Roy Alex
Are you worried about your kitchen sink leakage? We totally understand that a leaking sink can lower your spirits on a refreshing day! Unfortunately, it’s a common problem every homeowner faces now and then. However, we have a detailed solution for you. Our comprehensive guide about all types of sink leakage will surely guide you on how to fix your leaky kitchen sink.
A leaking kitchen sink makes your kitchen susceptible to damage, leading to bacterial and mold growths. Moreover, excess leakage may also leave you with insane water bills. Therefore, a leaky sink requires prompt attention.
While some of the sink leakages may resolve with minimal changes, others may require professional assistance. So, first, you should identify the cause of your kitchen sink leakage. Our article will definitely help you decide that your problem is worth doing yourself or requires a call to a professional plumber.
Points to Remember:
- Make sure to get plenty of light with you, as the under-sink area usually lacks light. You can get a torch for this purpose.
- Make sure to wear goggles and gloves while working under your sink. Moreover, do not keep any electrical appliances with you during your work.
Tools Required to Fix Kitchen Sink Leakage
- Wrenches: adjustable wrench, pipe wrench, basin wrench, and faucet wrench.
- Crimpers
- Pipe tools: press-fitting systems, pliers, and soldering iron.
- Cleaning tools
Types of Kitchen Sink Leakages
You need to know about the types of kitchen sink leakages, in order to detect the cause of your sink leakage.
- Supply connection leaks
- Faucet leaks
- Drain leaks
- Disposal leaks
- P trap leaks
- Damaged pipes leaks
- Damaged washers and corroded valve seat leakage
- Broken RO system (under sink water filter leakage)
Some leakages can be detected at a single glance. Others may require some time to get identified. However, once you know the reason for the leakage, you can safely resolve it yourself. Now, we will guide you about each leakage type and easy solutions to resolve the issue.
Recommended Reading: Types of Kitchen Sinks – Based on Installation and Configuration
1. Supply line Leaks
A kitchen sink generally has two main supplies; cold water supply and hot water supply. These lines are located under the sink. Any of these connections can break, rust, or corrode, thereby resulting in water leakage.
How to Detect Supply Line Leaks?
To locate a water supply leakage, you need to turn on the faucet and plug the drain. If you notice water dripping under the sink, it is most probably a leakage in the water supply connection even when it is not draining. Moreover, wiping the connection with a dry tissue paper may also help you know whether the leakage is occurring in the supply line or not.
Supply connection leaks are usually caused due to a corroded or failed gasket. (A gasket is a rubber ring or sealer between two pipes or parts)
How to Fix Supply Line Leakage?
You can easily fix such leaks by replacing gaskets or tightening the connections using a pipe wrench. For narrow pipes, we recommend you to use a plier since it would be more suitable.
2. Faucet Leaks (O-ring Leaks)
A loose faucet connection may also cause leakage under the kitchen sink. This may cause water to drip under the sink, which might lead to the accumulation of water at the base of your faucet.
A weathered O-ring may also lead to a faucet leak. For your reference, an o-ring is a small, disc-shaped screw that holds the faucet handle in place. Due to constant usage, the o-ring may become loose or damaged. This ultimately leads to a water leak lear the faucet handle.
How to Detect a Faucet Leak or O-ring Leaks?
You can detect a faucet leak by simply turning on the water. If the water pool appears after turning on the faucet, it can be a faucet leak. Sometimes, faucet leaks may also occur under the sink.
Furthermore, if the water is leaking near the faucet handle, a damaged or loose o-ring might be causing the problem.
How to Fix or O-ring Leakage?
Faucet leaks can be resolved by replacing gaskets and washers that might have damaged for some reason. You can easily fix most faucet leaks by changing gaskets and washers. However, some faucet leaks may also require replacing the entire faucet.
O-ring leaks can be easily fixed by replacing the faucet O-ring. You can use a faucet key for this purpose.
3. Drain Leaks
Drain leaks are the most common type of kitchen sink leaks. These leaks occur around the drain pipe.
Drain leaks happen due to corrosion, loose joint nuts, and blockages. Moreover, if the drain is not sealed with a good quality plumber putty or the putty has been weathered over time, it may cause kitchen sink leakage.
A drain may also leak if it is too old.
How to Detect Drain Leaks?
To check for a drain leak, let the water flow through your faucet and look under your sink while the water is draining. If you see some water leakage near the slip joints of the drainpipe, the drain leak is the problem.
How to Fix Drain Leakage?
You can fix a drain leak by tightening the nuts and joints and removing any blockage in it. A pipe wrench is the best tool to use for this. However, we would suggest using an adjustable wrench if your nuts and fittings are hexagonal.
You can buy plumbing-grade putty at a local store for re-sealing the drain. You have to remove the drain and re-seal it using the plumber’s putty and attach the drain securely in its place.
In case of worn-out drains, you should seek professional help for drain replacement.
4. Disposal Leaks
A disposal sink flange may cause water to drip through it. Moreover, disposal leaks can also be caused by loose screws, clamps, and defective gaskets in the drain lines connected to the disposal.
How to Detect Disposal Leaks?
Fill your sink with water and check below the sink at the disposal flange. If water is leaking at this point, your kitchen sink leakage is surely due to a disposal leak.
How to Fix Disposal Leakage?
You can tighten the screws or replace gaskets to fix a disposal leak. However, we would recommend you contact a professional, as disposals are tricky to handle.
Reading: Best Kitchen Sinks Brands – Top Manufacturers List and Review
5. P-trap leaks
Have you ever noticed the curved part of your sink plumbing below your kitchen sink? This is known as the P-trap. A P-trap is meant to prevent unwanted smells from escaping the drains.
Over time, food particles and waste accumulates in the P-trap. This ultimately causes blockage in the P-trap, thus, resulting in the sink leakage.
How to Detect a P-trap Leak?
If you notice a sewer order emitting from your sink, even if it has not been used in a while, most probably, your P-trap is blocked.
How to Fix P-trap Leaks?
For fixing a P-trap leak, you will have to clean it after detaching it with the help of a wrench.
You might need to replace your P-trap if it is corroded.
6. Damaged Pipes
A damaged pipe is the most serious issue behind a kitchen sink leakage. Sewage pipes may get damaged over time, thereby constructing the water flow through them. This results in clogged pipes and water leaks under the sink.
How to Detect it?
Look for any stains on the wall behind your kitchen sink. If some stains are appearing, damaged pipes are causing the problem.
How to Fix Damaged Pipe Leaks?
Though very rare, this might happen. However, damaged pipes may need a professional for replacement. You can make the problem worse by messing with the pipes.
7. Damaged washers and Corroded Valve seats
Washers undergo friction whenever you use the faucet, as they are pressed against the valve seat. Constant usage may cause leakage around them. If you have a compression faucet, this might be the most common cause of your sink leak.
A valve seat connects the spout and the faucet. If the valve seat corrodes due to the accumulation of water, sink leakage may occur.
How to Detect it?
If the leakage is occurring around the spout, it is most probably due to a worn-out washer.
How to Fix Damaged Washers and Corroded Valve Seats Leaks?
You can replace the washer to resolve the leakage. Make sure to clean valve seats regularly to avoid corrosion in them.
Recommended Reading: How to clean sink and drain | top cleaning hacks
8. Broken Reverse Osmosis System
A Reverse Osmosis system filters water in the most inexpensive way. Moreover, they require little maintenance. However, these systems may break in some cases, causing pools of water on your kitchen floor and in the cabinets.
How to detect it?
Look for water leaks in hoses that connect the system to your sink. You can also look for such leaks in the refrigerator’s water dispenser or ice maker.
How to Fix Broken Reverse Osmosis System Leaks?
Such types of leaks cannot be easily resolved. If you have identified a broken RO system, you should immediately seek professional help.
Final Verdict
Kitchen sink leakages are easy to fix if you know how to detect them. You need some basic knowledge of tools to fix a leaky kitchen sink. Loose washers and weathered plumbing are two major culprits of kitchen sink leakage.
Once you detect any type of water leakage in your sink, you should immediately attend to avoid the problem from getting worse.
Although kitchen sink leaks are a common issue, you can fix yourself using some handy tools and basic knowledge.
However, sometimes the cause of leakage might be a complex one. It would be best if you never hesitated to contact a professional to deal with the problem.
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