Are you in the kitchen and thinking, where is that water coming from? Those puddles of water under your sink may be an indicator of a leaky pipe. In many instances, something just got loose when you were putting away cleaning bottles.
How To Prevent Kitchen Faucet Leaks
Get our 5 tips on how to prevent kitchen sink leaks
Do you know which cabinet gets the most use in your kitchen? It’s typically the sink base. That large cabinet that is jammed with all sorts of stuff in the most unorganized manner. (I’m not judging). My point is the reason it’s so wide open is for all the plumbing that’s in there. Water lines, drain lines, a disposal, maybe the lines for an automatic dishwasher? And because we shove stuff in there it’s not uncommon that you can jostle a few things loose and then a leak can occur that can be had to find. Here are some tips to make sure you stay high and dry under the sink.
Empty the cabinet. I promise, you’ll find things you never thought you had under there. You’ll also find a bunch of things you can either recycle or throw out.
Use a flashlight and inspect every connection point in the water and waste lines and use your hands to physically touch them as well to feel any wet spots.
Tighten all the waste connections by hand if plastic and with a slip joint plier if metal. Do not over tighten just enough make sure things are snug, even if it’s not leaking that will ensure it won’t.
Inspect the “P” trap that’s the “J” bend under the sink. If this is metal the bottom may be discolored and actually feel soft. That part should be replaced.
Tighten all the water line connections with the proper sized wrench. Here too it’s important not to over tighten but just a snug pull to keep things sealed. A pro-tip is to use toilet paper if you suspect a leak but cannot find it. Place some around the leak point and under it on the base of the cabinet. If it drips the paper will let you know.
