Sink and Faucet Replacement

When the Sink and Faucet Actually Need to Go

A lot of the kitchen faucets we are called to replace in Palm Springs do not need replacing. The stream is weak because the aerator is packed with scale. The handle is stiff because the cartridge has a mineral crust on its seals. Those are twenty minute repairs, and we would rather do the repair and leave than sell a faucet you did not need.

Replacement makes sense in a few specific situations:

• The faucet base or body is corroded, or the finish is flaking off where water sits.
• The maker no longer sells the cartridge, or the faucet is a sealed design with no replaceable parts.
• The sink itself is chipped, crazed, stained through the glaze, or pulling away from the counter.
• You are changing the counter, which almost always means the sink comes out anyway.
• The faucet has needed repeated cartridges and the pattern suggests it simply does not tolerate this water.

What We Replace Along With the Faucet

The faucet is the part people see. The parts that cause floods are underneath it.

Shutoff valves

Older multi turn compression stops are the weakest point under a Palm Springs sink. Scale locks the stem, and when someone finally turns the handle it either will not move or the packing starts to weep. We replace them with quarter turn stops on every faucet job, because the day you need to shut the water off in a hurry is not the day to discover the valve is frozen.

Supply lines

Braided stainless supply lines go in new, sized to the faucet, with no stretched or kinked runs. They are inexpensive and they are the second most common leak point in a kitchen, so reusing old ones does not save anything.

Drain and trap

We check the tailpiece, the trap and the connection to the wall. On older homes we often find a patchwork of adapters from past repairs, and a new sink is the right time to put in a clean, properly sloped drain with the dishwasher and disposal connections where they belong.

Choosing a Faucet for Hard Water

This is the part that makes the biggest difference over the next ten years.

Cartridge type. Ceramic disc cartridges handle mineral grit better than older washer or ball designs. More important than the type is whether you can buy the cartridge again. We favor faucets whose replacement cartridges are stocked by ordinary plumbing suppliers.

Finish. Polished chrome and matte black show every dried water spot. Brushed nickel, brushed stainless and similar satin finishes hide most of it. If you love matte black, you can have it, but plan on wiping it.

Spray head. On pull down and pull out faucets, soft rubber nozzles let you rub scale off with a thumb. Hard plastic spray faces clog and have to be soaked.

Controls. A single lever is simpler to service than two handles and is easier for guests in a rental. Touchless faucets are convenient, but they add a solenoid valve and a battery or plug, and solenoids do not love hard water. We are honest about that tradeoff.

Choosing a Sink

Stainless steel is the most forgiving choice in this valley. Brushed stainless hides spotting and cleans up with a vinegar rinse. Heavier gauge steel is quieter and dents less.

Fireclay and enameled cast iron make good farmhouse sinks and clean easily, but they are heavy, so the cabinet under a farmhouse sink needs to be built or reinforced for the weight.

Composite granite is tough and scratch resistant, yet darker colors show a white mineral haze that needs regular attention.

Undermount or drop in. Undermount sinks look cleaner and let you wipe straight into the bowl, but they require a solid surface counter. Drop in sinks are the realistic option when you are keeping a laminate top or doing a quick replacement.

How a Replacement Visit Goes

1. We shut off the water, test the stops, and note anything that is not holding.
2. The old faucet, sink and drain come out, and we clean the counter opening.
3. The new sink is set and sealed, then the faucet is mounted, often before the sink goes in when access is tight.
4. New stops, supply lines and drain go in. The disposal and dishwasher are reconnected.
5. We flush the lines, pull and clear the aerator of any debris, run the dishwasher drain, and check every joint dry after an hour.

Most swaps in the same location are finished in a day. If the sink is moving, a new circuit is needed for a disposal, or supply and drain lines are being rerouted, that is a larger job and usually a permit through the City of Palm Springs.

Call (442) 438-5921 and send a photo of the space under your sink. It tells us most of what we need to know.