The kitchen is a highly frequented place in home life, and the kitchen faucet is tasked with the daily water usage. Over time, the faucet cartridge may experience issues such as reduced water pressure or leaking due to prolonged use. Many people believe that replacing the kitchen tap cartridge is a complicated task, but it's actually not. By mastering the basic steps and tools, you can easily do it yourself.
Preparation for replacing the kitchen tap cartridge
Before replacing the kitchen tap cartridge, some preparation work is necessary. To ensure smooth operation, the following points are very important:
Close the main water valve: Before starting the replacement, be sure to shut off the kitchen water supply. Open the kitchen faucet to drain any remaining water to prevent accidental spraying during the replacement process.
Prepare tools: The tools usually needed include a screwdriver (choose a flat or Phillips head based on the screw shape), an adjustable wrench, and needle-nose pliers. If the faucet cartridge is particularly tight, you might also need a small knife to help with the removal.
Select the appropriate cartridge: It's very important to purchase a kitchen tap cartridge that matches your kitchen faucet. The cartridge model must be compatible with the faucet. It's advisable to consult and purchase a suitable cartridge from the brand store where you bought the faucet.
How to remove the kitchen tap cartridge
With all the preparations complete, you can proceed to remove the old kitchen tap cartridge. Here are the detailed steps:
Remove the faucet handle: Most kitchen faucets have a small cover with red and blue markings on the handle. Use a small knife to gently pry off the cover to reveal the fixing screw. Use a screwdriver to remove the screw and take off the handle.
Remove the cartridge cover: Under the handle, you will see a cartridge protection cover. Use an adjustable wrench to unscrew this cover. Be careful to make smooth movements while unscrewing to avoid damaging the cartridge or cover.
Remove the old cartridge: The cartridge is usually directly installed inside the faucet. Use needle-nose pliers or your hand to gently pull out the old kitchen tap cartridge. If the cartridge is too tight, you can slightly twist it a few times before removing it.
How to install the new kitchen tap cartridge
After removing the old cartridge, the next step is to install the new cartridge. This process requires attention to the installation sequence and the direction of the cartridge.
Inspect the new cartridge: Before installation, first confirm that the new kitchen tap cartridge is intact and compare it with the old cartridge to ensure the dimensions and shape are the same.
Place the new cartridge: Carefully place the new cartridge into the cartridge slot in the faucet, ensuring it is fully inserted and fixed properly. The placement direction of the cartridge is very important, make sure to follow the direction of the old cartridge for installation.
Reinstall the cartridge cover and handle: Once the cartridge is installed, screw on the cartridge protection cover. Then reinstall the faucet handle and fix it with a screw. Don’t forget to put back the red and blue marked cover.
Test the effect: After the cartridge replacement is completed, open the kitchen faucet and check for any leaks. Ensure that the water flow is smooth and the pressure is normal. If everything is normal, the replacement work is complete.
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