A leaky kitchen sink is a common problem faced by most homeowners at some point. If you have dealt with this issue, you may know what to do or simply call a plumber. For those who don't have experience yet, here are some tips that may help.
Clean Up the Dripping Water
If the sink is overflowing or beneath the sink is flooded, quickly mop up or lay towels and rags to collect the water. This will help to prevent slip or fall injuries and help you see where the water is pooling the most. If you see the source of the leak, wrap cloths around it to absorb some of the spillages. Turn off the water if you are able to safely do so.
Look for the Cause
With the leak under temporary control, examine the faucet and pipes underneath the sink to see if you can see where the water is trickling from. It could be a simple faucet loose part. Larger leaks might come from a damaged or worn water hose. Sometimes one of the hoses comes loose or disconnects from the other water pipe. Keep the faucets turned off while you try to find the cause of the leak.
Don't Disconnect the Plumbing
You may want to disconnect the water pipes and explore them with a snake or bent coat hanger to try and find the leak or any backup debris that is clogging the sink and causing an overflow. Avoid taking the water lines apart unless you are familiar with how they work and know-how to reconnect them. Sometimes an eager or desperate homeowner will try to quickly find the problem by dismantling the sink's plumbing. But that can become a problem if the person isn't able to put everything together as it should be.
Contact an Expert
If you don't see the obvious source of the leak, take a picture of what you believe to be the problem area and text or email it to licensed professional plumbers for feedback. While they can't diagnose the problem by email or over the phone, they might have a bit of advice to offer or be able to come and inspect your sink to find and fix the problem.
A leaking kitchen sink can leave a huge mess in the cupboard and on the floor. Assess the problem with steps like these to get your sink back in good working condition as soon as possible.
