Your shower faucet is vulnerable to wear and tear. Over the years, its interior components will wear out or rust will start to form. That day will come when you’ll discover that you cannot move it at all; that it’s leaking badly or that it’s already completely damaged. Fortunately, it is not that daunting to replace a shower faucet. With the right tools, adequate plumbing skills and a certain amount of patience, you’ll be able to replace your faucet properly. Check out this DIY guide that we have written just for you!
1. First things, first. Turn the water supply valve of the fixture off. Doing so will thwart water from spraying out of the faucet and turning your bathroom into an improvised swimming pool.
2. Now get a flathead screwdriver. Make use of it to detach the decorative cap that’s found at the center of the faucet handle. Once you have removed the cap, you will discover a screw that secures the faucet handle to the wall.
3. The screw must also be removed. Get a Phillips screwdriver and use that to loosen the screw. Make sure that you’ll turn it counterclockwise to loosen it up. When you’re done, you should be able to pull the handle off. If it won’t budge at all, use some penetrating oil or warm the faucet handle with your hair dryer. You may also use a handle puller that’s available from plumbing supply shops.
4. If you have a two-handle shower faucet, do the same thing with the other handle.
5. Afterward, get the flathead screwdriver once again and slide it at the back of the escutcheons. The escutcheons are the ones that cover the hole where the mounts of the faucet handles are located. Pry the escutcheons off the concrete wall gently.
6. When you’ve removed them, you’ll find the retaining nuts. Get a wrench and loosen the nuts up. Detach them afterward. Then, get a pair of slip-jaw pliers and grip the post of the faucet. Hold it tight and carefully pull the post out of the assembly.
7. Once done, get a new faucet post and insert it into the space where you removed the old one. Then, thread the new retaining nut and use your adjustable wrench to tighten it. Again, do the same thing with the other handle if your shower faucet ever has two.
8. Install the new escutcheons properly. Follow up with the new faucet handles. Make sure that you tighten their screws to secure them to their mounts. Use a Phillips screwdriver for this task. Install the new caps in place to cover the screws.
9. Lastly, turn on the water supply and the faucet. Inspect for leaks.
We hope that you enjoyed reading this guide when replacing shower faucet. If the problem persists, just call the most reliable Billerica plumbers. Plumbers 911 Boston provides local plumbing services in Billerca MA including plumbing fixture repair, home remodeling, faucet repair, toilet repair, plumbing appliances repair and many more! Call us at (877) 754-1048 to schedule a service!
Learn how to repair a tub and shower valve! Watch this video from Howcast!
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