A leaking pipe under the sink is a cause of worry in any household. It means a waste of water and a spike of about 10% on your water bill, for starters. Furthermore, it means a messy floor, and you have to adjust by leaving a bucket under the sink to catch the leaking water. Lastly, a leaking pipe under the sink takes away your peace of mind, leaving you wondering whether you need to call the plumber or if you can fix it yourself. The good news is, with a little bit of knowledge, you can fix your leaking pipe under the sink without the help of a plumber. We tell you how below:
Steps to Take to Fix Your Leaking Pipe Under the Sink
Assessment of the Situation
If you have a leaking pipe under the sink, you will need to know exactly where the leak is coming from. Usually, you will catch a pool of standing water or dampness right below where the leak is. After finding out the type of leak, you will need to determine the kind of leak so you know how to fix it.
Determining the Leak Type
You need to know whether the leak is coming from a drainpipe, seal around the drain, or pressurized pipe. If the leak is from a drainpipe, you will see water at the bottom of the cabinet. However, if it is from a pressurized pipe, water will be spraying everywhere and can go a distance from the source. If the leak is from a leak around the drain, you will notice a sink full of water and slow leaks from the sink’s bottom.
Assess the situation carefully and determine the source of the leakage, as leak detection will determine what you do next.
Fixing the Problem
The solutions for the leak will depend on the type of leak. Therefore, we break it down further below:
Faucet Leaks
We recommend that you check the faucet first because this type of leak is usually the easiest to find and is typically the source of leakage in many situations. Thankfully, a faucet leak is easy to fix. You will need to replace the faucet, which will fix the problem. At Butler Plumbing Inc. we can easily take care of that!
Drain Seal Leaks
If the problem is not with the faucet, you will need to check the drain seal. Usually, the drain seal is broken if your sink cannot hold water without leaking.
Just like a faucet pipe, fixing a drain seal leak is easy. Follow the steps below:
●Remove the existing drain seal with a fork or a pair of pliers.
●Next, you will need to carefully put a new adhesive around the drain where you just pulled out the seal. Apply just enough and not too much.
●Put the new seal in place and center it around the drain.
Finding replacement parts for your drain seal leak is not difficult. You will easily find them at local hardware for a few dollars. While the process of fixing the drain seal is simple, you need to be sure you center it properly, so you don’t have to repair it again later.
Drain Leaks
If the problem is not with the faucet or drain seal, it is likely a drain leak. Your cabinet will have water as water will come out of the drain itself. Fixing a drain leak is easy, as in most cases, you will need to tighten the pipe’s nut.
If the sink still leaks even after tightening the nut, you can take the steps outlined below:
● Confirm that the drain outlet was installed with the plumber’s putty.
● Ensure the rubber sealing washer is flat
● If all these parts look okay and there is still a leak, you will need to take out the whole part as a whole and inspect each for any cracks or other signs of damage.
● Next, you should replace the damaged parts and reinstall them.
● If these steps do not work, you can double-check to ensure the leak is not coming from elsewhere.
Contact a Qualified, Professional Plumber
While fixing minor leakage problems is easy even for a person with little to no experience in plumbing, you may have other reasons why you can’t complete the task yourself. In such cases, you will need to reach out to a friendly yet professional plumber within your area. A commercial plumbing company has the necessary skills and experience to ensure that your leaky pipes are correctly repaired.
