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Say Goodbye to Leaks: Learn How to Tighten Kitchen Faucet

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A loose kitchen faucet can be a nuisance. Calling a plumber to handle the job can be even more of a problem since you end up paying a lot more than you wished. It’s not a huge project and isn’t impossible without the assistance of a professional.

We all encounter a loose kitchen faucet at some point in our lives. It’s a common problem at every home. It’s best to learn how to do the little project on our own. You just need to learn how to tighten kitchen faucet. Once you know what steps to follow, you’ll be able to repair your kitchen faucet entirely on your own any time you face the problem.

What you’ll need

You’ll only need a couple of tools for this little job. You may even find most of these in your tool kit. Here’s a list:

  • Masking tape
  • Flashlight
  • Adjustable wrench
  • Basin wrench
  • Flathead screwdriver

Reasons for a loose kitchen faucet

There are often two common causes that could lead to a loose kitchen faucet, and in this post, you’ll learn how to fix both the situations.

  • Loose faucet handle

Faucet handle can loosen over time with excessive use and affect the ability to turn the kitchen faucet on and off effectively.

  • Loose faucet base

Faucet base may also loosen up with frequent use. Such wobbly bases can cause a tear in the water pipes supplying to the faucet and result in a leak.

Whatever the problem is that is causing the loose faucet, it needs fixing. In the next sections, you will learn how to fix each issue without employing a professional.

Here is a step by step guide on how to tighten kitchen faucet:

Tightening a loose faucet handle

Step 1: Preparation

  1. Remove everything from under the kitchen cabinets so that you have more space to work.
  2. Turn off the valves supplying water into the faucet.
  3. Determine the type of faucet you are working with.

Step 2: Tighten the handle

  1. Take a look at the handle. You may find a setscrew hooked to the base of the handle or a decorative cap, depending on the model you have installed.
  2. Tighten the setscrew by turning it clockwise using a head hex wrench.
  3. If there’s a decorative cap hiding the setscrew, wrap some masking tape around the cap.
  4. Push a flat head screwdriver down the base of the cap and apply pressure to lift it up and out. You will find the setscrew that’s holding the handle under the cap.
  5. When you find the setscrew under the cap, tighten it the same way by turning it clockwise using a head hex wrench.

Step 3: Test your project

  1. Move the handle with your hand and see if it is tight enough. 
  2. If there was a decorative cap over the handle, remove masking tape that you wrapped around it.
  3. Replace the cap over the handle once you have tightened the screw.
  4. Turn on the valves under the sink and check the handle. See if the handle functions correctly now.

So that was how to tighten sink faucet handle. In the next section, you will see how you can fix a shaky kitchen faucet base.

Tightening a loose faucet base

Here is how to tighten a loose Moen kitchen faucet base:

Step 1: Preparation

  1. Just like when tightening the handle, remove everything from your sink cabinets to give you more room to work.
  2. Turn off both the valves that supply water to your kitchen faucet by turning them clockwise.
  3. Turn on the handle or handles on your kitchen faucet to release any remaining water in the pipes. Once all the water drains out, turn the handles off.

Step 2: Tighten the base

  1. Slide under the sink on your back, with a flashlight in your hand.
  2. Point the flashlight in the direction of the base. You will locate the nut that holds the faucet base and the supply pipes together.
  3. Loosen the nut using an adjustable wrench set to the correct size. Turning it counterclockwise will loosen the two nuts connecting the base to the two supply lines.
  4. Once the nuts are loose, set each one back up into the original position and tighten them using a basin wrench. Turn the wrench clockwise to tighten each nut.
  5. Reconnect the water lines and turn on the valves supplying water to the faucet.

Step 3: Test your project

  1. Move back up outside the cabinet. Reach the faucet and move it with your hand to see if the faucet base is secured in place now.
  2. Turn on the faucet and see if the water is coming out correctly.
  3. Also, check inside the sink cabinets to see if there’s any leakage.

That’s all. Your project is complete! Tightening kitchen faucet base is that easy! Anyone can do it with minimum expertise and just a couple of tools that are almost all already available in every household.

Conclusion

So you see how easy the job was? Why waste your hard-earned money on paying a plumber when you can handle the task just as professionally? It’s going to take you less than 15 minutes to fix your kitchen faucet once you know how to tighten kitchen faucet.

You must also be aware of the source before starting your project; is it a wobbly faucet base that needs fixing or if it’s the faucet handle that’s giving you trouble. Once you know what you are looking at, fixing it isn’t that big of a deal.