10 Most Asked Questions about Kitchen Faucets (Common Problems)

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Kitchen Faucet is an integral part of your kitchen therefore, maintaining it and keeping it up to date is essential. You may come across several problems with this kitchen fixture and at times you may have to call in the plumber when nothing seems to work. However, to make your life less miserable, here is 10 most asked questions on kitchen faucets to save your time and effort.

1. When to replace your kitchen faucet?

Kitchen faucets are frequently used fixtures and they too require replacement under certain conditions. Most faucets will live on average till 2 or 3 years but depending on the type and brand this duration may vary. Nevertheless, following are a couple of signs and signals which will indicate that you have to replace your kitchen faucet:

Mineral deposits: Over time the faucets tend to be attacked by mineral deposits which disrupts its normal function and hinder your daily work in the kitchen. These mineral deposits are rampant in areas with hard water and appear like white toothpaste. So, if you see any such thing on your kitchen faucet, its time to get a new one.
Rusty and leaky: If your faucet has a leakage problem that persists despite fixing or cleaning, then it is an indication that your faucet has reached its expiry date. Additionally, if you see rusty patches over the finish or at any other part of the faucet then it is imperative that you replace it timely.

2. What are the best ways to repair a broken kitchen faucet?

Your kitchen faucet may break down or malfunction owing to many reasons. Most of the time it is due to some faulty part that needs replacement whereas sometimes the leakage causes the malfunctioning of this fixture in your kitchen.

So, to repair your faucet you need to first diagnose the fault and prepare your tools. Pliers, clippers, and wrench might come in handy for the fixing.

Leaky faucet: If the faucet is having leakage issues, you have to proceed by detecting the source of leakage. For most occasions, this is probably due to a faulty washer. So, begin by turning off your main water supply. Then pick up your wrench and unscrew the faucet head. You will see the washer once you take off the head. Remove the washer and replace it with a washer of the same design and dimensions. After this screw on the faucet head and turn on the water supply.
Broken faucet handle: If your faucet handle is broken or come lose you can fix it by either replacing it or screwing it snugly to the point. If the handle is broken, buy a new handle, unscrew the old one from the joint with the help of pliers. Screw in the new one to get your faucet functioning again.

If there is a problem with the faucet which you cannot detect, then you may call the plumber to do the fixing for you.

3. How do I attach a tube to a kitchen faucet?

Attaching flow pipes to your kitchen faucet can be a DIY depending on your faucet type. However, if you are not confident enough to attach the tube to the faucet, you may as well call the plumber to do the task. To attach a tube to the kitchen faucet you can do so in two ways:

If you are replacing an old tube, you need to turn off the water supply and then open the cabinet where the tubes are attached. Using a wrench, unscrew the bolt attaching the tube to the faucet. Once done, remove the old tube and replace it with the new one, and you are done.
For installing a new tube to the faucet, again begin by turning off the water supply, screw the tubes to the faucet base, and attach the other end to the water supply line. Make sure you screw it tightly with the washer so that there is no chance of any leak.

4. Difference Between Washerless and Compression Kitchen Faucets

To make sure that you buy a faucet compatible with your plumbing, you should know the types of faucets available in the market. Washerless and compression faucets are the two major types of faucets you will come across in the market. The washerless category is further divided into 3 types whereas, you will find only one type of compression faucet in the market. Their differences are discussed below:

Washerless – Cartridge: A cartridge faucet makes use of a sealed cylinder. The cylinder moves up and down to make the water flow through the faucet. It features a single handle, which is pulled back to make the water flow. There are a left and right movement which allows setting the water temperature.
Washerless – Ball: As the name suggests, this faucet features a slotted ball valve, which is moved back and forth via the handle to make the water flow. The side movement of the faucet handle controls the water flow and the temperature setting simultaneously. The ball faucets a bit complicated faucet and come with several parts including o-rings and springs which often require replacements.
Washerless – Disc: The most modern and unique design when it comes to the washerless category is the disc faucet. This faucet is easy to use and maintain and is extremely reliable. You can get a proper mixing of hot and cold water using the cartridge in this faucet. However, comparatively, these faucets are a bit expensive, but they do come with lifetime guarantees.
Compression: These faucets are the least expensive and the leakiest ones in the market. You will find them installed in older homes and residences. They make use of neoprene washers which break and tear easily and require frequent replacement. The replacement parts including some washers are no longer available for this type of faucets.

5. Tips on Fixing a Dripping Kitchen Faucet

Leakage is a problem that can get bothersome, but it can be solved with proper techniques and measures. To fix your kitchen faucet leakage problem, you first need to determine the cause of the leak and then take the appropriate steps to solve the problem.

Before you begin, make sure you have a screwdriver, vinegar solution, and cleaning cloth to wipe the faucet clean. Additionally, you need to make sure that you also have any replacement parts with you when working on your faucets. These replacement parts are inexpensive and it is usually a washer that needs replacement to fix the leaky faucet. To fix your leaky faucet follow the steps:

Start by shutting off the main water supply and then take a reading on the water meter. After an hour or so check the meter reading again and see the difference from the previous value. If you find a difference, then there is probably a water leakage in your system.
After turning off the water supply, proceed by covering and closing the sink drain of your kitchen faucet. While disassembling your faucet small screws might come off and you do not want them to go rolling down the drain. So, cover the drain with a piece of cloth to prevent this from happening.
Once the drain is closed, start with the disassembling of the kitchen faucet. Depending on the faucet type, you will either take off the faucet body or you will take off the handle to find the cause of leakage.
After disassembling, check all the washer, O-rings and seals. Detect which part needs a replacement. Once detected, replace the part and reassemble the faucet in the same order.
During the reassembly process, remember to clean all the parts with a vinegar solution and then reassemble them.
Upon completion, turn on the water supply and check if the faucet has any leakage now.

6. How Important Is Water Efficiency Technology for Kitchen Faucets?

Water efficiency technology is important to save and conserve water. With these technologies installed in your kitchen faucets, the water flow is kept to a minimum, but this does not compromise the comfort of the consumer. To check whether your kitchen faucet is efficient you can perform a small test. You need to measure the time it takes to fill one gallon. If it is 30 seconds then your faucet is efficient.

Check our article to know different ways to save water at home.

7. Brown water from one faucet only, what can be the issue?

If only one faucet within your house is giving off brow water, then the most probable cause of this is rusting. If your water system has galvanized iron pipes, then rust can leech from these pipes and cause the water flow from a particular faucet to be brown in color. You can replace the pipe to get rid of the rusty water.

8. Single handle shower faucet vs Double handle shower faucet

Whether you choose a single handle shower faucet or a double handle, it really depends on your preferences, since both have their own pros and cons.

Single handle faucets:

These are simple and easy to use. Additionally, they come in some sleek and modern designs which are aesthetically pleasing.
Since they are single handle, they only require a single hole in your countertop. Therefore, this saves you from drilling that extra hole.
However, single-handle faucets lack a certain degree of control which is offered by the double handle faucets.
Using a single handle to set the temperature can be a bit tricky. Most users complain regarding achieving the right balance in water temperature using these faucets.

Double handle faucets:

It offers a better control option. Allows for easy adjustment of water flow and water temperature. The double handle design is also convenient.
Even if one handles breaks down or stops functioning properly, you can still use the faucet for your daily chores.
However, due to the double handle design, it is a bit more expensive than the single handle faucet.
It requires drilling multiple holes in the countertop and at times the customers are confused on remembering the instructions for temperature setting with two handles.

9. How to fix low water pressure kitchen faucet

If the water pressure of your faucet has decreased over time, a dirty aerator or a faulty cartridge might be the reason for it. To fix this, you need to check if the aerator has any mineral deposits or blockages.

In hard water areas, the mineral deposits may block the faucet aerators affecting the water pressure. You can prevent this by cleaning the aerator using a vinegar solution or baking soda solution. You can also scrub off the deposits by scrubbing them off the aerator.

You may also inspect the faucet cartridge and see for any damage. The cartridge ensures the water flow and maintains the faucet pressure. Check our guide here.

10. Perlick faucet vs standard

Perlick is known for its beer faucets, which tend to have unique shape and utility as compared to your standard faucets. Their forward sealing faucets provide better utility and function owing to their unique design. These faucets tend to pour more quickly, and you will not face any issue of the air buildup within the faucet. Unlike the standard faucet, the make and components of the Perlick faucet differ too. You will find a ball at the end of the faucet lever, which moves like a pendulum when operated. The ball is seal shut by an O-ring. Its vertical spout allows complete drain out of faucet without any air buildup.

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Pat Abbaticchio

Pat is the former Luxury Sales Specialist of Groupe Deschenes. He has experience of 15+ years in the home improvement industry. He is now the Senior Sales Officer at The Rubinet Faucet Company.

10 Most Asked Questions and Common Problems about Kitchen Faucets