Water pooling under the kitchen sink

Kitchen · Plumbing

알린 내용: A slow drip from the curved pipe under the sink; the cabinet floor is damp and a bucket fills about an inch overnight.

가장 가능성 있는 원인

Most likely a worn P-trap slip-joint washer or a loose compression nut. This is the single most common under-sink leak — and one of the few plumbing jobs that is genuinely DIY-friendly: no soldering, no supply-line pressure once the valves are off.

결정

Do it yourself. Parts are under $20 and the job takes about half an hour.

미리보기입니다. 사진은 올라가지 않고, 서버에서 진단도 하지 않습니다.

직접 하기

$10–$25 in parts · 30–45 minutes

시작 전 — 안전 점검

• Confirm the leak has not reached any outlet, cord, or appliance under the sink. If water is touching anything electrical, do not reach in — stop and call a pro.
• Check that both shut-off valves turn by hand. A valve that is stuck, crumbling, or already leaking is on the pressurized supply side — stop here; replacing it is a plumber job.
• If the leak is getting worse quickly, or the cabinet floor feels soft, swollen, or rotten, skip the DIY steps and call a plumber.

1Turn both shut-off valves under the sink clockwise until they stop. Run the faucet to confirm the water is off.
2Put a bucket under the P-trap (the U-shaped pipe) and loosen the two big plastic nuts by hand — expect a cup or two of water.
3Slide the trap off. Check the thin beveled washers on each joint; a cracked or flattened washer is almost always the culprit.
4Take the old washer to the hardware store and match it exactly (1-1/2 in is standard for kitchen sinks). Replace both washers while you're in there.
5Reassemble hand-tight, then a quarter-turn more with pliers — no more. Overtightening cracks the nuts.
6Turn the water back on, run the faucet for two minutes, and feel every joint with a dry paper towel. Any dampness means reseat that joint.

도구와 부품

• Bucket
• Slip-joint pliers
• Replacement P-trap washer kit (1-1/2 in)
• Paper towels
• Flashlight

안전 선

• Shut the water off first — always. If a shut-off valve itself leaks or won't turn, stop: that valve is on the pressurized supply side and is a plumber job.
• No chemicals needed. Skip drain cleaner for a leak — it isn't a clog problem.

이때는 멈추고 전문가를 부르세요… Call a plumber instead if: the leak is at the shut-off valve or the wall stub-out, you see mold or cabinet rot spreading, or the drain line itself is cracked. Austin plumbers typically charge $150–$300 for a trap replacement visit (sample range).

가격 범위는 이 미리보기용 오스틴 예시 데이터입니다(예시 수치, 2026년 10월 기준).

안내일 뿐입니다. 확신이 없으면 면허 있는 전문가를 부르는 것도 결정입니다.