Installing the mixer with your own hands

If the faucet has broken in the bathroom or the kitchen, do not rush to call the plumber and pay him for the work - installing the mixer with your own hands is so simple that you will be surprised how cleverly you will succeed! Of course, this is not about luxury sanitary products with special designs. In this article we will touch on the installation of classical mixers, which are in every second apartment in Russia, and also tell what to look for when choosing a model.

How to choose a mixer

First of all,that the faucets for the kitchen and the bathroom are different. In the kitchen you absolutely do not need a shower spray and a hose, but in the bathroom without it you can not do. The height of the mixer installation also plays a big role - if for washing in the bathroom a sufficiently low-placed faucet, then in the kitchen such a design will be extremely inconvenient, because it will not be possible to wash the dishes under the mixer. Choose a model is necessary not only in appearance, but also the material from which the faucet and handles are made, the way of switching hot and cold water, etc. Let us dwell on all these nuances in more detail.

Material for the mixer

Today, there is such a variety of mixer models on the market that the head goes around, and it will be very difficult to understand the plumber-beginner. If you do not want the crane to rust through a year or two of operation, do not choose silumin mixers. Silumin is a material obtained as a result of an alloy of aluminum and silicon with the addition of other substances, for example, lithium or sodium. Even the most expensive mixers from well-known world brands are not immune from intergranular corrosion, which manifests itself first in the form of small white spots( similar to calcareous deposits).But under the glossy coating, the destruction of metal is slowly going on, and one day the mixer simply collapses in the hands or bursts, while the owners are not at home.

How to recognize a silumin mixer? Pay attention to the color of the neck of the spout - if it's gray, then you're dealing with silumin. Spill is a part located above the O-ring on the root of the mixer. More such mixers are much easier than from other materials, so weigh in the hands of several models for comparison.

In order not to lose, choose bronze or brass faucets. Models from these metals can work regularly for decades, needing only periodic cleaning, like any other plumbing.

Another important point is the sealant material. They should be made of dense rubber, but not plastic, even if the seller claims that this is cutting-edge and durable material. To date, only rubber is able to provide a reliable and airtight connection.

Spacer spigot ring in most cases is supplied separately from the mixer and lies in the bag with fasteners and small parts. Many inexperienced plumbers do not understand why it is needed and do not install it, as a result of which the spout is very quickly loosened and begins to leak. Therefore, be sure to check the presence of this ring when buying a mixer.

The split spacer ring must be very tight. It is placed on the root of the spout before inserting it into the socket. Since the ring is tight, it can not enter the hole the first time, so it should be squeezed on the sides and press with a click.

Shut-off valves

The mixer faucet device plays an important role in the selection of the model. And it is not at all about the usability of the operation - the fact is that the various ways of opening and closing water affect the service life of plumbing. Previously there were only two-hand valve cranes, and recently there were cork with one lever.

Professional plumbers recommend choosing a mixer with two handles only if you can not imagine your kitchen or bath without it. Modern lever models outperform two-handed models in all respects.

Why lever mixers are better than two-handed:

1. They are more economical in using water - in a mixer with two handles, you first open the cold water, and then gradually add hot( and it rarely starts to flow immediately), at this time water flows into nowhere. In the lever mixer, you can immediately open it approximately so that warm water flows, and then just slightly adjust the position of the handle. In addition, to close the water with the lever mixer much faster - you just have to lower the handle down, and the cranes will have to be twisted much longer.
2. Efficiency - in valve valves the valve spool and the elbow with the seat give a hydraulic resistance 5 times higher than in the valve cock, where the water is calm. If the pressure drops in the system, then in a two-hand crane the water will barely drip, and in the lever, due to small resistance, a normal jet will remain.
3. Convenience - most of us grew up in the time of faucets and to the lever it was necessary to gradually get used to. Using them was a novelty, but if you understand, the process of turning on / off / adjusting water and pressure began to require much less effort. Do not twist the two handles anymore - just push the lever a little harder or turn it to the side. Now, after soaping your head, with your eyes closed, it's impossible to open hot instead of cold water - there's only one handle.

In general, wherever you look - some pluses. But some users complain that if you sharply open the crane, it can provoke a water hammer, and all the pipes will burst. This is partly a true statement, which over time has sprung up with myths and conjectures, and now misleads inexperienced people. In the very first water supply systems in the city, indeed, cork cranes with a longitudinal slit in a conical cork were put in, and they, with a sharp opening, gave water hammers with obvious consequences in the form of burst pipes. Since plastic pipes were not invented then, plumbers found the only reasonable solution - to replace the plugs with cogs, which open gradually.

In aviation more than 100 years ago, cranes were invented with a spherical cone, not a cone, a stopper and a round hole rather than a longitudinal one. That is, in fact, such a crane is not capable of creating a hydro shock. Moreover, it is not even able to flow, because in the process of wear, the pressure of water coming from the pipe presses the plug to the saddle along the entire circumference. And lastly, such an "air crane" is much cheaper and easier to manufacture. It's unclear why, but the pilots did not want to share their invention with the plumbers for a long time, however, during the restructuring, the business moved from the dead end, and today the spherical valves almost completely replaced the spool valves.

Shower diffuser

So, when you stopped looking towards the faucet valves, it's time to decide on the "sunflower" of the shower mixer. The water diffuser must be equipped with self-cleaning nozzles. Determine them very easily - on each hole there is a soft rubber or polymer nozzle with a hole. When you turn the water on or off, the nozzles are opened and tapered accordingly, dropping the lime scale. If the nozzles are made of rigid static material, then they will sooner or later be hammered, and the head will begin to splash in different directions.

Replacing the faucet in the bathroom

In this chapter we will look at various ways to install faucets for the kitchen and bathroom. With all of them, any host or landlady can easily cope, making sure that sometimes you can do what you yourself are doing, for which others pay impressive amounts to plumbers.

Before proceeding to work, it will be useful to familiarize yourself with the installation scheme of the mixer. The image below shows the assembly of a 3-position mixer for the bathroom. We remind that the specificity of the installation depends on the type of construction and its location - in the kitchen, in the bathroom on the sink, on the side of the bathtub itself, etc.

For work you will need a gas( adjustable) wrench, vinyl insulating tape and a hammer. An insulating tape is needed for the winding of nickel-plated nuts before they are tightened. This will keep the cover intact. With a wrench, you will dismantle the old mixer.

Special attention should be paid to the waterproofing of the joints of the mixer elements. If earlier used for this linen kapolka, then today it is better to buy a ribbon-bag. It is wound in 15 layers clockwise( as the thread goes), so that when winding the nut, the tape seals the thread and does not give water any chance to leak out. To understand that you have wound the tape in the wrong direction is very simple - when winding the nut it will crawl, and there is no question of any waterproofing in this case.

Dismantling the old mixer

Before dismantling the old mixer, be sure to shut off the water in the pipes! The most important problem when working with designs that have not changed for 20-30 years is their reluctance to unwind. For many years the salt deposits have settled firmly in the places of fastening and turned into real stones. And if you can not unscrew the mixer with a gas key, then do not tear your hands and risk breaking a pipe - there is a proven folk remedy. Take kerosene or brake fluid and drop 5-7 drops onto the fossilized joint. After 10-15 minutes of waiting, try again to work with a swivel key - the fasteners must succumb. If it does not help, use the VD-40, which instantly removes rust, plaque and other blockages from metal surfaces.

It is better to put a bucket or a basin under the mixer, so that the remaining water does not fall on the floor. After you unscrew and remove the mixer, disconnect the hot and cold water hoses from the tap. Sometimes this is easier to do before unscrewing the mixer. It is better to do this work on the basin, because in the hoses there is almost certainly water left, even if you have closed the valve.

Installing a new mixer in the kitchen

Before installing the mixer in the kitchen, prepare a free space and cover with a film or rags all nearby surfaces that can be damaged by water or an unintentionally thrown tool. Technique at the time of work is best rearranged to another room( the refrigerator can be left in place).

You can have only one wrench, so it is better to stock up with a couple of screwdrivers, pliers and a set of wrenches. You will also need a fluted corrugated or all-metal hose( 2 pcs.), And its length should be determined in advance. The hose will go from the drain hole of the sink to the sewage, and it is desirable that it does not bend, otherwise a potential jam will be created at the bend point.

Close the hot and cold water. If possible, slightly push the sink away from the wall to allow more space to work.

Mounting the mixer on the sink:

1. Connect the supply hose to the mixer on the side of the short fitting( this is a metal threaded rod).
2. Remove the bronze nuts from the safety studs and tighten the studs as far as they will go.
3. Through the opening in the sink, pass the hose on the mixer, and connect the second hose from the bottom to the corresponding hole in the mixer.
4. When the mixer is already on the sink, and two hoses are connected to it, put a rubber seal on it and, pressing a metal plate, screw the bronze nuts onto the studs.
5. Tighten the nuts with a suitable key, but do not overtighten them so as not to damage the sink or tear the thread.
6. Connect the hoses leaving the mixer to the water supply. The most difficult thing here is not to confuse them. To do this, turn the mixer tap onto yourself: the right hose is cold water, the left hose is hot.
7. Attach the hoses to the water pipes using the union nuts.
8. Check the tightness of the connections( 2 at the mixer and 2 at the pipes).
9. Turn on the water and check that the mixer is working. Before switching on, make sure that the tap is twisted or the lever is lowered.

Video about installing the mixer will give a complete picture of this work:

Installation of a new mixer in the bathroom

The installation of the faucet in the bathroom is slightly different than in the kitchen, and there can be several installation methods - on the wall above the bathroom, in the washbasin and on the very edge of the bathtub. If you want to put the mixer in the washbasin, use the instruction given above - there is not much difference there.

Consider the installation of a shower faucet that is attached to the wall, as this is the most common option:

1. Close the hot and cold water. If the taps turn hard, treat the threads with grease and try again. After that, check if the water flows when the mixer valves are open.
2. Use a wrench to unscrew the two nuts on the eccentrics.
   
3. Remove the old mixer.
4. If the eccentrics are in good condition, they can not be changed( brass).Unfortunately, in most cases in Soviet homes eccentrics have long been left to be desired, so they should be replaced. Press the gas key closer to the wall and start turning counter-clockwise. Unscrew it very carefully so as not to break the eccentric - if this happens, you have to disassemble the wall.
   
   Helpful tip: if the old iron eccentric does not lend itself, heat it with a lighter or candle flame and try to unscrew it again.
5. To unscrew old Soviet eccentrics, insert one pliers of pliers into the hole and try to turn it from the inside. If you do not have enough strength, tighten the pliers with a gas wrench that will act as an additional and more convenient lever. More clearly the process is seen in the image below:
   
6. In the pipe after removing the eccentric you can see the old linen winding. Remove it, otherwise the new tap will instantly be clogged.
7. Clean the inner surface of the pipe from the plaque and wrap the tape with the new eccentric.
   
8. Screw the tape-tight eccentrics into the threads clockwise. Make sure that the eccentrics are strictly symmetrical. For convenience, when twisting the first eccentric, count the number of revolutions.
9. To properly install a horizontal mixer, thread it without sealing tape into one eccentric, attach to the second and check the horizontal level with the building level.
   
10. If everything is smooth, remove the mixer and install the gaskets on it.
    
11. On the eccentrics, screw the decorative cups to the end of the thread.
    
12. Begin winding the mixer nuts on the eccentrics first manually, and then with the adjustable wrench. Tighten only lightly so as not to break the thread.
    
13. Attach the hose with the shower head and other parts.
14. In order not to cut off oil seals, pre-lubricate them with a liquid soap.
    
15. It remains only to unscrew the hot and cold water supply valves and check the efficiency of the mixer.

More clearly the process is shown in the video below:

The installation of the mixer on the side of the bath is on the same principle as on the sink, the only difference is that the tap hole is located not in the sink, but in the bathroom cabinet.

Concealed mixer

More and more people prefer to replace conventional mixers with concealed designs - they look very interesting and aesthetic. However, the installation of a concealed mixer requires knowledge and skills, so it is better to entrust it to a specialist, especially if you have not previously changed the plumbing.

Any concealed mixer consists of three components:

• mounting box;
• functional part( mixer);
• decorative exterior panel.

The main difficulty is that there is no such universal mixer for a universal installation method - it all depends on the configuration of the model and on the variety of the mixing assembly. Therefore, if you are not sure that you will understand the installation instructions attached to the mixer, it is better to use the services of professional plumbers.