A Common Plumbing Project
How do you remove and replace the plumbing in your kitchen sink? Read on for more information.
Sometimes leaks happen in your kitchen sink and you need to call a plumber to fix it. Often times it is not worth fixing and you need to replace the sink all together. Your plumber can help you figure out what sink to buy because there are so many types available at your local plumbing supply store. The ones that are manufactured form stainless steel are the ones that are sought after the most. For the most part,
sinks are one of the easiest to replace of all plumbing projects.
When removing and replacing your kitchen sink you will first need to take off the cabinet door by removing the screws and the hinge. If it helps, put them on a piece of tape to hold them all together so that you don't lose any pieces so that the doors still work the same way when the project is completed.
In the cabinets you will find the plumbing, and the next step is to turn the water off so that you don't have any leaking while you are replacing the sink. The valves to both the hot and cold water can be found under the sink. Turn on the faucet to release any water that is left in the pipes and to make sure that the water has been completely shut off. Have a bucket handy to catch any water still in the pipes.
Once you are sure that the water is off and your collection bucket is in place, you need to disconnect the drain line by removing the plastic nut off the sink's drain pipe and the P-trap, which is shaped like a "U", and remove it, emptying the waste water into the bucket, then remove the hose clamp with a screwdriver.
Now it is time to remove the sink. To do this, you take off the screws that are holding the sink onto the counter with a screwdriver and placing a putty knife between the counter top and the sink. Then you use a rubber mallet to tap the knife until it fits under the sink and run it along the edges of the sink to loosen it all the way around to break the seal between the sink and the counter top. Then you can remove the sink.
The new sink can now be put in the hole in the counter top where the old sink once was, sealed, and connected back to the plumbing. Turn on the water to make sure that everything is connected right. Once you have water coming out of the faucets properly, you can remove the bucket, and replace the cabinets.
If, during any of these steps, you have any problems with the plumbing, call a local plumber that you can trust to help you with your project so that you can make sure it is done right.