How to install a faucet aerator

Installing faucet aerators on bathroom, kitchen and laundry faucets can cut their water use by 30 percent without compromising water flow.

  1. Turn off the water supply to the faucet.
  2. Unscrew your current aerator by turning it counter-clockwise. If you need to use a wrench, make sure to protect your faucet with tape or a rag so it doesn’t get scratched.

    If your old faucet aerator does not unscrew, consider investing in a new faucet, especially if your current one uses more than 2.5 gpm. You will soon make up the cost of the new faucet with savings on your water bill.
  3. Take the aerator to the store to make sure you get one that will fit your faucet. For bathroom faucets, choose a 1.5 or 1.0 gallon per minute (gpm) aerator. In the kitchen, where you fill pots with water, a 2 gpm aerator will be more effective.
  4. Twist the aerator clockwise into place. Avoid using a wrench that could scratch the new aerator and faucet.