Over time, there comes a time when the old faucet in the bathroom or in the kitchen fails. In this case, you will need to purchase a new plumbing element. There are a huge number of models. The principle of their installation may vary slightly.
To do without calling the plumber, you can carry out the entire procedure yourself. This is not a big deal. How to replace the mixer with your own hands will be considered in the article.
Where to begin?
First of all, if the old faucet breaks down, new plumbing is required. Replacing the mixer will not cause difficulties if the new product is characterized by high quality. Therefore, the store should be careful when choosing a mixer.
Many varieties of such products are on sale. They differ in a mass of parameters. First of all, it is necessary to evaluate what material the mixer is made of. Quality products cannot be light. They are made of metals, so their weight, unlike plastic, is much higher.
The mixer should be selected in accordance with the application. With your own hands, you can replace the faucet in the shower, in the kitchen, in the bath. In this case, in each case, you need to select the appropriate type of product. Bath faucet is not suitable for the kitchen and vice versa.
Materials
Do-it-yourself replacement of the mixer begins with the acquisition of a new crane. It is important to pay attention to the materials from which it is made. It is best that it be bronze or brass. Siluminic varieties do not differ in durability. To determine what the crane is made of, you need to look at its neck. It should be yellow. The gray material is silumin.
Seals should be made of rubber. Today it is the best option for plumbing applications.
You should also pay attention to the spacer rings of the product. They are located on the neck of the spout in the annular spacer section. This is the root of the crane. These parts are delivered most often in a transparent plastic bag. This element must be installed when installing the crane. Otherwise, the spout will stagger and eventually begin to leak. The ring should be tight enough. It should not hang out.
Design
Replacing the faucet in the kitchen or in the bathroom can update the interior, give it a modern look, style. To do this, you need to choose the right design and type of construction. For the kitchen, devices are used that supply mixed in a certain proportion of hot and cold water only from the spout of the tap. In addition to the mixer, a shower is installed for the bathtub.
On sale faucets are mainly two types. In the first case, the water is regulated by two taps. The second type of design involves the presence of a ball mechanism. It is controlled by one lever. With it, you can adjust both the pressure and the temperature of the water.
A design with two taps is often installed in the bathroom. This allows you to create a certain decorative effect. However, two-crane designs are not practical. For the kitchen, this option is less suitable. Single lever structures are in great demand today. They are comfortable, durable. The overwhelming number of purchases of mixers, according to statistics, is made up of single-lever designs.
Additional items
Replacing the faucet in the bathroom or in the kitchen is a responsible undertaking. It is important when buying a crane to pay attention to even the little things. Having decided on the design features, type of product materials, it is important to consider its details. So, on the mixer for both the bathroom and the kitchen, a water divider should be provided on the spout. This is a mesh called an aerator. The flow of water is enriched with air. In this case, water consumption is markedly reduced.
You should also choose the right shower. Its hose should be made of durable materials. Self-cleaning nozzles should be provided on the surface of the shower head. They have a fringing of soft rubber material. This system expands under water pressure. At this point, traces of calcareous deposits are shaken off. So the system does not clog, clearing of a raid.
When choosing a product for a shower cabin or bath, it is recommended to pay attention to designs that have the function of adjusting the jet mode. It can be directional or scattered. This allows you to perform hygiene procedures with the highest level of comfort.
Kitchen faucet height
Replacing a faucet in the kitchen requires the right choice of height for a new plumbing fixture. This indicator depends on many factors. For the kitchen, it is recommended to purchase a faucet in accordance with the characteristics of the sink and the type of dishes.
If you need to wash deep, overall pots, the mixer should be high. In this case, a sufficient washing depth must be provided. Otherwise, water will fall from a great height, splashing around the countertop. This will quickly lead to the destruction of the material.
For a shallow sink you need a low tap. This will occasionally wash plates, spoons and forks. Such sinks and taps are suitable for a person who rarely cooks. It is better to give preference to mixers of average height. This is the best option for the kitchen.
Bathroom faucet height
Replacing the faucet in the bathroom also requires the right choice of height. This indicator is influenced by many factors. The optimal height is considered to be 20 cm above the bath. However, this is not always the case.
If the faucet is installed in the shower, its distance from the bottom should be 120 cm. The position of the bathtub and sink should also be correlated. If the faucet moves between these two plumbing products, it should be at the optimum level for them.
Before installation, you need to try on the position of the crane. It should be convenient for all family members to use. Also, do not take into account the height of the bowl of the bath. It can be installed on various supports during installation. In this case, the height of the mixer may not meet the requirements of the operation. First, a bath or shower is installed, and then a mixer.
Instruments
Replacing the mixer with your own hands in the bathroom or in the kitchen will require the preparation of the necessary tools and materials. Need to purchase wrenches of different sizes. An adjustable spanner should also be prepared. In the work the master will need pliers or pliers.
To tightly fix all structural elements, a fum tape is used. Instead, you can use tow or a special plumbing gel. With their help process threaded connections. This allows you to qualitatively seal the joints. Fum tape is a product made of fluoroplastic. Instead of tow, it is wound on a threaded connection.
After preparing the tools, the hot and cold water supply should be shut off. After making sure that the water does not flow when opening the tap, you can proceed with the replacement. First you will need to dismantle the old mixer. This must be done very carefully. If the pipes are damaged, the procedure will become much more complicated. A plumbing call then cannot be avoided.
Mixer Dismantling
To replace the faucet, it is necessary to dismantle the damaged old faucet. After the water is turned off, you need to drain its residues from the mixer. To do this, the cranes are unscrewed and wait until the liquid stops dripping from the device. Then you need to find a place where the water pipes and flexible hoses connect.
At this stage, the hoses are dismantled. May have problems. If the mixer has been used for a long time, the joints may become acidic due to water hardness salts. Using an adjustable wrench will only aggravate the situation. The pipes may burst. To avoid this, apply a few drops of kerosene or brake fluid to the threaded connection. When the flexible hoses are disconnected, the water from them is drained into a bucket.
If the crane is dismantled from the sink, it will also need to be removed from the seat. To do this, the siphon is disconnected. After this, the siphon can be removed. The sink needs to be turned over and deployed so that it is convenient to operate. The mixer on the sink is loosened using an adjustable wrench. A screwdriver unscrews the threaded pins. The mixer is held by hand.
Preparation for installation
Replacing the shower faucet involves its initial assembly. New products are sold collapsible. The delivery includes instructions for assembling the mixer. It is important to inspect the kit. All necessary elements must be present in it and be carefully packed.
In the box with the mixer must be present: spout of the tap, shower head, and also for him a hose. Separately pack the main unit. The scope of delivery should include decorative shades. They cover the junction of the crane with the pipes. Also, the manufacturer necessarily provides for the presence of rubber gaskets, which are required during installation. Eccentrics are included.
Before installation, the structure must be assembled in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer's instructions. To do this, a gander is connected to the main unit. Also, a shower hose and a watering can are mounted to it. It is not recommended to use pliers or an adjustable wrench. All actions are performed manually.
Bathroom faucet installation
Replacing the faucet in the bathroom with your own hands does not require a lot of time and effort. First you need to wrap the clowns with fum tape. To do this, it is wound in the direction of the thread (clockwise). You need to make 15 layers of tape. If you wind the fum tape in the opposite direction (against the direction of the thread), it will puff up when tightening the nut. The joint will leak.
Next, the eccentrics must be installed in the wall outlets of the pipes. You can use tow instead of fum tape. It must be moistened in a special or soapy solution. Then the eccentrics are screwed into the fittings exiting the wall. The distance between the entrances should be 15 cm. This indicator is clearly checked using the building level.
For eccentrics, you need to mount the main unit. On both sides it should easily wind up. Otherwise, the system will need to be adjusted. Next, the main unit is removed. After that, installation of eccentric decorative shades is carried out. They should fit snugly against the wall. This will hide and protect the places of threaded connections. They will not accumulate water, develop a fungus.
Installation complete
Replacing the kitchen faucet is completed without much effort. After the decorative pads are tightly fixed, the main unit is installed back. In this case, a winding for the thread is necessarily applied.
Dense shrinkage of the block is ensured by rubber gaskets. They must be used during installation. Gaskets should be located in the clamping nuts. The nuts must be tightened carefully. A wrench can be used for this. It is not necessary to tighten very much. There should be a slight creak. After that, tighten the nuts no longer.
When the installation is complete, you need to turn on the water and check all the joints. There should be no leakage or dripping of water. First include water for the tap, and then for the shower. If all the elements of the system are working properly, you can operate the plumbing.
Kitchen faucet installation
Replacing a single lever mixer in the kitchen is similar to a bathroom procedure. There are a number of differences. The flexible hoses must be pulled into the mounting hole of the sink. Next, a rubber seal and a pressure plate are installed. Then screw the threaded pins. The adjustable nuts tighten with an adjustable wrench.
Installation completion
Replacing the faucet in the kitchen ends with its connection to the water supply. Flexible hoses need to be connected to pipes of hot and cold water, using a fum tape. Next, water is supplied to the system. If there is a leak, the joints must be additionally lubricated with sealant.
Having considered how to replace the mixer, you can perform this procedure well. It will be possible to avoid a plumbing call by quickly restoring the water supply system.