Understanding the sink & plumbing fixtures. ?This is a general schematic of a sink's internal plumbing. ?Water is supplied through house plumbing, into the flexible tubes, and into the sink, where it is controlled by the faucet. ?Note: These shutoff valves should be turned off prior to performing any service on the sink! ?Note: If you do not have shutoff valves supplying your sink, you will have to shut off the entire supply to the bathroom. This may involve a specific branch of the building's plumbing, or it may involve the entire system. If you are unsure about this, seek advice from a knowledgeable source. ?You will know if the supply is shut off to the sink, when the faucets are turned to the ?On? position. (Residual water may drain out of the faucet, but not water under any pressure.) ?The sink Trap will also need to be removed, and although this piece is not under pressure, there will be a small amount of water, which remains in this tube at all times (to prevent sewer gases from escaping into the bathroom area). Be prepared with a bucket to catch this water, when you disconnect this tube. ?Note: Disconnecting the sink is mainly a one-person job, although most sinks are made of heavy materials, and two people may be needed when physically removing the sink from the wall. *(This is a Generalized image; specific fixtures may not have identical features.)
STEP 1 -Disconnecting the Existing Sink from the water supply. ?After closing the shutoff valves and/or the bathroom water supply, take the adjustable wrench, and loosen the flexible hoses, where they meet the shutoff valves. ?This requires a tight fit of the adjustable wrench, on the nut connected to the valve, and turning the nut to the left. After both flexible tubes are disconnected from the shutoff valves, we can move on to
STEP 2 - Disconnecting the Existing Sink Drain. ?Removing the sink drain is a simple procedure. (This will [most likely] require the use of the pipe wrench, but in some cases, the connecting ring may be able to be loosened by hand.) ?If you require the pipe wrench to disconnect the trap, start with the vertical drain tube connectors first. ?The 2nd connector rings next. ?REMEMBER: There will be a small amount of water remaining in this tube, so be prepared. Leave the drain tube, which enters the wall in place, you will be re-utilizing this when connecting the new sink.
STEP 3 ? Disconnecting the sink from the wall. ?Most sinks are fastened to the wall by two sets of fasteners. One set is fastened to the wall, and the sink hangs on this fastener. The other set will [typically] be a set of screws, through holes in the back of the sink (underneath ? see arrow), where they should be easily accessible. ?When the screws are loosened and removed, the sink should stay in place, remaining supported from the upper fasteners. To remove the sink from the wall, lift up on the front of the sink, tilting it away from the wall, upwards. (This may be a bit difficult if the sink is sealed with adhesive, or caulking around the edge of the sink and wall seam. Cutting the seal may be required.) ?NOTE: As mentioned earlier, sinks can be very heavy, if you are not sure you can easily lift the sink alone, get some assistance. ?Removal of the mounting hardware, that remains on the wall may no be necessary, depending upon the replacement sink hardware. Look at the new sink's installation manual for specific hardware specifications. ?If you are required to use new hardware, remove the ?Clean the wall area where the sink met the wall, especially if there is a mold buildup.
STEP 3 ? Disconnecting the sink from a vanity. ?Removing a sink from a vanity will be different from the ?Removal Step 3?. ?Sinks set in a vanity should be held in simply by an adhesive ring around the bottom of the sink lip. ?Use a putty knife, or utility knife to separate the adhesive between the sink and the vanity surface. Lift the sink out of the vanity.
STEP 4 ? Preparing for new installation. ?Ensure your new sink has the appropriate hardware attached to the sink, in order to hang the sink on the wall (no necessary if setting in a vanity). ?(See Manufacturer's manual for assembly instructions.)
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