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Plumbing Kitchens

Chronic leak under kitchen cabinets-faulty sink install?

2 months ago

We’ve had leaks under our sink for years.Various plumbers have came out and determined it was due to caulk failing.Recent plumber re-caulked and wondered if undercount sink was installed incorrectly.We have a double bowl (Artisian brand)undermount.
Despite him re-caulking still have leaks but it’s intermittent.
I filled both bowls and let water drain out. The right side has slight leaking over by dishwashers plumbing.(see pic)
I did the same test again but no leak.I made appointment with reputable plumber.I know when he comes out the leak will be gone again.This is driving me crazy!
Is the gap between granite and sink too wide?We measured it,gap 1/4 inch.We constantly have mildew around the caulking

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Comments (5)

jtkaybean
2 months ago
Correction: We have a Ticor undermount sink.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
2 months ago
Your gap is too wide; there should be no gap.

Disconnect the drain lines/disposal and remove the sink from the cabinet. You may have to unscrew the clips. If you can't get access to the screws, place a stiff scraper between the sink flange and the stone bottom and hammer the scraper into the screws; they will fail and the sink will drop.

Scrape the old caulk from the sink flange and stone bottom. Install a Hercules Universal Sink Harness (BB Industries) to the cabinet sides. Run a pipe clamp through a 2x4 that spans the larger bowl and the drain hole and pull the sink to within 1" of the stone bottom. Silicone the flange, tighten the clamp, position the sink for the proper reveal, tighten the HUSH, remove the clamp, spritz the squeeze-out with Windex, spit on your finger, wipe up the squeeze-out, connect the drain lines and you're done. This may be a 3-hour job the first time you do it; it takes any man of my crew just over an hour.

Without replacing your countertop, there is no other proper way to fix this. More topical silicone is useless. Your sink failed because of the clips and the fact that you have a divided sink with steel on the flat which flexed and caused the leak. A strapped divided sink cannot flex without defying the laws of physics. This repair is permanent and you will never have black/brown crud at your stone/sink flange joint again because it will never leak again.

To other readers, if you have black/brown recurring crud at your sink flange/stone bottom, your sink is leaking. If the gap were smaller it wouldn't leak; if it were larger, you could clean it with that toothbrush you've been trying. It's just the right size to allow capillary action; sucking and trapping dirty sink water. Gross. This is what it looks like under there:

In addition, a leaking sink endangers your reinforcement rod which can blow up your countertop:

Now you're getting a new sink:
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It appears that the nut expanded, not cracked that I can detect. But it will in fact shimmy down over the Spud without even turning it. I'm not sure about the general quality of plumbing supplies from Lowes and Home Depot but I can say I've never seen anything like this. The subject sink is one I replaced the basin in about 12 years ago, and I installed a Spud/nut and drain all form Home Depot. It held up well but the basket had worn out and the Spud was becoming tired looking. I looked at the selection at Lowes and found a replacement for a modest cost in "stainless steel" and with a basket that has a central bolt that threads into the Spud to close the drain when one wants to fill the sink. As posted, it started leaking because of a loose nut... the subject of this thread. I replaced it with another complete unit, and we'll see. The work involved isn't much, aside from the leaking mess which I caught before any real damage to the cabinet was done. I'm sure the replacement will work longer than I live in this house (only a few more years) - the hardware involved is not high-tech metallurgy, the failed unit may have had a manufacturing defect/size that worked well enough for me to install it an not notice, but would fail over a short period of time.
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PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
2 months ago
jtkaybean
2 months ago
Joseph Corlett, LLC I really appreciate you responding and just read through all your valuable posts!What a asset you are to Houzz.
Yes,I will get new countertops and sink.I hated that 2 bowl one anyhow lol.My plan is to get the lower profile apron,1 bowl.I have a bad back so might be best for me.
I will make sure we hire a great fabricator.Thanks again John!
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
2 months ago
"What a asset you are to Houzz."

Thanks, but I'm sure that's ^ debatable to some here. lol.

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