How to change a bathroom faucet with your own hands: instructions for replacing a faucet

Everyone at least once in their life is faced with the need to replace the plumbing in the bathroom. The most common reason for this is a broken faucet. A faulty device can cause a significant blow to your wallet. Drop by drop, several liters of water flow out of the tap per day, which at the end of the month will become a significant increase in the rent. In addition, a broken faucet cannot be used, and if you use it, rest assured that it will not be for long. There is an urgent need to replace the mixer. And here the question arises, how to change a non-working faucet in the bathroom without resorting to the services of specialists. It is quite possible to make the replacement yourself. Any man can do this work with his own hands.

In what cases is replacement required?

Poor operation of a faucet is not always a reason to replace it.

If water drips or flows in a thin stream from the tap, you just need to replace the filling in it:

in semi-rotary or lever: ceramic cartridge;
in classic (valve): gasket.

Some joystick faucets have a metal ball with holes instead of a cartridge. In such devices, the cause of leakage is usually wear of the seat—the soft polymer insert adjacent to the ball—by abrasive particles.

If the tap of a classic valve mixer breaks, replace the tap axle (valve head).

Replacement of the entire device is inevitable in the following cases:

body cracked. This happens with cheap faucets;
The inside of the body is covered with rust. Happens with cheap faucets or fakes made from corrosion-unresistant material;
the nut for connecting to the water supply has burst or its thread has been torn off. This is possible due to careless installation or leaning on the mixer.

Notes and recommendations

An eccentric is a fitting with threads on both sides and an offset center. It is designed for precise adjustment of the horizontal installation of the mixer.

A socket is a special corner fitting for water supply with a flat base with holes for mounting on a plank or directly on a wall.

Before assembling, make sure that the shower head holder is screwed to the mixer; then this may be difficult to do; the wall will get in the way.

Check the quality of the sealing gaskets in the union nuts. They should not have scratches, deformations or tears. Silicone gaskets hold up better than rubber.

Which mixer should I buy?

A new device to replace the old one is chosen based on the design of the locking mechanism, material and design.

Locking mechanism type

Classic valve mixers are considered obsolete - they are inconvenient to use, most users change them to:

semi-rotary
. They are also equipped with two thumbwheels, but to open completely, you only need to turn the tap 180 degrees. To do this, the tap of the valve analogue has to be turned several times. The locking mechanism of the semi-rotary mixer is a cartridge of two ceramic plates with holes. The pressure depends on how well the holes line up. Semi-rotary faucets are more convenient than classic ones, but have the same main disadvantages: each time you have to adjust the water temperature, which increases its consumption, and manipulation requires two hands;
lever _ These faucets are most often installed in the bathroom. There is also a ceramic cartridge inside with holes that more or less coincide with the holes in the seat (water flows through them). The mixing of hot and cold flows occurs in a narrow gap inside the cartridge. There is only one control - a horizontal lever (sometimes a vertical joystick). Turning the lever left and right adjusts the temperature, and moving it up and down adjusts the pressure. It is enough to adjust the temperature once, after which the mixer only opens and closes: saving water. You can open the water by lightly tapping the lever with the back of your wrist: convenient if your hands are dirty.

Faucets with ceramic cartridges (lever and half-turn) are sensitive to water quality: solid mechanical impurities destroy the ceramics, leading to leaks. Therefore, their installation is justified only if there are mechanical cleaning filters on the water lines (called a mud filter or an oblique filter).

Due to very dirty water (it clogs quickly), it is advisable to install a classic valve mixer with gaskets - it is not afraid of mechanical pollutants.

Material

High-quality faucets are made from durable and non-corrosive materials - brass or stainless steel. You can distinguish them by their weight - the devices are quite heavy.

Brass lever mixer

Cheap faucets are made from silumin, an alloy of aluminum and silicon. The material is susceptible to intergranular corrosion, so the device may one day burst, which will lead to flooding. Because of this, it is not recommended to install silumin mixers. You can distinguish them by their weight - they are very light.

Execution

There are three varieties:

wall- mounted Most in demand. Installed between the washbasin and the bathtub and serves both appliances;
for mounting on the side of a bathtub or washbasin . They are used if, for example, instead of a bathtub there is a shower stall with its own mixer;
floor . The mixer is mounted on a stand attached to the floor. They are rarely used and mainly as a designer accessory. They are more expensive than the first two varieties.

Installing a mixer: step-by-step instructions

The crane can be installed in the three most popular ways:

installation on a vertical wall;
installation in the bath body;
installation as a separate rack.

Wall mounting

The convenience of the design is that the faucet installed in the wall can be used simultaneously above the bathtub and sink.

Advice. The faucet can be placed above the bathtub, sink or between them.

After dismantling the old tap, pay attention to the eccentrics. For those unfamiliar with this concept, cams are similar to adapters used in plumbing work. If they are in good condition, then they do not need to be replaced.

Eccentrics for mixer
If you need to replace the eccentrics, take it with a gas wrench and unscrew it counterclockwise. If done carelessly, it may break and then it will be necessary to disassemble the wall. Use the fire of a lighter to heat the cam. So, the process will go faster.
After dismantling the eccentric, you can replace the winding. Otherwise, the new mixer will become clogged.
Remove plaque and deposits from the inside of the pipe. Wind the fum tape onto the new ex class=”aligncenter” width=”650″ height=”426″[/img] Winding on an eccentric
Screw in the eccentrics clockwise. They must be symmetrical.
Install gaskets on the faucet.
Screw the cup covers onto the eccentrics.
Screw the valve nuts onto the eccentrics. This can be done first with your hands and then with an adjustable wrench. Don't rush into action. The main thing is not to break the thread.
Attach a shower head.

Diagram: mixer device
Apply soap to the seals so you don't have to cut them off.
Turn on the water in the riser and use your new mixer with pleasure.

Installation in the bath body

An interesting option that can be used if you have flexible eyeliner. All faucet attributes will be located directly on the surface of the bath. It is important to choose the right location for the mixer. It must be accessible for plumbing and repair work.

Using a hole saw mounted on a drill, make a hole in the bathtub.
The next stage is installing the mixer.

Installing a bathtub faucet
Secure the tap with nuts. In order to attach a single-lever model, you need to screw in the pin and put on the half-washer. The nut is screwed onto the mixer and, using a washer, is firmly fixed to the bathtub body.
Connect flexible hoses with tap water to the mixer.

Advice. Use gaskets to prevent leakage.

Faucets on a separate stand

A very stylish option for faucets. Perfect for a large bathroom. Faucets on a separate stand are also called floor-standing.

The main problem with the installation will be connecting the pipes to the floor. But if the repair is completely completed, then there is only one option left - running the pipes into a corner and masking them with drywall.
The subsequent installation steps are not much different from installing faucets on the wall.

Faucet on a stand - floor-standing
It is worth noting that floor-standing faucets have a very high cost, but this is compensated by the originality of the design in the bathroom.

Installing a faucet is an easy job. The main thing in this matter is accuracy and attentiveness. The quality of the materials used and the selected faucet also play an important role. But if you strictly follow the instructions, the result will undoubtedly please you. After all, any homework done with your own hands looks much better and is valued higher than the help of specialists. And when the question arises, how to change the faucet in the bathroom with your own hands, answer: “Easy and simple!”

Replacing a faucet with your own hands: video

Installing a faucet in the bathroom: photo

Tools and materials

To replace the mixer you will need:

adjustable wrench (sometimes two);
pliers;
screwdriver.

The materials needed are:

masking tape or electrical tape. They wrap the chrome nuts of the mixer so as not to scratch the coating with the key;
sealing material for threaded connections.

The following materials are used as compacted material:

tow or plumbing flax together with Unipak paste;
fluoroplastic sealing material (FUM tape);
linen thread "Tangit Unilok".

Experienced plumbers use tow or sanitary ware. It is difficult for a beginner to work with them: if there is an excess amount of sealant, the screw-on part (brass or thin-walled) may burst, but if the tow is not applied, the connection will leak and will have to be repacked. The danger is that the outer part (nut) may burst after some time when the seal absorbs water.

FUM tape

FUM tape is more convenient: if there is excess, the excess material will simply be squeezed out, so you can obviously wind a lot of it, but it has disadvantages:

leaks after repeated expansion and contraction of the pipeline due to temperature changes. Therefore, it is advisable to use FUM tape only on cold water supplies;
demanding on the quality of the thread: if there is rust or defects, it forms burrs on the threads and the connection leaks.

Flax thread "Tangit Unilok" is easy to work with and at the same time does not have the disadvantages of FUM tape. To select the correct quantity, no experience is required - the thread is simply wound onto the thread in accordance with the instructions given on the package. With a slight overdose, it does not cause damage to the part. The disadvantage is the high cost.

Installation of a shower stand

The stand must be installed after the mixer has been installed. Pressing the stand against the wall, controlling its verticality using a building level or plumb line, we mark the holes. If the stand has a rigid mount with a mixer, then the fastening nuts must be tightened and only then make markings. Drill the mounting holes. Having tightened the connecting nuts and previously wound flax thread or fum tape onto the threads, we fix the stand to the wall. We finally tighten the connecting nuts with a gas wrench and check by turning on the water supply to the rack.

Dismantling the old tap

The mixer to be replaced is removed as follows:

shut off the root valves at the entrance of the water supply to the apartment and open the taps on the mixer to relieve excess pressure;
cover the bathtub and sink with rags so that accidentally falling parts do not damage the enamel or ceramics. It is important to close the drain holes so that small parts do not fall there;
Use a wrench to unscrew the mixer nuts from the eccentrics. If it gets stuck due to lime deposits, add brake fluid or kerosene and after 15 minutes. try again. In particularly advanced situations, use WD-40 liquid. This composition effectively softens rust, paint, glue and all kinds of deposits, for which it is popularly nicknamed “liquid key”.

After unscrewing the nuts, the old mixer is placed in a basin so that the small amount of water remaining in it does not leak onto the floor.

What is a tap that shuts off the water in an apartment or house, where is it located and how to change it?

If you are a home owner, or have been lucky enough to never have a plumbing problem, you may not be aware of shutoff valves that shut off the water. These simple valves control the flow of water to fixtures such as showers, toilets, sinks, and washing machines. They have two pipe connections: one large inlet connection in the back that connects to your main water pipe, and a smaller outlet that connects to the pipe leading to your appliances.

Ideally, you should have a shut-off valve for each device. This way, you can turn off a leaking faucet for a few hours (or a few days if necessary) until it can be repaired while using your shower or toilet. They are usually located close to the fixture, such as under the sink or behind the toilet.

In some cases, you may have one valve for the entire room, or even one for the entire house. If you only have one for your entire home, you can install multiple valves more locally.

Now that you can answer the question - "What is a shut-off valve?" - you still need to answer a few questions before you can install one.

Do you know where the main shut-off valve for your home is located?
What are water pipes made of?
How are water pipes oriented in relation to the fittings?
Are you replacing an old shutoff valve or installing it in a new location?
You will need to do the preparatory work based on these various options, such as purchasing the right pipes and equipment.
Turn off the water

Before you do any plumbing work, make sure you know where the main shut-off valve is for your home's water supply. After you turn off the main water supply, turn on the faucet at the lowest level of your home to drain the water from the pipes.

The next thing to do is to unscrew the water supply line from the old valve if you are replacing it, or the main water line if you are installing a shutoff valve in a new location. Now you are ready to go.

If you are replacing an old, leaking valve on copper pipes, you will need to find out what type of connection it has so you can remove it. If the old valve is soldered on further, then you need to cut the valve off. Be sure to leave yourself enough pipe left between the wall and the end of the pipe to install the new valve. (As with all home improvement jobs, such tasks require knowledge and skills that may seem risky; don't hesitate to call a plumber.)

The easiest way to remove the ferrule and nut from a pipe is with a tool called a sleeve puller, which screws onto the pipe just like a valve, and then pulls the ring and nut off the pipe with a few turns of a wrench. You can also remove the old ferrule using a pair of wrenches by lifting it off the pipe, which is just as effective but may take a little more work.

Installation of a new mixer (wall and floor models)

When installing a new device, proceed as follows:

inspect the eccentrics. These are bushings screwed onto pipes, one part of which is slightly offset relative to the other. They allow you to set the center distance to the size of the mixer (usually 15 cm), because it is quite difficult to give such an exact position to the pipes. Eccentrics in good condition are left in place; those in poor condition are replaced. If the mixer has been standing for a long time, it is useful to replace the seal in the pipe-eccentric connections. It could become dilapidated, and then particles of the material will pollute the water;
if necessary, rotate the eccentrics, moving them to the desired position. Everything is done correctly if the distance between the centers of the eccentric holes exactly corresponds to the center-to-center distance for the mixer connecting pipes, and each eccentric is like a mirror image of the second: under this condition, the mixer is located horizontally;
if necessary, clean the eccentric threads with a wire brush;
put decorative washers on the eccentrics (wall-mounted mixer);
wrap a sealant around the threads of the eccentrics. Taking into account the fact that when screwing on the nut it will be distributed further along the thread, slightly more material is placed on the first turns (winding begins from the end);
wrap the nuts of the new faucet with electrical tape or masking tape so as not to scratch the shiny surface with the wrench;
manually screw the nuts onto the eccentrics as long as possible;
having reached the stop, tighten the nuts with an adjustable wrench, turning them a quarter turn;
remove the masking tape from the nuts and check the operation of the mixer by opening the root valves.

If there are leaks in the connections, they are tightened or repacked after turning off the water.

How to choose a new faucet

When choosing a new faucet, it is important to consider the material: experts recommend choosing models made of brass or bronze.
When purchasing a bathroom faucet in a store, you need to pay attention to several factors:

Design. It is not at all necessary to buy exactly the same mixer that you already have. The general design of most models is approximately the same, so if you choose another option, nothing will change significantly. It is only important to pay attention to the fact that the appearance of the device is in harmony with the overall interior design.
If it was decided to choose a fundamentally different model, then it is very important that the connection points with the water pipes coincide. Before purchasing, you need to measure all the distances, or even better, take a photo or video of the old mixer and its position.
If the bathtub is small, then the length of the gander matters.
When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the presence of all parts (gaskets, eccentrics, nuts) in the kit.
As for the general technical and functional quality of the device, only a specialist can objectively understand this. If it is not possible to consult with him, then you need to pay attention to the country of origin and the cost of the product. An old and familiar rule applies here: the better the quality of the product, the more expensive it is.

Installation on a bathtub or sink

The devices are connected to the water supply via a flexible connection and operate as follows:

a hole with a diameter corresponding to the size of the mixer is drilled in the side of the bathtub or washbasin. To form such holes, crowns (cylindrical drill) are used, and if such a tool is not at hand, many holes are drilled along the contour with an ordinary drill and then the spaces between them are broken with pliers;
Place the gasket on the side and install the mixer, threading the connecting pipes into the hole. The device is secured from below with a horseshoe washer and nut (a gasket must be put on first);
connect the mixer pipes and pipes with a flexible liner. There is no need to seal the connections - the liner nuts already have gaskets. To avoid crushing them, excessive tightening is contraindicated.

If the flexible liner leaks, it is not necessary to completely change it: videos have been published on the Internet with instructions for installing a cracked polymer tube inside the braid. Repair is significantly cheaper than buying a new product.

Mixer connection types

There are two types of faucet connections, depending on the water supply to the bathroom.

The first is when the external water distribution and sockets for the mixer in the room are on a special strip.

The second is when the water supply is hidden and two fittings for cold and hot water come out of the wall. In both cases, the device can be placed on eccentrics, and with the second type of liner it can be connected directly to the pipes. In this case, the mixer must be taken with an internal connection.

This is interesting: How to unscrew the valve on a faucet - video