sometimes they leak when you turn them. Sometimes they're not even there, and you're looking at a trip to the basement to shut off the main water supply.

Here's a pro tip born from painful experience: test those valves gently first. Turn slowly and stop if you feel significant resistance. A broken shut-off valve transforms a simple faucet swap into an emergency plumbing situation. If the valves feel sketchy, consider having them replaced while you're at it. Future you will thank present you.

Before removing anything, take photos. Lots of photos. That weird bracket that doesn't seem important? You'll be staring at it later, wondering which way it faced. Document the crime scene before you disturb it.

The Removal: Where Things Get Real

Disconnecting supply lines should be straightforward, but water has this annoying habit of defying gravity when you least expect it. Even with the valves off, those lines hold residual water. Position your bucket strategically and have towels ready. Old bath towels work better than paper towels—this isn't a job for half measures.

The mounting nuts holding your faucet in place have been marinating in moisture and mineral deposits for years. They're not giving up without a fight. This is where that basin wrench earns its keep. The first time you successfully break one of these nuts free, you'll feel like Thor wielding Mjolnir.

Sometimes—and I'm not proud of this—I've had to resort to penetrating oil and patience. Spray it on, go have a coffee, come back and try again. Repeat as necessary. One particularly stubborn kitchen faucet required three applications and some creative profanity before surrendering.

Lifting out the old faucet reveals horrors best left undescribed. That putty or caulk around the base? It's now a fossilized reminder of installations past. Scrape it off completely. A plastic putty knife works well without scratching the sink surface. This is tedious work, but skipping it means your new faucet won't sit flat, and you'll have gaps that collect grime.

Installation: The Plot Thickens

Modern faucets often come with a rubber gasket that supposedly eliminates the need for plumber's putty. I remain skeptical. Call me old-fashioned, but a thin rope of putty under the faucet base provides extra insurance against water infiltration. Roll it between your palms like Play-Doh until it's about the thickness of a pencil, then press it around the faucet base before setting it in place.

Getting the faucet positioned correctly while simultaneously threading mounting hardware from below requires either octopus arms or a helper. I've managed solo installations by using masking tape to temporarily hold the faucet in place, but having someone topside makes life infinitely easier. Bribe a friend with pizza if necessary.

Those plastic mounting nuts that come with new faucets? They're actually brilliant. Unlike metal nuts, they won't corrode, and you can hand-tighten them without tools. Just don't overdo it—cracked plastic helps nobody. Snug is sufficient; you're not torquing lug nuts here.

The Supply Line Tango

New faucets usually include supply lines, but check their length before installation. Nothing's worse than discovering your new lines are two inches too short after everything else is connected. Been there, done that, made the shameful trip back to the hardware store.

When connecting supply lines, remember: hot goes to hot, cold goes to cold. Sounds obvious until you're upside down under a sink trying to remember which is which. In the U.S., hot is typically on the left, but I've encountered enough exceptions to always double-check.

Hand-tighten connections first, then give them another quarter turn with a wrench. Over-tightening strips threads or cracks fittings. If you see water seeping after turning the supply back on, another quarter turn usually does it. If not, you might need to disconnect and check the rubber washer inside the supply line.

The Moment of Truth

Before turning the water back on, remove the aerator from your new faucet. Debris in the lines can clog it immediately, and it's easier to flush the system without it. Turn the shut-off valves on slowly—very slowly. Listen for leaks, watch for drips, keep those towels handy.

Run both hot and cold water for a minute to flush any debris. Check under the sink while water's running. Those first few minutes reveal whether you've achieved plumbing victory or need to revisit your connections.

The Aftermath Nobody Discusses

Your old faucet needs disposal, and it's heavier than you remember. Some recycling centers accept them as scrap metal. That old putty and caulk you scraped off? Regular trash is fine. The satisfaction of fixing something yourself? Priceless, even if it took three times longer than YouTube promised.

A week later, you'll still be checking under the sink for leaks. This is normal. It's also normal to feel irrationally proud every time you use your new faucet. You've joined the ranks of people who've stared into the abyss under their sink and emerged victorious.

Regional Variations and Hidden Complexities

If you live in an older home, especially in the Northeast, you might encounter faucets connected with rigid copper pipes instead of flexible supply lines. This ups the difficulty significantly. You'll need to cut pipes and install new shut-off valves—definitely consider calling a professional for this scenario.

Hard water areas present their own challenges. Mineral buildup can essentially weld connections together. If you're in the Southwest or parts of the Midwest, factor in extra time for dealing with calcium deposits. White vinegar helps, but sometimes you need the nuclear option: CLR or similar products.

Pedestal sinks deserve their own circle of hell in the faucet replacement hierarchy. Limited access, no cabinet to hide in, and everything on display. I've successfully changed exactly one pedestal sink faucet, and I still have stress dreams about it.

The Philosophical Bit

There's something deeply satisfying about fixing things in your own home. In our increasingly digital world, working with actual tools on actual problems provides a grounding experience. Plus, once you've successfully changed a faucet, you've crossed a threshold. You're no longer someone who automatically calls for help—you're someone who at least tries first.

That said, know your limits. If you encounter galvanized pipes, significant corrosion, or anything that makes your spider sense tingle, call a professional. There's no shame in tapping out when you're in over your head. Water damage costs way more than a plumber's visit.

Final Thoughts from the Trenches

After changing faucets in three different homes and helping friends with theirs, I've learned that every installation has its own personality. Some go smoothly—off with the old, on with the new, beer in hand within an hour. Others fight you every step of the way, requiring multiple hardware store trips and testing your vocabulary of profanity.

The key is patience and preparation. Read the instructions that come with your faucet, but don't expect them to cover every scenario. They're written in some parallel universe where all sinks are identical and nothing is corroded. Reality is messier but ultimately manageable.

Keep your phone handy for quick searches when you encounter something unexpected. The plumbing community online is surprisingly helpful and has seen every possible disaster. Someone, somewhere, has dealt with your exact problem and lived to post about it.

And remember—if our ancestors could manage plumbing without YouTube tutorials or basin wrenches, you can handle a faucet replacement. Though honestly, I'm glad we have basin wrenches now. Those things are game-changers.

Authoritative Sources:

"Plumbing: Complete Projects for the Home." Creative Homeowner, 2017.

Cauldwell, Rex. "Inspecting a House: A Guide for Buyers, Owners, and Renovators." Taunton Press, 2015.

"Residential Plumbing Code Requirements." International Code Council. icc-safe.org/codes-tech-support/codes/2018-i-codes/ipc/

Sweet, Fay. "The Complete Guide to Plumbing." Creative Publishing International, 2019.

"Water Supply Systems." United States Environmental Protection Agency. epa.gov/dwreginfo/information-about-public-water-systems