Replacing Kitchen sink Tap
Posted: Tue, 01 Dec 2020 9:52 am
So, our kitchen tap started leaking from the top. I looked at a few videos online which explained that you can replace the ceramic cartridge inside. However that is not practical in SG. You will not be able to find the spare. It is much cheaper to replace the whole tap, which costs like $20-30.
I called up a few plumbers and asked them for quotes and they ranged from $90-$220, including the tap. Main reason I called the plumbers is because I didnt have the tools and I thought acquiring the tools would be expensive.
But some google search and you tube videos and I found what tools are needed and they are pretty cheap to buy.
You need the tubular wrench of the correct size. It looks like this:
The reason you need this and not a normal spanner is because the nut securing the tap at the bottom is in a very narrow space.
Next thing I needed is a adjustable wrench that looks like this
This was needed to open the connectors.
One challenge for me was that the existing tap was a mixer tap, which is more expensive that costs like $50 and not very easily found in SG or online. The owner installed a mixer tap in my house, even though there is no hot water, basically he used the same pipe supply to both inputs.
I decided to change to a normal tap as it was easier to find and was cheaper. But this meant that I needed a new steel braided hose as the existing tap had 2 thin hoses and wouldnt fit the normal tap.
So I got the tools I needed from a HDB DIY shop. I have ordered a new kitchen tap+hose from Shopee which cost me $18 with shipping and it will hope fully arrive by tomorrow/day after. Until then I need to live with the steady dripping of water from the current tap.
Picture of current tap
How it looks underneath after I have unscrewed the tap nut
It this thing becomes successful, I would have saved about $50, including the price of the tools I have acquired. The tools cost me like $15 and the tap itself cost me $18.
But more importantly I have learnt a life skill
I called up a few plumbers and asked them for quotes and they ranged from $90-$220, including the tap. Main reason I called the plumbers is because I didnt have the tools and I thought acquiring the tools would be expensive.
But some google search and you tube videos and I found what tools are needed and they are pretty cheap to buy.
You need the tubular wrench of the correct size. It looks like this:
The reason you need this and not a normal spanner is because the nut securing the tap at the bottom is in a very narrow space.
Next thing I needed is a adjustable wrench that looks like this
This was needed to open the connectors.
One challenge for me was that the existing tap was a mixer tap, which is more expensive that costs like $50 and not very easily found in SG or online. The owner installed a mixer tap in my house, even though there is no hot water, basically he used the same pipe supply to both inputs.
I decided to change to a normal tap as it was easier to find and was cheaper. But this meant that I needed a new steel braided hose as the existing tap had 2 thin hoses and wouldnt fit the normal tap.
So I got the tools I needed from a HDB DIY shop. I have ordered a new kitchen tap+hose from Shopee which cost me $18 with shipping and it will hope fully arrive by tomorrow/day after. Until then I need to live with the steady dripping of water from the current tap.
Picture of current tap
How it looks underneath after I have unscrewed the tap nut
It this thing becomes successful, I would have saved about $50, including the price of the tools I have acquired. The tools cost me like $15 and the tap itself cost me $18.
But more importantly I have learnt a life skill
