Introduction
Imagine this.
You are coming home after a hard day of work and you see water all over your kitchen floor.
Immediately, your mind races back to the time when your roommate told you that something is wrong with the kitchen sink or drain pipe and you need to take care of it.
The thing is that you forgot to call plumbing services back then and now your entire kitchen is flooded with water!
Not only are you looking at extensive plumbing repair costs, but have to deal with the anger and rage of the roommate as well. Ouch!
Take a minute to understand what your kitchen sink goes through on a typical day.
You wash tons of utensils every single day, get glasses of water that the sink drains, and throw in everything from small scraps of left-over food to pet hair.
Whenever you have a small leak or an outright drain pipe burst in the kitchen, you are dealing with a situation that requires immediate intervention. In this resource article, we are going to cover the following-
- Offer you a step-by-step guide on how to fix a leak under your kitchen sink
- List reasons or causes that have led to the leak in the kitchen sink
- Tips that can help you choose the best plumbing services for your drainage needs
- The Final Takeaway
Step-By-Step Guide on How to Fix a Leak Under Your Kitchen Sink
Let us turn our attention to how you can do a quick DIY job and fix the leak under your kitchen sink and become a superhero in front of your roommate.
Step 1: Find out the extent of the problem after an assessment
Finding out whether or not there is a problem can be easily presented when you find a puddle of water on the kitchen floor. You need to figure out how the water has accumulated by looking right above the puddle. In most instances, this will lead you to a drainpipe and if the leak is big enough, you will see droplets of water leaking from a specific point.
Step 2: Understand what type of kitchen leak you are suffering from
There might be multiple reasons that can lead to your kitchen sink leaking. If there is an issue with a pressurized water source, your entire kitchen will be inundated. In this case, you need to call for plumbing services. In other cases, check whether there is a problem with the seal. You might also get a leak if the drainpipe gets old and cracks up at some point.
Step 3: Try to fix the problem of the leaking kitchen sink
If you are good with tools and understand how general things work, this should not be a difficult fix for you. You need to either replace the drain pipe seal or, the faucet. If the drain leaks, then you need to look at the gasket and remove it. If there is a problem with the cracking open of the pipe, make sure that you take everything apart and put it back together.
In most instances, you will be able to get a seal, a gasket, or even a drain pipe at your local hardware store. In terms of the tools, a set of pliers, nuts, screws, adhesive, and plaster putty is all that you need to fix the leak.
Probable Reasons that are Causing the Kitchen Sink to Leak
In this section, we are going to list down the probable reasons why your kitchen sink is leaking. While we have listed down some of them in the last section, we are going to offer a far more detailed analysis here-
- Drain Leak
In fifty percent of all cases, it is a problem with the drain. There are two things that usually go wrong. Either the putty that connects the drain to the pipes comes off because of age, wear and tear. Or, the nuts that connect the drain to the pipes become loose. You can remedy this situation with a set of pliers and tighten the same. This will help address your leaks.
- Faucet Leak
This is an easy problem to solve. You can identify it with water puddles every time you turn the faucet. While faucet leaks can be easily spotted when they are on the surface, it is difficult to spot them when they are below the cabinet. If you want to fix a faucet leak, you need to replace the gasket of the washers. This will help you with the faucet leaks.
- Blocked P-Trap
If you look under your kitchen cabinet, you will see a pipe that bends at a certain place. The main purpose of a P-Trap is to prevent foul smells and odors that come from the drain pipe. Over a period, debris, food items, and other wastages clog the P-Trap. If the congestion is severe, it leads to leaks. You need to replace the P-Trap and remove the wastages manually.
- Cracked or Corroded Drain Pipe
Metal drainpipes tend to suffer from corrosion after extensive usage. This is natural. Every drain pipe, whether it is made from PVC or metal has a shelf life. If it is corroded, it tends to crack and this is what releases the water and spills it out onto the kitchen cabinets and floor. Check for cracks on the pipes and run down to the hardware store to get a new one.
- Water Supply Leaks
Every kitchen sink has two to three water supply lines (the extra one if you have a sprayer). Since they are located out of sight, it becomes difficult to locate them as the source of the leak. However, you simply need to spot a puddle in your kitchen cabinet. In most cases, there is a problem with the gasket or the connecting line, which a range and screws can easily fix.
Additionally, some other causes of kitchen sink leaks are damaged O-Rings, destroyed washers, or even a rusted valve seat that connects the faucet to the water connection point.
Top Tips to Help Choose a Credible Plumbing Service
While you might be someone that is great with household tools, at times, you will need expert intervention and help from plumbing services to help you with problems.
If you are worried about plumbing repair costs, we are going to help you with great tips that can help you choose the best plumbing services.
- Look for credentials
Almost all credible plumbers and plumbing services need to have licenses and certifications to operate in the various states. The first thing you should look for is official credentials. If you are working with licensed plumbers, you know that they are experts and experienced to handle whatever type of plumbing problems you throw at them.
- Compare costs and quotations
Many of us are under the impression that plumbing repair costs are astronomical. That is not the case. When you are dealing with experienced and reputed plumbing services, you will be able to get affordable and quality services. To do this, make sure that you do thorough research, compare quotations and evaluate options that feel financially feasible in nature.
- Check whether they have insurance or not
While plumbing is not such a dangerous job, there are things that can go wrong and someone can get hurt. If the plumbing service does not offer or cover its employees with insurance, you can be liable to pay for the damages. This is why checking for insurance is essential as you do not want to get into any trouble in the event there is an accident.
- Ask for references that reflect the experience
The best plumbing services make it a point to highlight positive customer testimonials on their websites and GMB pages. Make sure that you go through all the reviews and ratings and figure out the professionalism and levels of expertise that the company has. You can also ask them for past client references and speak to people to know more about their levels of service.
- Look for working hours and whether they offer emergency assistance
There might be problems at odd hours where you would need plumbing service assistance. This is why, if you want to sign on with a plumbing services company for the long run, you should have an idea about their working hours and whether or not, they offer 24×7 emergency assistance. Things can go wrong at any given time and you cannot afford to wait until then.
The Final Takeaway
Damaged drain pipes or a leaking kitchen sink can get on your nerves. It is one of those irritating things that cause tons of frustration. By following the points mentioned in the article, you can rest assured that you will be properly equipped to deal with any kitchen sink issues that might arise in the future. If you have any more doubts or questions, which you would like us to address on drain pipes, plumbing repair costs, or hiring a plumber, please write in to us in the comments section below.