No matter how meticulous you are with your garbage disposal maintenance, leaks tend to sneak in one way or the other. A leak can occur from three places: the bottom, pipe connections, or the top.
Tracing the Source of the Leak
The sight of a pool of water under your sink may send you into a frenzy, but don’t call the plumber right away. You can trace the source of the leak yourself, and we’ll tell you how. But first, let’s dissect the anatomy of your garbage disposal:
- Sink flange- the connection point of your sink drain’s bottom and the disposal’s top
- Drainpipe- a metal or plastic pipe for draining food and water away
- Dishwasher connection- a rubber hose on the side of your disposal
- Garbage disposal-the main thing
Now, if you wish to identify the source, you need to conduct a little test. First, dry the outside of the flange and disposal so you can detect new moisture easily. Once you complete the task, block your sink drain with a stopper. Then, fill several inches of water in the sink.
You will then have to keep a firm eye on the disposal under the sink, waiting to see if an active dripping occurs. If it does, you know that the problem lies in the sink flange, the leak source. But what happens if it remains dry?
Well, your next step would be to figure out if the water is leaking from the drainpipe, dishwasher hose, or another part of your disposal. For this, you will first have to undo the drain plug from your sink and then observe the disposal closely again.
Once you trace the root cause, you will have to decide on a fix for the problem, depending on its origin. You may also trace the leak by running a light-colored cloth or rag over your garbage disposal unit.
When you glide the rag over the source of the leak, the dyed water will help you catch the culprit area right away. If you are still unable to catch the leak immediately, you undo the sink stopper, pour some more dyed water down your sink drain, and then look for leaks again.
When leaks occur on the top of the disposal, they show themselves more easily when you plus your sink. The bottom and side leaks, on the other hand, are more apparent when you unplug your sink.
The Fix
Fixing leaking disposal is usually not a complex project. In case you’re not confident in accomplishing the task yourself, you can contact Elite Plumbing and Heating in Stoneham, MA to help identify and repair your leaking unit. We’re the best experts for all plumbing projects. Contact us today by giving us a call at 781-438-2997 or by filling out a contact form.
