Leaking pipe under the sink

Belenus

dhokes said:...

So the next question is what would have caused it to loosen? I moved into a new build just over 2 years ago so the piping should have lasted until now?

Plastic plumbing fittings can move over time due to expansion and contraction with hot and cold water passing through or vibration from the dishwasher discharge etc.

Perhaps it wasn't tightened up enough when installed two years ago and has slowly loosened enough to start leaking.

neilmcl

The fact that it's discoloured like it is would suggest a build of gunk in there too which doesn't help. As advised you'd been better off loosening it off altogether and give a goof clean before tightening it back up again.

Jeepers_Creepers

NO, Neil, NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Dhokes - move away from the sink. Slowly... That's it - close the cupboard door. Well done.

Now, go to bed. 


:-)

Mutton_Geoff

dhokes said:

Thanks for all the posts. I think I've stopped the leak by tightening the top joint where there's the brown stains.

So the next question is what would have caused it to loosen? I moved into a new build just over 2 years ago so the piping should have lasted until now?

Expansion and contraction due to hot water flowing through it and not being done up tight enough in the first place. Typical new build rush to complete.

ic

More likely its not to do with the tightness of the joints, but rather the direction of the rubber ring (which has a bevelled edge and needs to point in the correct direction) and the fibre washer that pushes it.  From my own experience (leak from bathroom to the kitchen) plumbers ignore this important detail and just chuck it together.

See from 45 seconds in on this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV17LhM6WtI&ab_channel=POUSEaroundtheHOUSE he talks about the taper.  Simple fix if wrong, and FREE!