Tips for Repairing a Leak Under Your Sink

What you can’t see can’t hurt you. The problem is, once you do see the problem, it’s usually a problem that needs to be fixed right away. This is certainly true for plumbing problems. Pipes aren’t traditionally exposed in your home, so you can’t see the small leaks, the corrosion of the pipes, or a clogged pipe. When water does appear, the problem becomes immediate. One of the most common places there are plumbing issues is at your sink; whether it be your kitchen, bathroom, or utility room sink. Luckily, leaky sinks aren’t complicated to fix.

Tips for Repairing the Leak

When you see water on your floor coming out of your pipes you know that there is an issue with your plumbing, but here are some signs that you have a water leak when you don’t see water: water bills are higher than normal; water meter moves when water is turned off at each faucet; running toilets; spongy, soft, discolored walls; musty smell around floor and/or walls; or mildew present on walls, floor, and/or ceiling. Knowing what causes a leak under your sink can help you know how to fix it. Three of the most common reasons for a leaky sink are dirty parts, worn parts, and/or damaged parts.

Root Cause and Treatment Action

If you can’t visibly see where water is leaking from you will need to determine where the sink is leaking before being able to fix it. Identify the leak by checking the following areas of your sink and water flow:

• Drain Seal: A leaky drain seal is easy to identify when the sink cannot hold water without it dripping. Run water into your sink and then allow it to drain. If the water leaks while the sink is draining, your drain seal needs to be repaired. To repair a drain seal you have to purchase a new one and install it remembering to apply new adhesive around the bare drain.
• Sink Faucet: Leaks at the faucet level won’t be a cause for concern in the area of damage, but it is one of the main sources of water being wasted. If you notice water leaking from the top of the sink when the faucet is turned on, your faucet is leaking. To fix a leaky faucet, tighten or replace the washer in the faucet.
• Water Supply: A water supply leak usually isn’t discovered until there is water gushing out from under the sink potentially causing serious water damage. To know if your water supply is leaking, plug the drain of the sink. If a leak appears under the sink while the water is running out your water supply is leaking. To fix a water supply leak find the joint that water is emerging from and tighten the joint. If this doesn’t stop the leak, call a local plumber.
• Sink Drain: Detecting a leak coming from your sink drain is not always easy to find because the leak usually occurs directly below the drain opening. A leaking sink drain is detected when there is a presence of discoloration due to rust and mineral build-up.
• Shut-Off Valves: The shut-off valve does what its name describes: shutting off or allowing water through the line. A leak is detected at the shut-off valve when the water cannot be closed off through the pipe. If the shut-off valve is screwed on it can easily be replaced, but you will need to call a plumber if a compression fitting is used.
• Water Hose: A leak from a water hose is detected when water comes out of the connection between the hose and the faucet. Tighten the connection between the hose and the faucet to fix the leak. If that doesn’t work, replace the gasket on the faucet and/or the hose.
• P-Trap: The P-trap begins to leak when debris and food is trapped in the P-trap and water backs up and is forced out the P-trap. To fix a leak in your P-trap, remove the P-trap, clean it out, and ensure there is no clog. Your P-trap may also leak because there is a hole in the actual pipe. If this occurs, you will need to replace the entire P-trap.
• O-Ring, Washers, and Valve Seat: Your sink has several connecting points where O-rings, washers, and valve seats keep water flowing in the correct direction and from leaking out of the pipes. To find if each of these are the cause for the leak, each joint will need to be opened and visually inspect the O-ring, washer, or valve seat.

If you need further assistance with your sink repair, or any other plumbing issues, and you live in the Jacksonville, FL area, contact Eagerton Plumbing Co. at 904.638.7979 or online. We have been in business since 1954 and are a trusted plumbing business in the Jacksonville area.