Sink leaks - sometimes

19 years ago

One side of our double bowl kitchen sink leaked back in July. Once I noticed it I stopped using the sink. We just tracked down the plumber who installed it as part of our kitchen remodel (long story as to why so much time has passed)and he's coming tomorrow. I just tested the sink, and of course ,it is not leaking now!!! Does anyone know why the sink would leak then, and now after not being used for 3 months, it is not leaking? Is there any test other than running water that he could do to see if there is really a problem?

Thanks

Featured Answer

brickeyee

19 years ago

Fill both sinks as much as possible at the same time, then remove the stoppers.
Drain lines are very low pressure (just the weight of the water at the most). A full sink creates as much as the line should normally see.

Garbage disposals can also increase pressure, so run one if you have it.

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Comments (6)

pinocchio
19 years ago
ItÂs a rule of life, things only fail when the repairman is not there. Movement can explain a change in fittings. Subtle movement is caused by vibration, say, from a garbage disposer. Rest assured, it still needs fixing.

Pinoke
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jackidr
Original Author
19 years ago
Thanks for the suggestions. Still not leaking, so the plumber who didn't want to deal with this anyway, now thinks I'm crazy. Oh well, just another chapter in the book of the never ending kitchen remodel.
fqp25
19 years ago
I started out in plumbing, and I remember going out on service calls, and getting sandbagged with different problems, especially on a Friday afternoon, or Saturday. I will never forget I came out to a friend of a friend's house for a "Possible" radiator leak, and of course it didn't leak anywhere. I stayed and looked at radiators for a while just because I felt bad that she was going to pay me for nothing. Somehow, I ended up installing new license plates which came in the mail. I lost the screws in the dark and got so frustrated that I was doing this instead of anything related to plumbing, that I ended up using my cordless to drive in drywall screws into her plate bracket on her new car. As far as I know those plates are still hanging.

Your post just reminded me of that...
Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
19 years ago
A neighbor was just telling me today, that her sink drain used to leak occasionally when she poured a lot of really hot water through it. You might try that to see if you can 'get it' to leak again.

Sue
lenl
19 years ago
Since you said "one side" I assume the drain is leaking at the bottom of the sink. It sounds like the plumbers putty, if that was used, failed. If the remodeler was not very familiar with sink drain installations, there are kits that come without all the gaskets. Some people (like me) prefer to use our own. (bought separately, they are often thicker, and last longer. If the pipe coming out of the bottom of the sink drain wiggles, AT ALL, it will fail. If you can reach, or have someone else look, see if it wiggles from the top. Also, look for gook (plumbers putty) oozing from around the ring in the bottom of the sink (from the top). It took me two tries, and sanding the gunk off of my sister's kitchen sink, after her boyfriend replaced it. Ask plumber or remodeler to check the drain gaskets. If you get a funny look, call someone else.