How To Remove & Replace a Kitchen Tap

It is easy to imagine that installing a new kitchen tap is a job best left to a professional plumber. All those fiddly fittings need specialist skills and expensive tools. It must be way beyond the average homeowner. But in reality, it’s not a difficult task. The necessary tools aren’t exactly expensive, and most of them can probably already be found in your house. Granted, the job takes care, even patience, but it isn’t difficult and it isn’t time consuming. We’ve put together this quick guide on how to install a kitchen tap, to demonstrate how easy it is to do. We’ll show you just how few tools are required, how few steps it takes to remove a tap, and how easy it is to fit a new one. So next time you’ve got a new tap that needs installing, save yourself some pennies and tackle the job yourself. 

Tools Required

1. New Tap Fitting
2. Old Towel
3. A Bowl
4. Basin Wrench
5. Spanner
6. Pliers

With all these items located, you are ready to tackle this task. Read on for some simple, step-by-step instructions on how to replace a kitchen tap.

Removing a Kitchen Tap: Step by Step

• Turn off the water

First thing you have to do before removing a kitchen mixer tap is switch off the water supply in your house. If your pipes have isolating valves, you can close these using a screwdriver. Turn the screws until they are at right angles to the pipes to ensure the flow of water is completely stopped. If you don’t have isolating valves, or if you aren’t sure, then find your stopcock and stop the whole house supply. But don’t forget that as long as the stopcock is closed, your whole house will be without any running water, so make sure you have the kettle filled and all your appliances off before you start.

• Run the tap

Even though you’ve switched the water off, you will need to clear any standing water from the pipes to avoid an unexpected shower. Turn the tap on and leave it to run until the water stops flowing.

• Prepare the area

Chances are, your pipes run through the back of a kitchen cupboard. Removing a kitchen sink tap can be fiddly job, so give yourself room to manoeuvre by clearing everything out.  Lay down an old towel to protect the base of your cupboard. It is also a good idea to position a bucket to catch any accidental drips as well.

• Disconnect the pipes

With the water supply isolated, it is safe to disconnect your pipes. The way you do this will depend on the type of connection you have. If you have a standard water pipe connection, simply release the nut located where the tap joins the pipe. This is easiest to do using a spanner. You need to be careful here that the tap doesn’t just twist along the nut – try to hold it steady, or ask someone else to do it for you if you struggle to reach.  If your connection is a flexible hose one, then loosen the nuts where they meet the isolator valves (or mains water pipes if no valves are fitted). To do this, you will need a wrench or pair of pliers to grip and support the connection. If using pliers, wrap the teeth in a cloth to protect the pipes from scratches. Whichever connection you have, completely unscrew the nut. Be gentle but persistent, as the nut may have tightened or seized over time. Resting water from the pipes is likely to leak out during this process, so do not panic if drips start to fall.

• Extract the ‘Olive’ from the fitting

If you have a compression fitting, you will not be able to fully remove the nut without removing the ‘olive’. This is a brass or copper ring which creates the seal. Gently ease it out using water pump pliers. If it is jammed you may need to get an olive splitter or hacksaw.

• Remove the tap

Loosen the nut which holds the tap in place. Make sure the tap itself isn’t rotating with the movement – if it is you may need to find someone to hold it still while you unscrew it.  The tools you need for loosening the screw will depend on the style of tap you have. If you have a single-bloc you will probably be able to do it using a spanner. However, if you have traditional pillar taps or a bridge mixer, the space available to loosen the nut will be restricted. Investing in a specialist basin wrench may be the only way to get it free. After this the loose taps and pipes just need pulling out. Beware that hoses and fittings can have sharp edges so be careful when removing them, and make sure to check no seals or washers have been left behind. At this point, you could take some time to clean the spot where the tap used to rest. Wipe or scrape away any grease or residue, taking care not to damage the fitting. This is particularly important if you are about to continue by replacing a kitchen tap.

Fitting a New Kitchen Tap: Step by Step

• Read the instructions

Different styles or types of taps will have different requirements and it is worth taking the time to make sure that you are comfortable with the type that you are installing.

• Check the connectors

Most mixer taps will have the hoses pre-fitted. If they aren’t, then carefully fit them. Screw the hoses into the tap bases, gently and using only your hand to make sure they don’t split.

• Put the tap in place

Feed the hoses, then the taps, through the location holes and ensure the new tap fits in place. Check that any seals or washers are fitted correctly as shown in the instruction manual. Next lock the tap into position. This is easiest with help – ask someone to hold the tap in place and check the upper seal is secure.  Under the sink, fit the washer, then the securing plate. When these are in place, you can fit the locking nut. Tighten the retaining nut by hand, until it is secure. Again, this will be made easier if you have someone to hold it in place and stop the tap turning. Do not overtighten as it will tighten further over time.

• Reconnect the water

Reconnect the water supply to the new fixtures, reversing the way you removed them. If the new fittings don’t quite reach your pipes, you can fit flexible hose connectors. These are readily available at DIY stores, are cheap to buy and easy to install. At this point your new tap is basically installed, so take a moment to check everything looks aligned and secure. There is only one step left.

• Switch the water back on

Turn the stopcock or the isolating valves so water can flow. Now you can test your taps, taking it slowly. Turn on the cold tap first, very low and check there are no leaks from your pipes or tap. Be warned that if you’ve switched off the stopcock, the water may splutter before getting started. This isn’t an issue with the pipes, and just leave the tap on a gentle flow until the guttering water steadies out.  Congratulations on fitting your new tap! Monitor the fitting and the pipes over the coming days just to be sure that nothing works loose or starts to leak.