How to Replace a Kitchen Faucet

Open the cabinet under the sink and locate the hot and cold shut-off valves on the wall. Turn both valves clockwise until they stop. Turn on the faucet to relieve any remaining pressure and drain the lines. Place a bucket under the supply connections to catch residual water.

Use an adjustable wrench to loosen the supply line nuts where they connect to the shut-off valves (turn counterclockwise). Then disconnect the supply lines from the faucet connections under the sink. Have a towel ready — some water will spill. If you have a sprayer hose, disconnect it from the diverter valve as well.

Use a basin wrench to reach the mounting nuts holding the faucet to the sink deck. Turn counterclockwise to loosen. These nuts are often corroded and stubborn — spray them with penetrating oil (WD-40 or PB Blaster) and wait 10 minutes if they won't budge. Once the nuts are off, lift the old faucet out from above. Clean any old putty or caulk residue from the sink surface with a plastic scraper.

Read the new faucet's installation instructions — every brand is slightly different. Thread the supply lines and any sprayer hose through the mounting hole from above. If your faucet requires plumber's putty, roll a pencil-thick rope of putty and press it around the base of the faucet before setting it in place. Some faucets include a rubber gasket instead, which eliminates the need for putty.

From underneath the sink, slide the mounting hardware (washer and nut) onto the threaded studs or tailpiece. Hand-tighten the mounting nut, then use the basin wrench to snug it firmly. Don't overtighten — you just need it snug enough that the faucet doesn't rotate when you use the handle. Check from above that the faucet is centered and straight before final tightening.

Connect the hot supply line (left) to the hot shut-off valve and the cold supply line (right) to the cold valve. Hand-tighten the connections first, then give them a quarter to half turn more with pliers. If your new faucet came with braided stainless steel supply lines, they typically don't need Teflon tape — the rubber washers inside the connections create the seal. If using rigid supply tubes, apply Teflon tape to the threads.

For pull-down or pull-out faucets, connect the sprayer hose to the faucet body according to the manufacturer's instructions. There's usually a quick-connect fitting that snaps into place. Thread the counterweight onto the hose at the position specified in the instructions — this weight ensures the sprayer head retracts smoothly into the faucet spout.

Slowly turn on both shut-off valves. Remove the aerator from the faucet spout and run water for 30 seconds to flush debris from the new lines. Replace the aerator. Check every connection under the sink for drips — shut-off valve connections, supply line connections, and the sprayer hose. Tighten any dripping connections a quarter turn at a time until the leak stops. Wipe all connections dry and check again after 10 minutes.