Once you have

removed your old faucet, be sure to clean the deck surface area before

inserting the valve body of the new faucet through the holes on the top

of your sink deck. Move under the sink deck to tighten the mounting hardware

that holds the faucet in place and complete the job by reconnecting the

water supply lines.

* How can I

increase the flow rate of my faucet?

As a faucet

ages, many homeowners notice its flow isn't what it used to be. To correct

this problem, create a mixture of half water and half white vinegar and

let your faucet aerator sit in it overnight. To do this, you can unscrew

the aerator counter clockwise or, put the mixture in a plastic bag and

rubber band the bag around the aerator. You can also use this technique

to improve the flow of a showerhead.

* What can

I do if my faucet handle is hard to operate or if I have a leak from the

spout?

If you have

a washerless faucet, a handle that is hard to move, or a leak coming from

the spout, these are telltale signs that the faucet's cartridge needs

to be replaced. This is a relatively easy project that most homeowners

can accomplish.

For a single-handle

faucet, start this project by removing the cap in the center of the knob

and the screw underneath it, which secures the handle. Once the handle

is removed, you can easily slide out the stop sleeve (a cylindrical tube).

Next, use pliers to grab hold of the copper-colored U-shaped retainer

clip to pull it out.

Use the twisting

tool (a white plastic piece) that comes with your new Moen faucet to loosen

the old cartridge. Then, insert the new cartridge into the faucet's valve

body -- it is important that the cartridge's two plastic ears are aligned

precisely at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock. Now reinstall the retainer clip,

stop sleeve and handle.

* The hot and

cold settings on my single handled washerless faucet are reversed, how

can I correct this?

Some new homeowners

find that the hot and cold handles are reversed on their faucets, giving

them an unexpected burst of hot water when they turn on the cold tap or

vice versa. This is an easy correction to make. The only thing the consumer

needs to do is to get into the faucet body (as described above), as if

you were changing out the faucet cartridge, but rather than pull out the

retainer clip or cartridge, rotate the stem on the cartridge 180 degrees.

* What is the

best way to maintain my faucet's finish?

The worst thing

that a homeowner can do is use abrasive cleaners on their faucet. Instead,

use a mild soap and water. To help keep an illustrious shine, wax your

faucet with automotive wax every two to three months.

Call in the

Expert

There are some

jobs that are too in-depth and require too much skill for the average

homeowner to undertake. Installations and repairs of showering systems

that require a consumer to go behind the wall should be left to a professional.

In addition, any repair involving soldering, sweating a valve or cutting

into a wall should not be attempted by an amateur. To do these jobs, find

a licensed plumber from the yellow pages, or check with the Better Business

Bureau.

Using the "how-to"

tips in this article, any homeowner, no matter what their skill level,

should be able to tackle simple plumbing projects around the house without

an overwhelming feeling of panic.

The Moen consumer

service center is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST and

on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST at (800) 289-6636 or (800) BUY-MOEN).

All representatives answering calls have gone through extensive training

and are experts in specific areas of plumbing -- bathroom, kitchen, etc.

To reduce the

time spent on hold, the Moen center has a virtual hold technologies system

which allows consumers to enter their phone numbers and have a representative

automatically call them back when lines free up, or at a specific time

the consumer requests.

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