The kitchen sink
Appreciation abounds in even the mundane
Earlier this week, my kitchen faucet decided to spring a leak. Its inner workings were caked with calcium, and it was no longer easy to turn on or rotate. So when the faucet finally failed, I wasn't too surprised. Unfortunately, it died on a Tuesday evening during a hectic week (thrilled to take on the repair, I was not). But I reminded myself of how much I love fixing things as I sopped up the pooled water under the sink.
The following morning I set my other duties aside and began disassembling the old faucet.
Now, if you've ever worked on older plumbing, you know as well as I do that these tasks are never easy. My faucet removal was no exception. Covered in rust and hard water deposits, the locking nut refused to budge. Making matters worse, this nut is on the underside of the faucet assembly and is in the absolute least accessible location possible. So after a failed attempt at circus-worthy contortionism trying to free it, I resigned to taking out the whole sink.
As I said - never easy.
Removing the sink meant also disconnecting the disposal and drainpipe. Doing so, of course, released more water - this time dank drain water. Soon, my kitchen was littered with tools, parts, and grime. It looked like I was doing a demolition job, not making a repair.
Before removing the old faucet, the job was a struggle. Seemingly simple steps were not so routine; I was not enjoying what should have been more fun. I love problem-solving, and I relish the masochism of a victory hard-won - so this should have been a win-win. But instead, I was vexed.
Bothered and grumpy, my knuckles were busted and so too was my pride. Changing a faucet should not be this hard, I thought. Why is this taking so long? Plumbers should get paid more. I don’t want to be a plumber.
But chagrin turned into a grin once the faucet was out. I saw progress. I made progress. The path forward was now inevitable. I had crossed the line from "can I do this?" to "I can do this."
It took channel locks, a pair of vice grips, and a healthy dose of brute force to get the old faucet off. The nut never did budge. Instead, the threaded tube to which it was attached came out entirely. No matter. The assembly was finally apart, and I could now move on to the rest of the repair.
Confidence regained, I took my time cleaning and prepping the sink for re-installation. I removed all the grime and stains from where the old faucet had sat. And I scraped all the silicone from both the underside rim of the sink and the countertop. I even cleaned up the backsplash and surrounding kitchen area. Next, I tidied up my work mess and even took time to knoll out my tools. The process was enjoyable, and with each small victory over disorder, I appreciated what I was doing even more.
After a quick run to the hardware store to pick up a replacement faucet and a tube of silicone, I returned to finish the job. The sink went back in easily, and I had it sealed in place in no time.
There was a slight hang-up: the hole for the sink cut in my quartz countertop was about an inch too small in one dimension. The sink fit fine, but the holes in the back were right up against the edge of the counter; there was not enough room to tighten down the new faucet. The solution: I made a small HDPE plastic spacer that I used to tighten the nuts flush with the underside of the counter instead of the bottom side of the sink. It worked well, and since the hardware is more easily accessible than would have been otherwise, I believe it will be even easier to remove in the future.
I hooked up the hot and cold lines and attached the disposal to the sink. Incidentally, my disposal had been acting up over the last month, and I suspected it too, like the faucet, was on its last leg. So while at the hardware store, I picked up a new one. (Yet another positive outcome for removing the whole sink.)
The test went smoothly - no leaks, the cold runs cold, and the hot runs hot. Disposal works and should last for several years. Plus, the whole sink area is sparkling clean after the elbow grease I put into it. I even made some usability improvements under the sink, including repositioning a fire extinguisher that was formerly in the way of the recycling box.
All told, it took me about four hours, including an hour or so running to the store to get parts. Yes, I didn't plan for it, but that's the nature of emergency repairs. And while I wasn't too happy when it started, the process and the final result left me feeling good about things.
Now, instead of using a sink that someone else installed, I own that space as something I worked on myself. And that's where the genuine appreciation originates. It's a job well done. A job DIY'ed - not contracted out.
When we make, we make things our own. And the same goes for repairs. These little tokens of appreciation fill a maker’s world. And it makes even the everyday things - like a kitchen sink - a source of pride.
Until next time.
JRC
The faucet, the garbage disposal, the seals…it sounds like you threw out everything but the kitchen sink! 😊
Jesting aside, I have always approached DYI plumbing with great trepidation. My experiences have been similar to yours…once you start fixing one thing it always seems to open up a can of worms. Your persistence and ingenuity are admirable.