Plumbing Advice Needed

[BleedingBlue]

We purchased our home about a year ago and today we noticed a large leak from the Ptrap. Based on the cabinet floor it has been slowly leaking for a while.

It it leaking from the bottom right nut on the Ptrap. I tried to tighten the old Ptrap as well as buy a new Ptrap with new nuts/washers, but it still leaks.

I can also just pull the Ptrap off with my hands with minimal effort ( it just slides right off) even if then nut it really tight. I'm assuming this isn't normal.

Any ideas?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[BillK]

Blue,
The vertical pipe on the right looks like it is going into the trap at an angle ? Might be the picture. Seems like you could eliminate some pieces with a shorter trap. That one joint is in a bad place, always under water ? Can you eliminate it with a straight joint glued into the pipe ?

 

[jd_1138]

Yeah that's a lot of water weight and hydrostatic pressure, so water gets pushed out of that nut/fitting.

 

[BleedingBlue]

So you think if I shorten the piping it will fix the issue? Given the location/height of the drain the Ptrap will always be full of a decent amount of water


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[AnthonyJ124]

I'm not a plumber, but I'd be tempted to trim the tailpieces from the sinks and move the horizontal run that connects the two sinks up- as long as there isn't a disposal on the left hand sink.

Bring that connector up and you can bring the trap up as well and minimize how much water you are trapping.

 

[BleedingBlue]

I'm not a plumber, but I'd be tempted to trim the tailpieces from the sinks and move the horizontal run that connects the two sinks up- as long as there isn't a disposal on the left hand sink.

Bring that connector up and you can bring the trap up as well and minimize how much water you are trapping.

There is a disposer on the left, so that pipe is as high as it can go.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sixty4]

Reason why the bottom nut pulls off is because it's meant to be a ground joint connection, not one that takes a poly washer (usually). I would back the nut off leave the poly washer in place and wrap some teflon tape around it.

 

[BleedingBlue]

Reason why the bottom nut pulls off is because it's a ground joint connection, not one that takes a poly washer.

Is that the incorrect connection for this application or do I just need a new part?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sixty4]

Is that the incorrect connection for this application or do I just need a new part?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

On the right hand lower nut does the tailpiece fit inside like a socket?

 

[BleedingBlue]

On the right hand lower nut does the tailpiece fit inside like a socket?

Yes and it has quite a but of wiggle room


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dark Horse]

Disposal was a retrofit and the drain line in the wall is too high.
They make a reverse "J" bend for the trap. Your local plumbing supply might have one of the shelf. only downside is they have very little "wiggle" room maybe 1/2 so any trimming has to be correct.

The angle of the pic might be deceiving but it looks like you might be able to get a U bend repair p-trap to work.

 

[sixty4]

Yes and it has quite a but of wiggle room


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There should be no wiggle room with the nut and washer in place. Try wrapping some teflon tape around it or pick up a 1-1/2 pvc return bend and two 1-1/2 pvc trap adapters. Looks like someone was in a bind like you say because of the disposal dropping things down on you.

 

[BleedingBlue]

Disposal was a retrofit and the drain line in the wall is too high.
They make a reverse "J" bend for the trap. Your local plumbing supply might have one of the shelf. only downside is they have very little "wiggle" room maybe 1/2 so any trimming has to be correct.

The house is only 10 years old, but I know the previous owner replaced the sink and countertop. The sink is an undermount, so maybe that is whats causing the issue in the pipe placement.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BleedingBlue]

There should be no wiggle room with the nut and washer in place. Try wrapping some teflon tape around it or pick up a 1-1/2 pvc return bend and two 1-1/2 pvc trap adapters. Looks like someone was in a bind like you say because of the disposal dropping things down on you.

I may have misunderstood the question. Withe washer slid down, it is tight. It is loose without the washer slid down. But I can still pull the trap off with ease without unscrewing the nut.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Shawn S]

Seems to me you can eliminate the extra tailpiece, the trap with the accordion stuff on it, and just screw a normal trap to it.

 

[BleedingBlue]

Seems to me you can eliminate the extra tailpiece, the trap with the accordion stuff on it, and just screw a normal trap to it.

That was my original thought, but seemed too obvious. Especially since the person who did this before didnt do it that way


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[The FIB]

I would clean that up, you can eliminate one joint, go to the hardware store and get a regular trap and forget the flexible accordion fitting.

Wherever you have a nylon wedge type washer, make sure it wedges into the crack, otherwise it can leak or even pull apart.
That may be your problem, washer installed backwards or missing all together.

 

[BleedingBlue]

I would clean that up, you can eliminate one joint, go to the hardware store and get a regular trap and forget the flexible accordion fitting.

Wherever you have a nylon wedge type washer, make sure it wedges into the crack, otherwise it can leak or even pull apart.
That may be your problem, washer installed backwards or missing all together.

I think thats what im going to do, or at least try to. Im fairly handy, but me and plumbing dont get along.

Dumb question - what do you mean by the washer wedging "into the crack"


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[The FIB]

I think they call it a slip joint washer, your new Ptrap kit should come with it, its shaped like a wedge.

The point of the wedge should go in the space between the two pipes.

As you tighten it it wedges between the two pieces, you should be able to get a water tight seal just by hand tightening it.

 

[rburke65]

Yes....that has me wondering also....a washer in the crack.....

 

[The FIB]

If you google "slip joint washer on P Trap", I think you will find what I am trying to describe, visual aids will probably help.

 

[volleyball]

I think a hacksaw is all that is needed to fix this. That is if the assumption is that the drain line is lower than the pipe from the disposer. Shorten the pipe out of the wall. Shorten the down leg of the T pipe. remove the flex joint and the pipe extension. The new configuration will have the P trap moved back towards the wall.
If the wall pipe is higher than the drain, you will have to bite the bullet and lower the pipe in the wall or raise the sink drain which may mean no disposer.
It appears the new larger sink put the drain in too low a position.

 

[bczygan]

If you google "slip joint washer on P Trap", I think you will find what I am trying to describe, visual aids will probably help.

This?

 

[Plumee]

Post a picture of what is attached to the pipe in the left of the photo. I suspect a garbage disposal. That much trap seal is no good. No wonder it leaks. You can shorten the upper tailpiece in the photo but it may not be possible with whatever else is attached to it.

 

[theoldwizard1]

You fighting vibration from disposal.

 

[BleedingBlue]

It looks like the drain pipe is higher, or at least even with the disposer pipe. I decided to just call a plumber and have them take a look. It pains me to hire someone to work on my house.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nmk_61802]

Looks to me like you could eliminate the entire slip joint (extension) on the RH side. Flip the trap 180 deg. and reconnect everything. Between the flex connection and the slip on the LH side you should be able to adjust to the correct height.

 

[The FIB]

This?

Exactly, thank you for showing what i was thinking

 

[CJ7VFR]

Is the slip joint washer that you have in there a rubber one or a plastic one?

I ask because a friend of mine went thru the same thing you are. He replaced his sink about two years ago, and put in all new piping/ptrap.

About two months in, he had a leak. The ptrap was pulling away from the down tube coming off of the drain in the sink. He would remove everything, clean everything up, and re-install everything. That would work for about another two months, and again it would start to leak from the ptrap pulling down and away from the down tube.

When I was there the third time he was going thru this I noticed that the slip joint washer was one of the newer whitish colored plastic ones that came with the ptrap. I suggested he go to the store and get the green rubber replacement washers and see if that would help.

He did, and for about a buck he has not had a leak, or had the ptrap slide down from the down tube since.

It just seems to me that the rubber washers have more "hold" on the pvc pipe material better than the plastic washers, and I have always replaced the plastic ones with rubber ones and never had a problem with pipes slipping apart or leaking.

Just another cheap suggestion if nothing else you try works.

Jim

 

[jdm5]

Maybe try one of these (Fernco P trap)?
https://www.fernco.com/plumbing/residential-plumbing/flexible-qwik-traps

 

[BleedingBlue]

Is the slip joint washer that you have in there a rubber one or a plastic one?

I ask because a friend of mine went thru the same thing you are. He replaced his sink about two years ago, and put in all new piping/ptrap.

About two months in, he had a leak. The ptrap was pulling away from the down tube coming off of the drain in the sink. He would remove everything, clean everything up, and re-install everything. That would work for about another two months, and again it would start to leak from the ptrap pulling down and away from the down tube.

When I was there the third time he was going thru this I noticed that the slip joint washer was one of the newer whitish colored plastic ones that came with the ptrap. I suggested he go to the store and get the green rubber replacement washers and see if that would help.

He did, and for about a buck he has not had a leak, or had the ptrap slide down from the down tube since.

It just seems to me that the rubber washers have more "hold" on the pvc pipe material better than the plastic washers, and I have always replaced the plastic ones with rubber ones and never had a problem with pipes slipping apart or leaking.

Just another cheap suggestion if nothing else you try works.

Jim

It was the clearish cheap looking washer. Sounds like him and I do have the same issue.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CJ7VFR]

It was the clearish cheap looking washer. Sounds like him and I do have the same issue.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, he pretty much had the same setup as you too. As others have said, if you can make your tail pieces as short as you can, you will eliminate all that extra water that is just sitting in the pipes above the ptrap. That extra weight might not seem like much, but water is pretty heavy, and gravity is also not your friend in this case.

When is the plumber coming over to look at this for you?

Jim

 

[Alex4209]

I'm a plumber, if I were you I would get rid of the flexible trap their garbage get a regular ptrap with the rubber rings and trim the pipe on the right so it fits. Also little trick of the trade get some pipe dope and put it on the rubbers and where the rubbers contact the pipe should help create a better seal!

 

[Daedalus]

1 more vote for getting rid of the flex pipe. It's hokey and violates code in most places.

For what it's worth, I've never had a problem with regular ol' plastic slip joint washers, but I suspect in your case you have an issue with poor part tolerances due to parts from different manufacturers, and there's too much gap for the washer to take up.

 

[RVDan]

 

[BleedingBlue]

The plumber is coming out monday, so I give everyone an update on what he decides to do.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Blue,
That one joint is in a bad place, always under water ? Can you eliminate it with a straight joint glued into the pipe ?

This. Those flex trps are REALLY flimsy, so you'll probably never get the nut tight. the tubing just collapses. Your trap is WAAY too deep and is holding water against the joints. The seals aren't really supposed to be exposed to standing water. It's a gravity drain. The standing water in a trap is not supposed to be higher that the trap ell itself. That trap is also installed backwards, but it's not really a cause for your leak. As BillK said, repipe it with glued PVC ells & unions for service access.

Tommy