Fixing and Replacing Bathroom Fixtures
Installing Bathroom Fixtures
Bathroom Fixtures
Suppose you live in an older home and
you notice that the shower faucet in one of the bathrooms has started to drip
when shut off. Most of us disregard it for quite some time until it evolves from
a drip to a small steady stream. Like it or not, it is time to replace the
bathroom shower faucet. And this scenario does not just happen with shower
faucets but can occur with any faucet within your bathroom. You as a homeowner
can do the repair yourself but you need to educate yourself with tips and tricks
on selecting and installing bathroom fixtures.
At first one thinks that all bathroom
fixtures have basically the same measurements and it is more or less an easy fit
when you take out the old and put in the new. But if you embark on this task
without first equipping yourself with the tips and tricks of installing and
selecting bathroom fixtures you will quickly find that you will be stuck with a
disabled bathroom.
Preparation to Installing Your
Bathroom Fixture
Let’s say that the fixture we want to
replace is a shower faucet. The first thing you need to do is measure the
fixture by getting the length between center of the outermost knobs (assuming
this is a shower faucet with a knob for hot and cold water). Optimally, it would
be best to remove the faucet and take it to the hardware supplier but this is
not usually possible because disassembly is no small project.
You will also need to assess the
current installation situation to get an idea of the magnitude of the project
before selecting and installing your bathroom fixture. For example, with shower
fixtures, the biggest installation challenge will be removing the fixture from
behind the wall. Sometimes there is an access panel on the wall at the backside
of the shower fixture. If there is no access panel then you will have to cut the
wallboard. Take a look at how the faucet is attached to the water feed pipes.
Take a look at the pipes themselves. Some older houses use lead pipes and these
should be replaced with copper piping.
You are also going to need to get the
right tools for this job installing the bathroom fixtures. In the case of
faucets you will need at least two pipe wrenches, vice grips, box wrenches (at
least to fit the fittings), a copper pipe cutter, and an adjustable wrench. If
you are going to have to replace the piping in the back, you will need a propane
torch, safety goggles, solder, and flux. Another emergency item you should have
is some heater hose (of the type that is used in automobiles) and hose clamps.
You’ll see why.
Doing the Fixture Replacement
Each type of fixture in a bathroom has
its quirks when it comes to replacement of it. But we will discuss what is
probably the most difficult and it is that of the shower faucet. Removing the
knobs and front retaining nuts is the easy part. Behind the wall where the
fixture is connected to the water feeds is where it gets tricky. This is where
the tips and tricks on installing the bathroom fixture will come in handy.
If the water feed pipes are copper
then the fittings to the faucet will probably detach easily. However, sometimes
the copper fittings are old and when you go to unscrew them, the copper piping
itself twists. Be careful of this. Also, don’t be surprised if some of the
copper piping has pinhole leaks in it from corrosion. This is where the heater
hose comes in handy. You may have to cut away a section of the copper piping
with the pinhole and insert a section of heater hose with clamps until you are
able to replace the piping. Of course if the piping is lead and you decide to
replace it with copper behind the wall you will need to use what is known as a
transition fitting to join the lead piping underneath the foundation with the
new copper piping. Remember that most building codes will not allow you to
solder copper to lead because there is an electrolytic reaction that occurs
causing the pipe to fail.
The two most important tips and tricks
you can follow when selecting and installing a bathroom fixture is to make sure
that you measure the dimensions of the old fitting and make absolutely sure that
you follow the directions of the manufacturer of your new fitting. Take great
care in this installation because not doing so could result in a serious water
leak and could damage your home.
Feel free to email me with your questions or comments. |