You use your sink every day for washing dishes and food and for keeping your hands clean. Most folks take for granted that the sink will always work… until something goes wrong. These five sink plumbing problems are inconvenient, but they’re certainly not uncommon.
Clogged Kitchen Faucet
Have you noticed increasingly low water pressure from your kitchen faucet? Does it occur for both cold and hot water? This is a common symptom of a clogged aerator. The aerator is the piece at the very end of the faucet where the water comes out. Over time, calcium and other minerals build up in the aerator, making it difficult for water to flow with the pressure it once did. The aerator needs to either be cleaned, or, if the mineral deposits are too thick, replaced.
Leaking Kitchen Faucet
As with any set of moving parts, extended use will eventually wear the parts down. If you notice leaking from the faucet it’s time to check the washers inside the unit. The issue may be with the aerator–the piece at the end of the faucet from which the water flows. If the faucet still leaks, there could be a problem with erosion of the plastic or rubber seals. All of these are tricky, so we recommend calling CW Service Pros to help.
Leaky Sink Drain Basket
Your sink’s drain basket is the filter in the sink drain that traps debris, allowing water to flow through. Leaking under the sink may be caused by a bad seal (drying, cracking, or crumbling) between the sink and the drain basket. A new drain basket might be the best option.
Broken Garbage Disposal
If the disposal simply isn’t working at all, the putty placed at the point where the disposal fits into the sink may be bad. If the blades of your disposal aren’t spinning, the motor might be the issue–or it could be that no power is reaching the machinery, and something is wrong with the electric switch. And if you smell something rotten, the problem could be that food particles haven’t been thoroughly flushed out of your sink’s pipes.
Broken Drain Piping
If you notice your water pressure has decreased, there could be cracks in your drain pipes; studying the pipes as you run water through the sink can help you to pinpoint where the cracks are. In addition, drain piping often becomes corroded over time; corroded drain piping can easily break apart under the sink or even where it attaches at the ground, so stay diligent.
It’s usually easy to tell when there’s a problem with your sink, but don’t ignore the issue. A professional plumber can fix the problem and help the water flow freely once again.