Playing at Plumbing
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It's raining today, (hurray!) which means that finally we are going to tackle the new kitchen faucet installation.
I am now ready to admit that since we moved in I have tried hard to love my kitchen, and well, it has been an upward climb. I hated the refrigerator and now that that has been replaced I am softening up. The next thing that drove me nuts was the faucet, which had no sprayer, and had two handles which meant constant adjusting of the water temperature.
OK I am being a whiner, but really, let's just say that this was an annoyance. The other two things that I hate are the formica counter tops and the shallow double sinks. Am I going to do something about them? We'll see.
In the meantime I have decided to take control of the dishwashing (no dishwasher either, sigh) and just wash with the famous wand that I bought on a blog reader's suggestion. It really is working out nicely, keeping me from dragging out the drainer and dishrack. I actually wash, dry and put away everything immediately so nothing sits out, attracting ants and getting crusty. Even I can't believe this.
So my happiness increases with the control I feel over the kitchen arrangement.
And now onto the faucet. I know nothing about plumbing, but have watched plenty of guys on TV do it and can read instructions pretty well, so how hard can it be? Dave and I work well together, and neither of us feels we are experts at this, so we will no doubt be channeling this guy.
Just make sure you turn off the water to the faucet first- and TEST it! Don't assume it is off just because you turned the knob, sometimes these things fail (ask me how I know!!)
ReplyDeleteHugs, teri in also rainy MI
Look into a Dishmaster for your kitchen sink - it's a brush with soap built into the faucet....wouldn't be without mine - and have taken it with when moved to new home!!!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the project. Honestly, changing the faucet is acually a fairly straightforward and simple job. Even I managed to do it myself...the only tiny issue I had was that I wasn't really strong enough to get the nut thingy off the pipe underneath the sink without a bit of help from my (even more handy-man impaired) DH. Like a previous commentor said, just be sure the water is completely turned off!
ReplyDeleteDave looks like a friendly "Dave" should look. Good luck with the faucett.
ReplyDeleteI'm here following mention of your name by Patsy Thompson Designs (DVD). Glad I found you, and I'll be back. I used to live in Knoxville, now in western Nebraska. LOVE those GREEN photos - sigh - not much green here. 8-(
Mel -- my DD and I changed our kitchen faucet. We found that the nuts holding the old faucet to the sink were impossible to get loose, so we just replaced the sink too! We attached the new faucet to the new sink before dropping it in.
ReplyDeleteWhile you're at it (and the water is turned off) replace the hot and cold (on/off) faucets under the sink. They wear out and it's a good time to change them. Good Luck!
About those darn countertops ... check this thread out ...http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf999197.tip.html
ReplyDeleteit is about painting your countertops. The photos look fabulous - a friend of mine who is an interior designer did this recently for a budget job and she turned me onto it. Something to think about ...
Having no dishwasher would be a seriously valid reason for divorce in this house.
ReplyDeleteFind a supplier for granite....as in the people who are cutting and polishing granite....maybe they could supply a countertop for a fraction of the price of a kitchen studio.
That is what we did....we went to the tiles supplier and had them do an estimate for our kitchen....Dh questioned the enormous difference in price (from raw material to finish + installation)....their earnings....the owner then gave us the direct contact to the factory...because we are their very good customers from way back when.
The price difference was so great we hogged out on granite, 1 1/2" countertops where 3/4" is the norm,
The walls between cupboards are covered in 3/4" granite slabs.....did I say hogged out?
You might not want to call that guy in (isn't his name Rich?) We laugh about how everytime he steps into a house he determines that the heating system needs replacement. I would never let him in my place!
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