Any worries with a previously leaking sink setup?

[y_p_w]

My dad wanted me to come over to my parents' place to see what was up with leaking under the sink. They have a two sink setup where the primary feeds a disposal. Years ago I helped take it apart where there was pitch black biofilm in the horizontal brass tube that was also developing a leak. They had it replaced with all polypro tubing.

I'm not quite sure how the tubing exits the disposal. There's a screwed on plate there and the tubing exits it.

When I got there today, my mom said the leak was over. But I felt all the nuts and a couple of them were pretty looose. I know that over-tightening them can cause leaks when the washers are over-compressed, but I think that's with soft rubber and not if it's a hard plastic washer. I think it's good for now, but I'm still a bit worried it might still leak.

 

[burbguy82]

I'm not quite sure how the tubing exits the disposal. There's a screwed on plate there and the tubing exits it.

The piece of tubular piping exiting the disposal, has a flange, which is hidden by the plate you speak of. The gasket is sealed by compression of the gasket, by the plate.

The seal is made with the screws being fully bottomed out.......you should see no gap at the disposal and the metal piece.

 

[y_p_w]

The piece of tubular piping exiting the disposal, has a flange, which is hidden by the plate you speak of. The gasket is sealed by compression of the gasket, by the plate.

The seal is made with the screws being fully bottomed out.......you should see no gap at the disposal and the metal piece.

I ended up taking everything apart and figured out what was in there. It had a square washer and was pretty simple.

I was taking everything apart since I figured there was lots of drain debris. Found a decent layer of biofilm in the horizontal pipe. A thin layer in the P-trap. But whoever installed it (wasn’t my dad or myself) used a flexible accordion-style tube from the P-trap to the wall. And once I had it apart I pointed a light and saw about half that flexible tube was blocked by a FOG biofilm, I haven’t been able to come by often enough for drain treatments, and my parents don’t necessarily understand leaving it alone when I dump something in. I tried scraping out what I could with a toothbrush.

Putting it back was a huge pain too. The strainer connection is a zinc nut that’s degraded and I needed PFTE tape to get a somewhat tight connection. But it needs a new one which I’ll do later. The washer to the flexible tube was all kinds of messed up. I’m not even sure how it sealed at all. It was all deformed, but I got some Oatey 1-1/2” beveled washers and one just pushed right into the end of the flexible tube where it clearly wasn't going to seal anything. I had an flange washer left over and jammed it in there where there’s a seal, although I suspect it’s just a hack on my part. But I’m not even sure how the old beveled washer did anything at all. Or maybe I needed to slip it over the tube first.

Other than replacing the zinc nut, I’m just hoping everything holds. I might help them re-do the flexible piece with something better.

 

[burbguy82]

I suggest flushing all disposals once per week....following this procedure:

1. introduce dish soap directly in the disposal
2. plug compartment which has the disposal
3. fill sink with hot water
4. turn on disposal
5. unplug sink


the above will extend the life of the disposal and the kitchen drain....and save 1000s in the future.


also, once a month, pour boiling water down the drain,

 

[y_p_w]

I suggest flushing all disposals once per week....following this procedure:

1. introduce dish soap directly in the disposal
2. plug compartment which has the disposal
3. fill sink with hot water
4. turn on disposal
5. unplug sink


the above will extend the life of the disposal and the kitchen drain....and save 1000s in the future.


also, once a month, pour boiling water down the drain,

They rarely use the disposal. It’s just there. But that’s where they wash their greasy pots, pans, and dishes.

I ended up getting a 1-1/2” poly J bend at Ace for $4.49 and tax. Probably doesn’t need a new pipe, but it came with two poly nuts with nylon beveled washers. Says K on the pipe, should should be Kenney, which is owned by Oatey and still American made.

I just need the nuts. One to connect to the strainer. At HD they had single bags of a poly nut with a rubber beveled washer for more than $3 each. The shelf labels included a 5 pack for about $8 but I didn’t see any.

Not sure if rubber is better than nylon. Over the years I’ve found quite a few rubber gaskets that weren’t seated right and not reusable or at least questionable to reuse. But I wonder how well nylon seals. I still have new or reusable rubber beveled gaskets.

 

[burbguy82]

They rarely use the disposal. It’s just there. But that’s where they wash their greasy pots, pans, and dishes

sure they might not turn it on, but they use its drain....my above suggestion stands.

rarely using is also a problem.....like a car

 

[Nukeman7]

They rarely use the disposal. It’s just there. But that’s where they wash their greasy pots, pans, and dishes.

I ended up getting a 1-1/2” poly J bend at Ace for $4.49 and tax. Probably doesn’t need a new pipe, but it came with two poly nuts with nylon beveled washers. Says K on the pipe, should should be Kenney, which is owned by Oatey and still American made.

The PlumbPak-Keeney/Oatey pipes are better than the other similar brands.

I just need the nuts. One to connect to the strainer. At HD they had single bags of a poly nut with a rubber beveled washer for more than $3 each. The shelf labels included a 5 pack for about $8 but I didn’t see any.

Not sure if rubber is better than nylon. Over the years I’ve found quite a few rubber gaskets that weren’t seated right and not reusable or at least questionable to reuse. But I wonder how well nylon seals. I still have new or reusable rubber beveled gaskets.

My professional supply house adamantly told me to use the red rubber gaskets instead of the white nylon washers if I didn't want it to leak. They said plumbing contractors throw away the nylon washer gaskets and replace them with the red rubber ones to avoid callbacks.

 

[STL_G8GT]

I usually use nylon with PVC, and the rubber ones if it's a brass or chrome tailpiece.

Get rid of the accordion piece if at all possible.

One thing that helps me is I snug up all the nuts then run HOT water through the sink... As the PVC traps and piping get hot, it gets softer, expands, etc - at that point I re-snug and call it good.

 

[y_p_w]

They rarely use the disposal. It’s just there. But that’s where they wash their greasy pots, pans, and dishes.

I ended up getting a 1-1/2” poly J bend at Ace for $4.49 and tax. Probably doesn’t need a new pipe, but it came with two poly nuts with nylon beveled washers. Says K on the pipe, should should be Kenney, which is owned by Oatey and still American made.

I just need the nuts. One to connect to the strainer. At HD they had single bags of a poly nut with a rubber beveled washer for more than $3 each. The shelf labels included a 5 pack for about $8 but I didn’t see any.

Not sure if rubber is better than nylon. Over the years I’ve found quite a few rubber gaskets that weren’t seated right and not reusable or at least questionable to reuse. But I wonder how well nylon seals. I still have new or reusable rubber beveled gaskets.

Correction, Keeney.

 

[y_p_w]

Get rid of the accordion piece if at all possible.

It was there to deal with the level of the trap. Not sure how to re-do it. I think it was installed to avoid dealing with some weird angles along with a height deifference of about an inch higher to the wall outlet.

And I hate zinc nuts. I’ve used brass nuts, although those might be overkill. But this zinc nut connecting to the strainer was covered in white stuff on the threads, which had breaks in them. Plastic nuts don’t require pliers and don’t corrode like that, although I’ve had threads strip.