How to Replace a Kitchen Sink Sprayer Hose

When the old rubber band around the sprayer hose trick fails to expel enough water to hit your target, bringing with it the familiar soggy-squeal, it is time to replace that old Sprayer Hose and right now! Yep, when stopgap measures fail time and time again, you will need to replace the entire sprayer assembly. Your first thought may be to give a local low cost plumber a call, but wait a minute and think this through. What if you decided to be your own cheap plumber? You would incur the cost of parts, sure, but no labor cost; and that's the way to go! Replacing a sprayer hose is easy and takes just a few minutes and very little know-how. Stick with me, and see just how much you can save by NOT paying one plumbing bill too many.

A Mineral Build-up on the Spray Nozzle may be the cause of the faulty sprayer results. Before you replace the sprayer hose, try soaking the head of the sprayer (nozzle) in a bowl of warm vinegar to dissolve any calcified minerals that may be causing the blockage. This should enable the nozzle to work properly; if it does not, proceed with replacing the entire assembly.

Note: There will come a time when you have to determine if the hose assembly is simply too old to continue clearing the mineral deposits. Sometime it's just better for those who use the device frequently to replace the fixture for the sake of daily convenience.

For the best results, purchase a replacement assembly that is made by the same manufacturer of your faucet, but universal kits will also work. It only takes three really simple steps to replace the old sprayer hose: Remove the old assembly, Install the new deck fitting, and Get the new hose in place.

If you are unfamiliar with the terms used here, refer to the diagrams inset below for part labeling (names).

1. Removing the old assembly;Start by turning off the water and draining the hose as much as you can. Then, reach under the sink and literally cut the old sprayer hose in two—be prepared to catch the little bit of water that will drain out. Pull the old hose through the deck fitting, and throw it away. Next, from under the sink, unscrew the remaining length of hose from the faucet nipple. Remove the old jamp nut from the deck fitting under the sink, and then simply remove the fitting.
2. Install the new deck fitting; Now that you have removed the old sink sprayer assembly, install the new deck fitting, and then feed the hose through it from above.
3. Get the new hose in place; Be sure to apply a little bit of pipe joint compound to the male threads of the faucet nipple, and thread the new hose in place using an adjustable wrench (I recommend using a smooth-jaw pliers to avoid any potential rips or tearing of the new hose assembly).

AVOID OVERTIGHTENING THE FITTING AT ALL COST!

After removing the old spray attachment, slide the rubber gasket onto the new one's fitting shank, and feed the shank through the sink deck hole.

Slide the hose through the deck fitting from above, and install the jamp nut below. Tighten the nut until it is snug.

Finish the repair by connecting the spray attachment's hose to the faucet's diverter nipple. Use a light coating of pipe joint compound on the niple.

With the new sprayer hose installed and working great, the next step is to find the perfect rubber band to twist around the nozzle. Be sure to wrap the band snugly so it holds the sprayer button down fully. Next, stand by for someone to turn the sink water on, and enjoy the show. This might be a good opportunity to create your own "Rubber Band Sprayer Prank" video!

Happy Plumbing!