How To Disconnect The Hydrolock Connection On A Moen Kitchen Faucet

After you've connected the hot and cold water hoses for your Moen kitchen faucet to the supply valves, you may still have one or two connections to make. If the faucet has a sprayer, the sprayer hose needs to be connected to the diverter, which is usually behind the spout. A Moen kitchen faucet with a pull-down spout also has a hose that needs to be connected to the faucet body.

​Read more:​ How to Install a Kitchen Faucet

In the past, these connections were made with standard compression fittings, but contemporary faucets usually have quick-connect fittings that don't require tools. The Moen Hydrolock and Moen Duralock fittings are the two that the company supplies with its faucets. Connecting and disconnecting either of these fittings is easy, but you do need both hands and a flashlight to do it.

The male side of a Moen quick-connect fitting looks much like the end of a compressed air hose before you insert it into the compressor or the tool you're using. The end tapers in the middle and widens at the end, and on the Moen fitting, there's an O-ring around the end to provide a good water seal. The female side is plastic, and it has a white lock button that secures the male end.

You are supposed to be able to disconnect a Hydrolock fitting with your fingers, but you'll probably need a pair of pliers, according to Moen Quick Connect Fittings instructions. Locate the connection point and note the white button on one side of the female fitting, which should be fully depressed. On the opposite side of the fitting, you'll see two white tabs, and squeezing these tabs with your fingers or with pliers pushes the button out and unlocks the fitting so you can pull the hoses apart. That's all there is to it.

To connect the hoses, you insert the male end into the female connector until it won't go any farther. Push the white button into the fitting until you hear a click, and the hoses will be locked together.

As if to drive home the point that these fittings are different, Moen uses an opposite color scheme for the Hydrolock and Duralock connectors. Whereas the Hydrolock is black with a white button, the Duralock is white with a black button. The fittings work in the same way, but the Duralock is a little easier to connect and disconnect.

To disconnect a Duralock fitting, grasp the hoses on both sides of the fitting and push them together while you depress the black button on the fitting. When the button is fully depressed, it unlocks the connection so you can pull the hoses apart.

Connecting the hoses with a Duralock fitting is even easier. You simply insert the male fitting into the female one and push until you hear a click — no need to push the button. If the connection won't click, remove the hose and check for obstructions in the female connector.

Once connected properly, neither a Hydrolock or Duralock fitting will leak, and both should last the life of the faucet. If you notice a leak immediately after making a connection, the most common reason is that the O-ring on the male fitting is misaligned. To avoid this, apply a small amount of plumbing grease to the O-ring just before making the connection.

​Read more:​ How to Fix a Leaking Moen Kitchen Faucet