If you look under your sink, your garbage disposal or kitchen faucet, you might find water in your cabinets. Large leaks are often identified by water levels or erosion. Water may also be leaking from multiple parts.
ESTABLISHING A BASELINE
Before diagnosing a serious problem, it is essential to properly prepare the area and make a baseline. Take everything out of the sink to ensure you have enough room to see everything.
To see the sink basin, you will need to place your hands underneath the cabinet. Next, grab a flashlight. Use a dish towel, or a few paper towels, to dry everything. Use the corner of your towel to absorb water from the edges of your paper towel.
This will provide you with more information about the source. It is possible that the water is returning to the source. Next, proceed to step 2.
THE FLOW TEST
Test the drain pipes after drying everything. Slip joints that are not properly connected or loose can cause leaks in the drain lines. Let the water run in each sink basin for about 2 minutes. To check for leaks, you can use a flashlight or dry tissue paper/paper towel.
Start at the top of the connection between the pipes/disposal and the sink basin. If you wait, it may be difficult for you to spot the source of water.
THE BASIN TEST
If the regular flow test showed no obstruction, it is time to stress-test your drain pipes. Fill each basin in water and place a stopper within. This is known as the “basin testing”. Once the basins are full, take out the stoppers and let them drain simultaneously. While the sinks drain, turn on the garbage disposal.
Turn off the dishwasher if there is nothing left. Then, turn on the ” cancel/drain” button. Each dishwasher has a different way to start the drain cycle.
Water from the dishwasher will likely drain into the garbage disposal via a black or white pipe. You might also want to look at an “Air gap”.
THE FAUCET STRESS TEST
You haven’t found the source of your leak after performing the basin test, draining and inspecting for leaks. Grab your flashlight to check the shutoff valves and the supply lines once more. It’s possible that the leak wasn’t detected in the first pass because you dried everything. Look for white mineral buildup on hardware.
The faucet must be tested as rigorously as the drain pipes. Move the spout backwards and forwards. The sprayer can be pulled out multiple times to test different modes. Not all faucets indicate a leak.
WHAT’S NEXT?
If tests don’t reveal any, it may be an intermittent leak. It is better not to try to replace or guess at the parts. To cover the plumbing beneath the sink, you can use 2 to 3 baking trays. Rubber tray are also available.
Clean your sink with all cleaning products. If your baking tray or cleaning supplies are wet, you can continue to troubleshoot the problem by using the catch pan. A water alarm can be purchased. It detects any water inside the cabinet and sounds an alarm. These alarms can connect to your Wi Fi to send you an alert if the cabinet becomes wet.