Changing the plumbing in your kitchen may seem like a difficult job, but with a little know-how, you’ll be able to successfully renovate your sink and locate the reason why your plumbing has been working below par. Whether you’re looking to renovate your kitchen countertops or trying to fix a problem with your plumbing, it’s extremely important that you take the proper steps to consider the safety concerns and procedures to ensure both you and your kitchen are safe.

Removing Your Kitchen Sink

The first thing to check when changing your kitchen sink is to make sure the new sink will fit.  After you’ve made sure the space is sufficient, you should:

• Remove the cabinet drawers underneath your kitchen sink to make sure they don’t interfere with your work.  To do this, simply unscrew the hinges on the cabinet doors and place them somewhere out of reach.
• Next, remove anything that is currently stored inside your cabinets, creating a nice, clean space for you to work.
• Before you remove your sink, turn off the hot and cold water shut-off valves, which are located in the cabinet below your sink.
• Turn the faucet on to relieve any pressure stored inside your sink’s pipes.  Before you begin to remove anything, double-check that the water valves are indeed shut off.
• Turn your garbage disposal off at the electrical supply unit and make sure there is no power running to the unit.
• Disconnect the water supply lines at the valves and remove the faucet and garbage disposal.
• Remove your drain by unscrewing the slip-nut and tail piece of the sink located right below your sink’s base.
• Unhinge the clamps located directly below the sink and turn them to the side.
• Finally, after everything has been shut off, stored and disconnected, you can now remove your sink!

Replacing Your Kitchen Sink

Before installing your new kitchen sink, properly caulk the edges and make sure it fits smoothly into its new home. If there are any problems with the spacing, don’t fret. Scraping or caulking the surrounding area will help ease your new kitchen sink into place.

After you’ve successfully placed the new kitchen sink into the cabinet, reattach the clamps to hold it in place and return the faucet and garbage disposal back to their respective places. Now, reattach your drain to the new kitchen sink and switch the water supply valves back on, but wait a bit before returning power to your disposal.

Changing the Plumbing in Your Kitchen

Since you’ve just installed a new sink, it would be beneficial to check your sink’s plumbing. Before turning the water and power back on, let’s make sure your pipes are functioning properly.

If your kitchen sink is sometimes clogged or backed up, the first step is to check the drain.  Start by checking your sink’s P-trap, which is the small j-shaped object that is connected to the pipes underneath your sink.   Since buildup generally occurs in the P-trap, be sure you’re wearing gloves.  Start by putting a bucket underneath the P-trap to collect any excess water. Next, unscrew the P-trap.  This may be a bit hard to finagle at first, but as soon as you unscrew the first side the second should come out easily.  After you’ve unscrewed the P-trap, remove any build-up or debris lodged inside.  After you’ve properly removed the gunk and grime, place the P-trap back into the pipes, remembering to screw everything nice and tight.

The last step is to properly reinstall your cabinet doors.  Screw the doors back into place, making sure the doors fit properly within the hinges.  Also, make sure your drain and disposal are secured in an area underneath your sink that won’t interfere with your cabinets.  After you’ve replaced your cabinets and checked all connections, you can safely turn the power back on.  Now you’re kitchen sink not only looks new, it should run like new too!

Author: Stan Mason is an independent handyman from Middle Georgia. He is a big advocate for home warranty companies. Be sure to go take a look at his blog for more DIY projects and ideas.