How To Stop A Leak Under A Sink

You turn on the sink to wash a few dishes. Then, you shut off the water. Soon afterward, you hear a consistent dripping sound underneath your sink that gradually disappears. It seems like you have a leaking sink and if you don't correct the problem, the leak will possibly cause damage, attract bugs and cause a mold problem.

Stopping the Leak Temporarily

You can temporarily stop the leak with epoxy putty. Before you do this, shut off water to the sink with the water valve. This valve is usually found on the back wall of the sink or can be found directly under the sink. If you are not able to locate this valve, you can shut off the main water valve. However, this will shut off all the water throughout your home.

There will probably still be some water trapped in the nearby pipes. Therefore, you will want to turn both faucet handles all the way on to release the rest of the water. Then, locate the part of the pipe that is leaking. Wipe away excess water before applying the epoxy putty.

Preparing the Pipe

Before applying the epoxy putty, you will need to sand the area. After the area of the leak has been completely sanded, you will then need to wipe away the debris left behind before you are able to apply the putty.

Adding Epoxy Putty

Epoxy putty usually comes in a tube that you can squeeze onto the site of the leak. The putty usually comes with two different components that each have their own color and mixing both colors together will activate it. Then, press the putty onto the damaged area and give it an hour to harden.

Repairing the Sink Permanently 

After you have temporarily fixed the leak underneath your sink, you will want to consider hiring a plumber, like Rakeman Plumbing, who can come and fix your sink completely. While there are some sink repairs that you can fix yourself, you are better off hiring a professional who can also look for other problems that your sink might have.

If the leak is coming from the supply, the problem is most likely to be at one of the connectors. Many water supply connectors have washers that wear out and will need to be replaced. This can be done by unscrewing the pipe, removing the old washer and adding a new one. Also, you might simply need to tighten the compression nut, which only requires that you manually turn the nut with a wrench.