Professional Tool Reviews for Pros
We know the scenario all too well. You find a really great deal on a new kitchen faucet to replace that old leaking clunker you have. As soon as you get home you excitedly start to tear out the old one and realize that you have no way to loosen the large nuts on the bottom of the faucet. Neither your adjustable wrench nor any other wrench for that matter seems to fit the space. Fear not. We’ll show you how to remove and tighten under-sink kitchen faucet nuts. Din2093 Disc Springs Spring Steel
First things first—clear out the area underneath the sink. You need to be able to see up into the area where the sink faucet nuts. You really can’t do that unless you can get under there and work. Remove the towels, cleaners, etc. Consider also getting a nice towel to lay down for your head and shoulders so you can look up at the sink.
In addition to some safety eyewear, grab a headlamp or other light so you can see what you’re doing. You can have the best tool in the world, but if you can’t see—you can’t use it! We like something similar to the line of Milwaukee LED headlamps but, really, anything will do.
You need a tool called a basin wrench or faucet swap-out wrench. These special plumbing tools let you get into those tight spaces to remove plastic and metal nuts in cramped quarters. They either have a long handle with a tee on one end or a long plastic tube with various inserts. In either case, they give you the required leverage to remove faucet nuts.
The T-handle tools feature a spring-loaded adjustable wrench head that grips onto the nut. Straight wrenches typically feature inserts that let you grip the nut with something akin to an open-ended socket. Both include long handles to let you reach up behind the sink basin and get at those hard-to-reach nuts. You can purchase a simple basin wrench for around $20-30 dollars at most hardware stores or online.
It may be the best investment you can make if you need to tackle a job like this.
Our new favorite tool for this work is the Milwaukee Faucet Swap-Out Wrench. You can pay more money and get fancier solutions. However, for that once-in-a-great-while job, a less expensive wrench should serve you well.
Once you have the tool in place, a simple rotation of your wrist should provide enough force to loosen most nuts. The two types of nuts you encounter are the retaining nuts for water supply lines and the plastic nuts that hold the faucet in place. Any Basin wrench should work well on either or both.
For tightening or loosening supply lines at the faucet end, be sure to use an adjustable wrench on the faucet to keep it from twisting while you tighten the nut.
If you notice, some basin wrenches wrap around the supply lines while others provide that T-handle approach. You can decide which tool type works best for you.
When he's not playing with the latest power tool, Clint DeBoer enjoys life as a husband, father, and is an avid reader—especially the Bible. He loves Jesus, has a degree in recording engineering, and has been involved in multimedia and/or online publishing in one form or another since 1992.
Clint’s career has covered nearly the entire realm of audio and video production. After graduating at the top of his class with an Associates Degree in Recording Engineering, he began working for the famed Soundelux studios in 1994, one of the largest post-production companies specializing in audio for feature films & television. Working on a myriad of feature films, Clint honed his skills as a dialogue editor, foley editor, and sound designer. Years later, he moved into the expanding area of video editing, where he served as the company’s senior AVID video editor for three years.
Working for such clients as Universal Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Paramount Home Entertainment, NASA, Universal Studios, Planet Hollywood, SEGA, NASCAR, and others, Clint DeBoer dealt extensively with client management as well as film & video editing, color correction, and digital video & MPEG compression. He also carries several THX certifications (Technician I and II, THX Video), and is ISF Level II Certified.
After founding the CD Media, Inc. publishing company in 1996, he went on to help start or grow several successful online publications, including Audioholics (as Editor-in-Chief for 12 years) and AV Gadgets. In 2008, Clint founded Pro Tool Reviews followed by the landscape and outdoor power equipment-focused OPE Reviews in 2017. He also heads up the Pro Tool Innovation Awards, an annual awards program honoring innovative tools and accessories across the trades.
Crediting God and his excellent staff for the success of what is now the largest power tool review publication in the industry, Clint DeBoer hopes to see continued growth for the company as it rapidly expands its reach. Pro Tool Reviews critically reviews hundreds of hand tools, power tools, and accessories each year to help inform users about the best and newest products in the industry. Reaching everyone from the construction industry professional and tradesman to the serious DIYer, Pro Tool Reviews helps tool consumers shop better, work smarter, and stay aware of what tools and products can help put them at the top of their game.
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