How to Install a Faucet

With the economy the way it is today, the last thing a man wants to do is call a plumber!  The good news is that you don’t have to shell out big bucks for minor home improvements and general maintenance.  Installing a new faucet is a relatively simple job.  Basically, you are talking about a very simple mechanism (the sink) that is connected to water (the pipe) and a valve that delivers the water!  Here are some simple tips and step-by-step instructions to help you install your own faucet and avoid the high-cost of hiring outside labor. 

 You CAN do it yourself
with these step-by-step instructions
on how to install a faucet!

1.  Let the little lady pick out the kitchen or bathroom faucet that she wants, all you need to tell her is whether the sink is top mount and bottom mount and let her go!  By doing this, there is no way to get in trouble for selecting the wrong one, and she can’t complain about the color or style, or say that she told you to buy one with a sprayer or whatever other mandatory accessory the job requires.  Send her to Knobs, Hinges, & More and let her pick out the perfect spout!  With the wide online selections she has to chose from, you will have hours to do what you really want without being interrupted.
2. Clear the family out of the house in case of faulty language, we all know it’s necessary sometimes when you drop a wrench on your head to say the first thing that comes to mind, but it’s not necessary to share these words with little sponge-like ears.  They will end up being repeated at the least convenient times.  Tell everyone not to return to the house for at least 4 hours.  This will give you time to install the new faucet and a little time for yourself to catch the ball game, I mean you’re doing the job for free right? 
3. Turn off the water valves underneath the sink.  For extra protection, it’s always a good idea to turn the water off to the whole house.  If you flood the kitchen – you lose brownie points with the wife unless you can clean it up quickly and impress her with your superior mopping abilities.  However, this will infringe on the time you have left to watch the ball game!  Just to make sure, turn the faucet valves on full blast and allow any remaining water in the pipes to drain.
4. Next, unscrew the water supply lines. Depending on how old your faucet is, this may require some faulty language in order to remove.  This is why plumbers get the big bucks!  It is possible that you may have to completely replace the water supply lines.  As hard as it may be, when the perfectly selected faucet arrives, read through the directions and go ahead and buy these in advance.  You may also want to pick up anything else the directions suggest.  Don’t assume you have plumbers putty or the correct sized wrench, make sure you have everything you need before you start.  Hardware stores are a major distraction, you know this!  Remember – the goal here is to finish quickly and watch the game in peace. 
5. Once the water lines are disengaged, unscrew the faucet from the sink and remove. This is the best time to clean up all the old gunk that has accumulated over time!  A quick and easy cleaning tip is to sprinkle the area with baking soda and then spray with vinegar.  Not only is it fun to watch the chemical reaction, the gunk comes off pretty easy with a quick scrub with a scouring pad (it’s probably right there by the sink anyway).  Wipe up the residue and then spray again with the vinegar to shine it up.  Shiny things always earn you more brownie points!

Now for the moment of truth 
Let’s stick in that new faucet!

For a Top-Mounted Faucet:

Apply plumber’s putty or caulk around the base. If your faucet has gaskets at the base, don’t do this!  Refer back to the directions – but basically you can skip this step depending on what kind of faucet you have.

Gently put the new faucet into place and then press down firmly to get a good seal.  Grab a flashlight and get under the sink to install the washers and mounting nuts, and then tighten everything up.  Don’t forget to clean up any excess putty, shine her up again!

For a Bottom-Mounted Faucet

Grab a flashlight and get under the the sink, hold the faucet in place and install the washers and mounting nuts.  This can be tricky with just two hands so its a perfect opportunity to invite over a buddy to watch the game and then say ‘hold this real quick’ while you tighten the nuts. Gently put the new faucet into place and then press down firmly to get a good seal.

Run a bead of plumber’s putty along the handle plate, screw them in place and install the faucet handles. Make sure that the one marked hot goes on the left!  If you get these wrong – you will never hear the end of it and you will receive zero brownie points for all of your hard work. Make sure and go back for a final clean-up and make her shine! 

Replace the water supply lines, turn the water back on and let everything run for a bit to clear out the pipes and check for leaks.  Grab you a cold one and kick back with your buddy and enjoy the game!

And for those of you that need a visual, here is a how-to video from Ask The Builder expert, Tim Carter demonstrating how to install a kitchen faucet!

 

How to Organize & Save Space in the Bathroom

Learn tips and techniques on how to keep your home and bathroom organized in this free video on home organization from expertvillage.

 

 

Expert:  Katrina Cameron
Contact: www.operationorganization.com

 

Knock Knock?

Who’s there??

… the Avon lady, but your doorbell’s broken!

 

This was a funny joke when I was 10, but it really isn’t funny at all when people know you’re home, but nobody answers the door.  If you have a good solid door, or even a glass one – sometimes people can knock until their knuckles bleed without getting your attention.  Simply unacceptable! 

Here are some quick and easy solutions!

The easiest solution, is to get a dog.  They make great alert systems, whether there is someone at your door that you want to see, or someone that you want to go away.  Of course, not all people like dogs – so you may need to look at some of the alternatives!

Atlas Homeware

Installing a wireless door bell is extremely simple, and requires much less maintenance than getting a dog.  Although, if your doggie had digits, he could probably do it himself!  A wireless door bell doesn’t actually require any complicated installation – you basically just stick it up with the self adhesive. The unit works as a small transmitter so when visitors push the button, a signal is sent to the receiver which can be any kind of chime you desire!

Steps to Install a Wireless Doorbell

1.  First remove the old doorbell with a flat screwdriver

2.  Tape up the wires and stick them in the old hole

3.  Put the new doorbell over the hole.

4.  Plug the chime unit in somewhere inside.

The entire process takes less than a few hours!  You should always turn off the electrical power to the existing doorbell before you cut any wires.  Although the voltage is probably low, there is always a chance of higher voltage – better safe than sorry!

Don’t forget to check out our other door solutions:

 Steps to Install a Door Knocker

Decorating Your Doors

Door Handles and Knobs

Knobs, Hinges, and More 
also offers a wide variety of outstanding home decorating
and maintenance products 

 

 

 

Michael Healy Sand Crafted Doorbell

Check out our current offers and specials! 

 

Get 10% Off all Michael Healy Door Knockers and Door Bells

Michael Healy Artistic Decorative Hardware

 

Each Michael Healy Door Knocker is created using the age-old art of sand casting. In this process, an original sculpted model is pressed into firmly packed sand to create a mold. Brass, Bronze and Nickel Silver alloys are then heated to over 2000 degrees and hand-poured into the impression. As the metal cools and the sand is broken away, your original Door Knocker emerges. Each mold can only be used once, making Michael Healy Door Knockers truly unique. After the raw casting undergoes several final phases of polishing and finishing, it is ready to carry the signature of the artist, Michael Healy, ensuring its authenticity and quality craftsmanship.

 

Home Maintenance : How to Measure for Cabinet Hardware

Measuring for cabinet hardware requires measuring the distance between the screw holes, from the center of one hole to the center of the other, in order to purchase hardware that will fit properly.

Measure for replacement hardware on cabinets and drawers with these tips
from a licensed home repair specialist , Tim Gibson:

 

“I’ll take Drapery Hardware for $1000, Alex!”

“I’ll take Drapery Hardware

for $1000, Alex!”

“And the answer is . . . Drapery hardware with an elongated base 2″ longer than a finial.”

BUZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!

“What is a tieback?”

Now, when Jeopary comes on tonight, and the Drapery Hardware catagory pops up, you’re sure to impress your family with your growing knowledge simply because you read the Knobs, Hinges, & More blog on a regular basis!

Finial

A finial is sculptured, ornamental, finishing touch at the top of a gable, as on a post or piece of furniture.  In this case a finial can be used as a tieback, but they are more commonly used to cap a drapery rod.   When using finals as tiebacks, it’s a good idea to use button treatments.  This is a 3″ button hole or loop large enough to slip over our finials.  For small drapery “buttons”, use any of our knobs with a dowel screw.  Use your creativity and attach a drape to a finial using ribbons, cords, or beaded chains that accent your decor.

Butterfly Hook

When I was a child, drapery hooks were dangerous, and boring.  No longer!  Suspending fabric in mid air was never so exciting!  Drapery hooks are now beautiful and subtle additions to your home decor, and come in many varieties.  Drapery hardware is not just for draperies any more.  They’re fantastic to hang jewelry, scarves, or beautiful evening bags.  Try using one to hang your robe on in the bathroom, hang umbrellas by the door, or even aprons in the kitchen.  The variety gives you the decorative match you need for any room of your home.

Bird Tieback

Now that you are educated in the differences between finials, tiebacks, and hooks, we would be interested in hearing your creative ideas for their uses.  Join our forum here and share your inovations with the rest of us Home Improvement junkies.  (You know we home improvement people are hooked on our “fix”  -ing  things!)

 

Kitchen Remodeling And Ideas On A Budget

Kitchen Remodeling And Ideas On A Budget by Scott Dee

While at one point in time the kitchen was primarily viewed as a service area for cooking, now days the kitchen has turned into a room that is multi-functional and central to many of the activities in the family. The past century has brought about the emergence of both function and interior design within the room we call a kitchen.

When it comes to kitchen remodeling and other kitchen ideas, it can take a huge budget to remodel and update the interior design within this room. Believe it or not, the average costs for remodeling kitchens in the past few years have topped $25,000. It definitely is no wonder that the kitchen has been considered one of the most expensive remodeling projects that most homeowners undertake.

If you are one of the many people wanting to remodel your kitchen, inspired by the beautiful photos of lovely kitchens on television and in magazines, you may feel that your budget is keeping your dream kitchen out of reach. However, even if you don’t have a huge budget, you do have some options. There are a variety of ways that you can remodel and update your kitchen without totally going broke.

Believe it or not, kitchen remodeling and ideas do not always have to be very expensive. You may be shocked at the variety of ways that you can get a beautiful kitchen while still saving money and staying within your limited budget.

While you may not want to undertake an entire kitchen remodeling project, there are a variety of great kitchen ideas that can update the way your kitchen looks, even without spending a great deal of money. The following are some great kitchen ideas that will improve the look of your kitchen without breaking your budget.

Improve the Lighting – One of the most cost effective kitchen ideas to get a modern look is to update the lighting in your kitchen. There are a variety of economical ways that you can change the lighting to give your kitchen a great look. Halogen lights may be a great idea as well, but if you choose them, consider the ones that bounce off the ceiling. Many come with a dimmer that will allow you to choose the amount of light you need. Task lighting is also inexpensive to install in your kitchen. This type of lighting is great above the sink or above countertops as well. If you want to make a fashion statement or highlight a specific part of your kitchen, accent lighting may be a great choice.

Use Some Paint – If you want a new kitchen look, one of the best kitchen ideas is to add a few coats of paint. Paint is fairly inexpensive, and you can totally change the look of your kitchen with a bit of paint. Consider painting your kitchen cabinets. You can add some color to your drab kitchen, just by painting your cabinets. When it comes to your kitchen walls, you can get creative with the paint as well for a modern look. Sponging, rag rolling, or even mottling are great painting techniques that will add some texture and class to your kitchen.

Dalka Designs

New Accessories – Believe it or not, something as simple as adding new accessories can make a huge difference in your kitchen. Just getting new pulls and knobs for cabinets and drawers will

Dalka Designs

add a new look in your kitchen. You can find these pulls and knobs in stone, resin, glass, wood, rubber, and metal. There are also a variety of styles that you can choose from too, so pick accessories that give you a nice modern touch.

So, as you can see, when it comes to kitchen remodeling and ideas, you don’t have to spend thousands to get a great look. If you want a new look in your kitchen without having to spend a great deal of money, why not use these budget friendly ideas for a kitchen that is multifunctional and beautiful as well.

Scott Dee is a construction contractor and writer. You can read more articles on kitchen remodeling and fixes at his web site Kitchen Remodeling Ideas or Bathroom Fix .

Article Source: Kitchen Remodeling And Ideas On A Budget