When the plumbing in your home goes wrong and becomes a cumbersome problem that you have to deal with;
Especially if it’s on a commercial property, this could end up costing you a fortune if you have to call out a professional to fix it.
The seemingly smallest of problems may end up costing you much more than what most people realize.
If you’re looking for ways to keep on top of things like these, this article will show you some solutions on how to tighten kitchen faucets and keep your plumbing under control and costs down.
What Are The Causes of A Loose or Wobbly Faucet?
It’s frustrating when the faucet in your bathroom starts making annoying sounds. The handles, base, and old hardware come loose over time due to wear and tear, causing an unpleasant and somewhat scary experience for all.
Plumbing pipes may tend to leak because the washers that secure the faucet to the sink base keep loosening up.
The design of the handles means they are attached in the middle and not directly to the base.
It can lead to two things; Loose handles, which are an annoying distraction, secondly when it becomes loose enough, there is a chance that your faucet could leak more than normal.
When the O-rings wear out, they may lose their ability to hold the faucet handles in place. As more and more water is used, this may cause loose O-rings.
Steps to Fix A Loose Kitchen Faucet
7 Simple Ways To Repair A Loose Kitchen Faucet Base
Wondering how to tighten the kitchen faucet? A kitchen faucet that is hard to turn is not a very efficient system. Many people will disregard this problem, but it can be very easy to fix.
You will need some tools to work on your loose kitchen faucet repair. Some of these you may already own, such as hand gloves, flashlight, mini knife, basin wrench.
Step 1: Remove Everything From The Cupboard Beneath The Sink
If you’re one of the majority of people out there, then you like to store your household tools under the sink in your kitchen.
But, due to the positioning of the faucets in most sinks, it’s impossible to reach underneath it unless everything inside is removed first.
Before installing a new faucet, cleaning your sink can help prevent dirt from becoming embedded in the new faucet or cabinet door.
It is also good to apply a protective coating on the outside of the kitchen cabinet doors as this prevents damage if any water gets under them.
If you do not take these precautions, you will have to spend time trying to repair the damaged areas instead of maintaining your home!
Step 2: Close The Water Taps
Next up, shut off the valve under the sink. Usually, there are two sorts of supply lines you’ll come across; a hot and cold one.
You should always try and do this before you begin trying to look for that missing nut or purchase a new kitchen faucet.
Step 3: Look Under The Sink For The Nut
The roof of a cabinet in a cramped space. You should have enough room to move your arms but little else.
Slide and twist your way into the space until you are under the kitchen faucet, turn on your flashlight and search for the bolt that allowed it to be placed there in the first place.
The position of this bolt will allow you to tighten the nut successfully.
Step 4: Adjust The Basin Wrench To The Proper Size
Once you’ve located the faucet nut, set your adjustable wrench to the appropriate setting so that it matches the size of said nut.
Step 5: Now It’s Time To Tighten The Nut
Use the corner end of the wrench to firmly attach it to the nut. Otherwise, you may struggle to attach it weakly and apply force on the wrench.
You will have to twist your body into an awkward position when facing a challenge in doing this.
It would be best if you didn’t tighten it too much to move on its own or not tight enough so that you risk loosening the nut even further.
Step 6: Ensure That The Faucet Base Is Securely Fastened
When you’re finished tightening the nuts, ensure the kitchen faucet doesn’t move when you turn it on.
Step 7: Reconnect The Water Supply And Replace The Objects You Removed
When you’ve confirmed that the loose kitchen faucet has been repaired and replaced, all items moved out of the way at the beginning of this DIY project, and it’s time to make sure that everything is in order before leaving the kitchen.
Having a working kitchen faucet is much better than making do with one that leaks like ours did before we learned how to choose a kitchen faucet.
However, it is conceivable to tighten kitchen faucets and still feel as though the faucets are unstable. In this case, we’ll look at another option: tightening a loose faucet handle.
How To Tighten Kitchen Faucet Handle
If you require some kitchen tools to fix your loose faucet handle by yourself, keep reading as we’re going to share with you the items below that are necessary components and must-haves before you attempt to fix it on your own.
You’ll want a flathead screwdriver or knife, pliers if needed, a flashlight (making sure it is NOT LED) to see inside the cabinets better, a hex head wrench (or another form of it), and a Philips head screwdriver for trouble-shooting.
Step 1: Take Everything Out Of The Sink Cabinet
First and foremost, remove all objects from the sink cabinet so that you may begin the operation.
Step 2: Cut The Water Supply Pipes
As a safety precaution, it’s always best to stop water flow if something breaks or goes wrong to avoid any major mishaps.
If anything were to break, the pipes would immediately freeze and break apart, thus leading to a flood.
To avoid such a situation and save yourself from danger, make sure you turn the water supply valves off first.
One can turn off the kitchen faucet(s) too to completely shut off all access to running water in and around your home.
Step 3: Determine The Type Of Faucet You Use
Some kitchen faucets are held in place with a hex head screw, while others have a Philips head screw.
If you can’t find the screw head, you’ll have to remove the ornamental cap in the handle to figure out what sort of screw you have.
To remove the ornamental cap in the handle, insert the flathead screwdriver or knife edge under the cap and snap it open.
Step 4: Tighten The Screw
The way you tighten the screw of your faucet handle will vary according to its location inside the handle. If you see a hexagonal-shaped head, use a hex wrench in your tool kit to tighten it.
And if the faucet handle is under pressure and you need to apply greater force, first move the lever toward cold water and then use a Philips head screwdriver instead.
Either way, make sure that you hold down the faucet while tightening it with whichever tool you choose.
Note: When you need a hex key and turn on your faucet to get water, you will get more than what you bargained for.
Step 5: Make Sure The Kitchen Faucet Handle Is Secure
When the installation of your handle has been completed, you should check to see if it’s firmly fixed in place.
It can be done by turning the faucet on and off. If both volumes of water come out as planned and without leaking, then your work is considered complete.
Step 6: Replace The Ornamental Cap And Other Accessories, And Then Turn On The Water
Fixing loose or wobbly faucets is a simple task, and anyone can do it. You have to be careful not to break the supply lines while you tighten the body of the tap – that’s all.
But if this doesn’t work, you’ll have to call a plumber, who will more than likely run more tests to figure out the exact source of the problem.
How To Tighten Single Handle Or Dual Handle Kitchen Faucets?
For this DIY project, the tools you’ll need are an Allen key or a hex head wrench.
You can also use a star-shaped tamper ring or a screwdriver to loosen the grip between your faucet handle and the washer at the end of your faucet spout.
Step 1: Cut the water supply pipes
The water supply lines under your sink lead from the main channels, so first, you have to make sure that the valves on your plastic supply lines are in an open position. You can do this by turning them clockwise.
Step 2: Take Off The Handle Lever
Screws are used to hold together the handles of kitchen faucets, and decorative caps are sometimes used to cover the screws.
A hex head wrench is needed to remove these handles if they have not been loosened before.
One must be gentle while taking the faucet handle out, as it can come apart easily and spill water everywhere if pulled too roughly!
Step 3: Remove The Disc Cartridge
Removing a handle can be difficult and stressful, but with the correct tools, it’s relatively easy.
There are certain specific ways the handle must detach itself from the rest of the pot. These guidelines significantly reduce your odds of sustaining an injury while attempting this task.
Once you have removed the ceramic disc cartridge, it is important to inspect it for cracks or leaks.
Step 4: Clean And Reassemble The Kitchen Faucet Handle
To prevent the leaking of your faucet, make sure that you regularly check the rubber seals, the O-ring, and any other damaged parts before they can cause leaks.
If you find something amiss, pay attention to it and replace it or clean it thoroughly with a toothbrush or some cleaning product of your choice.
After you’ve done inspecting all necessary components, reassemble the faucet.
Step 6: Re-Establish The Water Supply
With most kitchen faucets, if you wish to repair the spout and handle separately from the countertop part of the faucet and pipe, start by attaching new spouts and handles to your water lines.
It would help if you were sure to turn your hot and cold water valves back on. Now, your single-handle kitchen faucet is ready for use!
Conclusion
You could easily spend 30 – 45 minutes on any one of these DIY projects, especially if you get enthusiastic about them!
There’s so much to gain when you do it yourself: no need to call the plumber for a simple job (although maybe you should still get them to check everything afterward just in case!). Hope our is helpful to you know how to tighten kitchen faucets correctly, and we would love to see you in our next articles.
