Need advice on best way to redo laundry room faucet and plumbing

[Studly]

I want to replace an old-style laundry room faucet connected to the plumbing from the top, with a kitchen type faucet and sprayer, with the plumbing coming from the bottom.

As you can see in the photo below, the space above and to the sides of the laundry tub is quite limited.

I have mostly sweated copper leading to the faucet now, with two ball valves that will cut the water supply to both the faucet and the washing machine hoses. (The washing machine hoses also have shut off valves they are connected to, but they are old and we just leave them open and use the ball valves above them to cut off the water to them.)

So I'd like to get rid of the old shut off valves that the washing machine hoses are now connected to, and connect the hoses higher up, just below the ball valves. That would provide more clearance for using the new faucet ... right now the hoses hand too close to the old faucet.

What's the best way to connect the hoses since I don't need traditional shut off valves for the washing machine hoses? I think I just need a hose threaded connector, preferably one I can solder on, although I haven't found this fitting at my local stores.

Then I'd like to cut out all of the copper plumbing below where I connect the new hoses, install a one or two hole faucet and sprayer in the laundry tub (which has 2 holes 4-inches apart) and run pex going from the copper down and around the right side of the laundry tub and underneath, where I'll connect it to the new faucet's supply lines.

Anyone have advice on if this would be the best way to reroute everything, and how best to connect the washing machine hoses?

Another option, instead of connecting the hoses to the copper below the ball valves, would be to connect them to the pex that will run down the right side of the tub, although I'm not sure how best to do that.

And if anyone has advice on a good but inexpensive kitchen faucet and sprayer that works well in laundry tubs, please let me know. I'd prefer Delta or another brand that has lifetime replacement parts.

Thanks much for any advice you may have!

 

[Dj2]

1. Cut off the hot and cold below the handles of the shut off valves, since you want to keep them, but not at the same height. Also remove the old faucet.

2. Install 2 Ts, make sure the hot is in an angle towards the wall, so you can run hot and cold copper pipes to the washing machine in a way that they don't bang each other (use 45s, space permitting).

3. At the washing machine area install two washing machine faucets ($3 each) or a fancy outlet box (from $20 and up).

4. Drop two supply copper pipes down under the sink, then install two angle stops.

5. Install a new faucet of your choice, then run supply connectors from the angle stops to the faucet.

About faucets: Delta is a wise choice.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Studly]

1. Cut off the hot and cold below the handles of the shut off valves, since you want to keep them, but not at the same height. Also remove the old faucet.

2. Install 2 Ts, make sure the hot is in an angle towards the wall, so you can run hot and cold copper pipes to the washing machine in a way that they don't bang each other (use 45s, space permitting).

3. At the washing machine area install two washing machine faucets ($3 each) or a fancy outlet box (from $20 and up).

4. Drop two supply copper pipes down under the sink, then install two angle stops.

5. Install a new faucet of your choice, then run supply connectors from the angle stops to the faucet.

About faucets: Delta is a wise choice.

Thanks for the tips! I was planning to use pex (due to its flexibility) to connect to the copper below the ball valves and go down and wrap around and go underneath the sink. Is that a bad idea since you suggested copper?

Is there a way to connect the washing machine hoses to pex, on the side of the sink, without using washing machine hose shut off valves since I have the ball valves up higher to shut those off?

 

[Dj2]

I suggested copper because that's what you already have. You just bring the two pipes close to the W/D location, install two washing machine faucets and then use flex connectors.

I would not use PEX to tie into the washing machine because:

- Washing machine connectors have the right thread to fit the two faucets.
- A washing machine is a rough machine and can wear out the connectors fairly quickly. It's a lot easier to replace two connectors than PEX.

 

[hj]

The "flat spot" on the sink is too small for a conventional kitchen faucet. I use a single hole pull out kitchen faucet into one of the "knockouts" in the ledge than either leave the other one blank or remove it and install a soap dispenser. Or you could drill a single hole in the deck between the two knockouts.

 

[Erico]

I think he is also asking for a solution to skip the traditional laundry faucet since he has a shutoff so nearby.

A 3/4 male copper threaded fitting will work? Yes?

 

[Reach4]

What's the best way to connect the hoses since I don't need traditional shut off valves for the washing machine hoses? I think I just need a hose threaded connector, preferably one I can solder on, although I haven't found this fitting at my local stores.

Many of the drain valves and hose bibs with a 1/2 inch MPT are sized to be solderable to a 1/2 inch copper pipe that is inserted on the inside. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-2-in-Brass-1-4-Turn-MPT-x-MHT-Hose-Bibb-VHBQTCC3EB/205811565 is an example.

I understand it is not what you asked for, but it would be locally available.

 

[Studly]

The "flat spot" on the sink is too small for a conventional kitchen faucet. I use a single hole pull out kitchen faucet into one of the "knockouts" in the ledge than either leave the other one blank or remove it and install a soap dispenser. Or you could drill a single hole in the deck between the two knockouts.

Yeah, I was thinking of single hole faucet with a sprayer for the other hole. Something inexpensive, like this Delta faucet.