A new kitchen faucet

I had the pleasure of replacing our kitchen sink faucet this week (Wednesday). It wasn't really a 'pleasure', because I hate doing home projects like this. I'm always worried I know just enough to make things worse. This wasn't so bad though.

Our old faucet broke loose just before our guests arrived on Saturday (Isaac & Ricci). One of the two bolts that hold it onto the sink rotted away (actually, the washer). It was still held by the other bolt 'a little' but I knew it wouldn't last long. Sure enough, it was eventually left dangling atop the water pipes...

Initially I went to Menards in search of a couple replacement bolts and washers. After not finding anything there I got online and ordered two bolts and two giant washers that fit the old Delta faucet. It was just over $20. I also sprayed the old bolts with a 'liquid wrench'-like substance, hoping to have them loosened up by the time the new ones arrived.

As luck would have it, the place where I ordered the parts called and said they were out of stock and only had one bolt and one washer. So... I cancelled the order and decided it might be best to simply replace the entire faucet. This turned out to be the right move, because I never could get the old bolts to loosen (fortunately the washers were so rotted I just broke them loose).

So, as soon as our guests departed Wednesday, we headed to Menards and picked out a new faucet. We opted for one with a side sprayer instead of the detachable head. We already had a side sprayer, and these were a little cheaper. We did want the higher arch to wash pans and so I can get my melon head under the sink to wash my hair.

It was actually a pretty smooth process putting in the new faucet. I put a couple couch cushions in front of the sink with a yoga mat on top and that made it much more comfortable contorting my body in the nether regions of the under-sink. I think it took about an hour for removal of the old and installation of the new.

In the end, I'm pretty happy not only with the new sink, the ease of installation, but even the decision to replace instead of repair!

"The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden (and under the kitchen sink) to work it and take care of it." (Genesis 2:15)