Imagine coming home after a long day to find water pooling under your kitchen or bathroom sink. A leaking sink isn’t only frustrating but the dripping water can cause severe damage to your home structures and fittings. If left unattended, mold growth from excess moisture can lead to dangerous health hazards, including asthma attacks.
Besides household damages and health hazards, sink leaks can be costly as they spike your water bill. Fortunately, most sink leaks are easy to fix without involving a plumber. But, before trying to fix a leaking sink, it is important to know the root cause of the leak to avoid repeated repairs.
Without the necessary experience, it can be hard and frustrating trying to get to the root cause of a sink leak. That’s why we have put together this simple guide to help you understand why your sink may be leaking and the steps you can take to fix it.
Common Causes of Sink Leaks
All sink leaks are not the same and what may cause a leak today may not be what causes a leak next month. But, there are some common causes of sink leaks, including:
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Faulty Faucets
A faulty faucet is one of the leading causes of sink leaks. Faucet leaks are often easy to identify as they involve a continuous dripping of water and in some instances a pool of water at the base of the faucet. However, the water drips can also be underneath the sink making it hard to identify.
A faucet leak can either be continuous or temporary. A continuous leak occurs even when a faucet is turned off while a temporary leak occurs only when a faucet is in use. In most cases, faulty leaks are due to worn-out parts, including worn-out valves, cartridges, O-rings, and washers.
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Loose or Damaged Pipe Connections
Loose pipe connections often lead to water supply leaks. Unlike faulty faucets, water supply leaks are hard to identify or notice as they occur under the sink. The leaks are often due to pipe connections loosening over time. Unfortunately, many homeowners only notice loose connections when the damage to their home fittings has already occurred.
It is important to keep checking under your sink for potential leaks, especially if you notice slow water in the tap. Poor plumbing is the main cause of loose or damaged pipe connections. It is advisable to let a trusted and skilled plumber do your kitchen or bathroom initial plumbing and repairs.
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Clogged or Damaged P-Trap
The P-trap is the curved part of the pipe under your sink. It is an important part of the plumbing system as it helps to drain wastewater. Since the P-trap is under the sink and out of sight, a leak can go unnoticed until it has caused damage or there is a foul smell.
The P-trap curved design allows it to always have some water hence it is prone to leaking and trapping small debris that can clog it. However, the main causes of clogged P-trap are poor installation and corrosion.
You can identify a P-trap clog through puddles of water on the floor under your sink or if you notice a foul smell around the area. However, it can be hard to identify the root cause of a P-trap leak, whether it is due to a clog or the pipe section being damaged. Thus, you should contact a professional plumber to help you locate and fix the problem.
DIY Fixes for Leaking Sinks
Some sink leaks are easy to fix and you do it yourself. However, you should have some basic plumbing tools for DIY repairs. Some of the tools you should have include a basin wrench, pipe wrench, adjustable wrench, plumber’s putty, plumber’s tape, and a plunger.
Besides the basic tools, you may also need protective glasses and gloves, a bucket, and some cloth or kitchen towels for the DIY sink fixes.
Here are some basic fixes for common sink leak problems.
- Fixing faulty faucets can involve replacing the worn-out parts, including O-rings, seals, cartridges, and valves depending on whether the leak is temporary or continuous. For instance, to replace the O-ring, you need to remove the faucet handle and the stem. Then reassemble the faucet after replacing the old ring with the new one.
Follow similar instructions to replace other components of the faucet. But, if there are still leaks after replacing worn-out components, you should consider replacing the entire faucet.
- Fixing loose or damaged pipe connections often involves tightening the connections, especially if the leak is at a pipe joint. If there is still a leak even after tightening, the pipe may be cracked or damaged. In this case, you need to replace the pipe.
- Fixing a clogged or damaged P-trap may be as simple as removing and cleaning the tube. However, if the P-trap is still leaking after the cleaning and putting it back, it may be damaged. In this case, you may need to replace the entire P-trap.
When to Call a Marana Professional Plumber
While you can fix most sink leak problems by yourself, you may need to call a skilled plumber to help you fix some issues. For instance, the faulty faucet or loose pipe connection may persist even after trying to fix it. A persistent leak may indicate an underlying issue requiring specialized tools and skills to fix.
Even though DIY plumbing fixes are inexpensive, they can be costly in the long run. Without the necessary skills or the right tools, you might damage some plumbing fixtures. For instance, you may damage a functional faucet while fixing a leaking drain pipe and end up needing to replace the faucet.
Hiring our professional plumbers at Curtis Plumbing for your plumbing installations and repairs is helpful as we are skilled, experienced, and have the right tools for the job. We also provide long-term solutions, including plumbing inspections to help you save time and money.
We Are Here for You!
Even without plumbing experience, you can fix leaky sinks by yourself. The tips we’ve provided in this article will help you identify the problem and fix it. But, if you still can’t fix your leaky kitchen or bathroom sink, don’t worry. Contact our Marana plumbing experts at Curtis Plumbing for efficient, inexpensive, and time-saving repairs.
