dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
1131

emead
4q2
MVM
join:2000-09-04
Danbury, CT

emead

MVM

[Plumbing] Mystery leak

Click for full size
I am trying to find where water is coming from under a double sink in a trailer home. The cabinet has 2 shelves, lower & upper. The trap on the main sink sits about 1/2" off the upper shelf with a dishwasher hose attached. Here is what is happening. I run the the faucet in both sinks and see no leak. I run the dishwasher and see no leak. I put stopper in sinks and fill the sinks and pull stoppers and see no leak. I put paper towel under trap and hang out for about 1 hr. and still no leak. Owner calls in the morning and tells me the paper is soaked. I go back over after the call and can't find any sign of water on the drain pipes. I look at the faucet water lines, run the water and see no water leaks. I replaced the trap and sealed all compression drain pipe fittings with silicone caulk. I put paper towel under trap and leave. Owner calls in the morning and says paper is soaked. Also tells me he looks in cabinet around 4:00 am and paper was not wet. Took a shower and checked again around 6:00 am, paper was soaked. Shower is on the other end of trailer above the main drain pipe. I tell him to leave the wet paper towel in place so I can see it. Go back over and check and the towel is soaked. The rest of the shelf is dry, with no sign of a leak. I now seal up all of the drains and anything else that might leak. Tell them not to use the sink or dishwasher for the night. I put a paper towel under the trap and leave. I get a call in the morning and owner says the towel is soaked. I ask if they used the sink or dishwasher, no we did not. Did you take a shower this morning, no I did not. He tells me he looked at the paper towel before bed and it was dry. He looked at it when he got up and it was wet. He also states that it has gotten wet under the sink at other times, but mostly in the morning. The drains do not hold back and drain out quickly.
So I have,
1. checked for visible leaks and found nothing.
2. replaced the trap where water stays in pipe and could drip.
3. sealed all connections on pipe & drains.
4. had them not use sink or dishwasher for the day.
5. have stayed around for a hour or so and no leaking.

I have no pictures, but this is a standard 2 sink & dishwasher setup, like the one above.
Any ideas or are these people just f ing with me?

bewhole
I Am Here
Premium Member
join:2000-08-08
Alfred, ME

bewhole

Premium Member

said by emead:

Any ideas or are these people just f ing with me?

Could be. You have covered 99% of what could be wrong but just in case they are not I know this is a long shot but have you flushed the toilet(s) and run the water in the bathroom?? Put a cookie sheet instead of a paper towel under it to see how much water you are getting. With a paper towel one or two drops will soak it a lot of the time.

emead
4q2
MVM
join:2000-09-04
Danbury, CT

emead

MVM

Problem with putting a cookie sheet under the trap, not enough room. I have only about a 1/4" to 1/2", but I will try. The paper towel is 4 sheets folded in half and is dripping wet. I have not seen any sign of water backing up into sink, but will try the toilet and shower also. The bathroom is 30' away and over the main sewer pipe. Funny part is water leaked when no one used the sink or dishwasher, so they say, or shower before the water appeared.
doechsli
join:2003-11-26
Louisville, KY

doechsli

Member

Can you try taping the paper towels on the various pipes OFF the floor to try and isolate which pipe is leaking? It may not show you what pipe is the problem but may show you which it isn't. Also, could this be condensation from an uninsulated spot and maybe not a plumbing leak? Just some ideas......

Msradell
Premium Member
join:2008-12-25
Louisville, KY

Msradell to emead

Premium Member

to emead
By looking at your picture it looks as if your home is very new. If that's the case you probably ought to contact the manufacturer, it's probably under warranty.

jrs8084
Premium Member
join:2002-03-02
Statesville, NC

jrs8084

Premium Member

Not the OP's photo (as noted). And not too many trailers with copper piping.
RickWakeman
join:2013-06-23
Springfield, MA

RickWakeman to emead

Member

to emead
said by emead:

Any ideas or are these people just f ing with me?

Do they have kids?

garys_2k
Premium Member
join:2004-05-07
Farmington, MI

garys_2k to emead

Premium Member

to emead
Leak around the sink's or faucet's bedding? Maybe someone spilled water on the counter (from a pitcher?) and that dripped inside the cabinet.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

robbin to emead

Mod

to emead
Perhaps something is leaking on the water supply side. We have the highest water pressure during the early morning hours here as that is when the smallest number of people are using.

I would tape paper towels all over the place down there. Tape it around pipes so you have paper below every joint and on every pipe.

emead
4q2
MVM
join:2000-09-04
Danbury, CT

emead

MVM

Thanks for the replies.
The owner found a dripping compression fitting water line this morning and put a paper towel over it so I could see it. When I got there, it was not dripping, but the towel was very wet. I tightened the fitting a touch so not to break the ring. If that does not work I will replace the whole thing. This trailer has 1/4" copper flex line to all compression shutoffs to 1/2" stiff copper and back to 1/4" to faucet. It has been pieced together under the sink. So I guess the water pressure rises around 5:00 am and falls back at around 7:00 am, just enough to make the fitting leak. It has been dry every time I have looked and was not leaking this time also, so I don't know if it will still leak come morning.

tp0d
yabbazooie
Premium Member
join:2001-02-13
Bulger, PA

tp0d

Premium Member

Is there an expansion tank on the water heater? if so, is it properly pressurized?

-j

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

robbin

Mod

said by tp0d:

Is there an expansion tank on the water heater?

I don't believe there is a need for one unless there is a pressure reducing or backflow valve installed.

garys_2k
Premium Member
join:2004-05-07
Farmington, MI

garys_2k

Premium Member

said by robbin:

I don't believe there is a need for one unless there is a pressure reducing or backflow valve installed.

Very true, so the question is: Is there a backflow preventer and, if so, is there an expansion tank on the water heater?

Hawk
Premium Member
join:2003-08-25

Hawk to emead

Premium Member

to emead
Is that a pull out spray head hose we see there? If so, pull it out above and activate it. Perhaps the leak is from the head to the hose connection.

emead
4q2
MVM
join:2000-09-04
Danbury, CT

emead

MVM

Thanks again
I will check all the suggestions and let you all know. I did not look at the hot water heater, but it is the hot water side that gets the drip.