Is your kitchen sink leaking? This is a frustratingly common occurrence that many homeowners experience at least once in their lifetimes. If you find that your kitchen sink is leaking underneath you don’t need to worry, and you don’t need to call a Santa Cruz plumber right away. Here’s what you need to know about how to fix a leak under the sink!
Time needed: 1 hour.
- Determine Where Sink is Leaking
The first step toward fixing your kitchen sink leak is to find it. Depending on where the leak is, there are different ways to fix your leaking kitchen sink. Use the following steps to determine where the leak is coming from
- Check If The Drain Leaks
Run water into your sink, then drain it out. If you see water leaking while the sink is draining, then you have this type of leak. How you fix this kitchen sink leak depends on why it is leaking. Try to determine if you have a blockage or if there is corrosion or if something is just loose. You can fix the problem by simply tightening the nuts located at the point where the pipes meet. Otherwise you can use plumber’s putty to get the job done. You can remove the drain, repack it with fresh plumber’s putty, and then reattach the drain again.
- Check If The Faucet Leaks
Leaky faucets can be annoying and run up your water bill, but are typically the easiest to spot. You may notice water leaking from the top of the sink whenever someone turns on the faucet. Faucet leaks can happen underneath the sink, too, so be sure to check for a leak underneath your kitchen sink. To fix it, all you need to do is replace any failed washers or worn-out gaskets. Occasionally, a severe faucet leak will require you to replace the entire faucet. Replacing your kitchen faucet is fairly simple, however, if you are uncomfortably doing this, call one of our local plumbers to handle your sink installation.
- Check The Water Supply Leaks
If your water supply is leaking you may not notice it until water is flooding out of your cabenint causing not only a huge mess but potentail water damage! To find out if your leak is coming from your water supply, plug up your sink’s drain, then turn the water on and let it run. If there’s a leak under the kitchen sink while the water is running but not draining, then the leak is in your water supply. See if you can find the joint or pipe where the water is getting out and tighten it. If that doesn’t stop the leak you may need to replace a corroded or failed gasket in the connector.
- Inspect For A Clogged P-Trap
The P-trap is the curved section of a pipe found under the sink. Because the P-trap is out of sight, you may notice a leak right away. Its main purpose is to prevent foul smells from seeping through the drains, but it can also trap small pieces of food and gunk. When debris fills up at the P-Trap, it can cause a leak
- Check For A Corroded P-Trap
Another possible cause of a leaking P-trap is corrosion– especially if your sink consists of metal parts. If this is the case, you may need to replace the trap completely. If you don’t feel confident replace the P-Trap, or finding a replacement trap, reach out to a local plumber for plumbing repairs.
- Look For A Damaged O-Ring
Your kitchen sink is made of several different components including a screw that holds the faucet handle in place, and a small disc that is attached called the O-ring. The O-ring can wear out or become loose due to regular use, causing the faucet to leak near the handle. If the O-ring is damaged, replacing it should fix the problem.
- Check For A Worn Washer
Worn washers are among the most common causes of leaking sinks. Each time you use the faucet, the washer is pressed against the valve seat, resulting in the washers wearing out. If you have worn down washers you may start noticing leaks around the spout. Simply replacing the washer.
- See If You Have Valve Seat Corrosion
The valve seat is the connection between the spout and the faucet. When water sits around the valve seat it can begin corrode, causing the area around the spout to leak. We recommend cleaning the valve seat regularly or hiring a plumber to do so.
- Call A Professional Plumber
Many times, the best way to fix a leak under the kitchen sink is with the help of a professional plumber, as they have experience with faucets and sinks. If you can’t find the leak or you’ve tried everything you can to take care of it and it’s still there, you may need to call a plumber for leaky pipe repair. Some leaks are nearly impossible to see and/or access without professional tools.
Call Rosenthal Plumbing For Help With A Leaking Sink
If you need to fix your leaky sink and you haven’t had any luck with DIY methods, call us at Rosenthal Plumbing today. We’ll send out an experienced plumber to get to the bottom of the problem and solve it ASAP. We offer emergency plumbing for severe leaks because we know that some repairs can’t wait until the next business day. Give us a call today for help with your leaky sink or faucet!
Call Now for Leak Help!