Do I need a plumber? (part 2)

[Lorpi]

Hello, 

I titled this post 'part 2' to follow on with the saga that is the rubbish plumbing in the flat I rent. I'm convinced that either the owner did the work himself or got one of his equally unqualified mates to do it.

Last time it was a blocked drain that took the best part of a two days for the plumber to fix. This time it's a very slow leak from a drain pipe under the laundry sink. Because of the dodgy way that the pipes were connected,  the pipe from one of the sinks actually runs slightly upwards to connect to the other pipe. So there is always water in the pipe almost up into the sink. And water flows up between the sinks when the taps are running.

It's a very slow leak that we only discovered by chance while looking for something else. It drips about one drop of water per minute. Slightly more when the taps are on, about 2-3 drops per  minute.

A while back the owner sent some bloke around who installed/repaired/decorated the entire top of the pipe with some kind of silicone? sealant. So it is very difficult to see what the problem is.

The owner has also had a stroke and his wife is now insisting that repairs are done by a professional but only when absolutely necessary.  Since it wasn't that long ago that we had the plumber here for the blocked drain I'm hoping that I might be able to fix it myself. 

I'm a relative beginner with plumbing so I wanted to check whether it's a reasonably easy fix or if I'm oblivious to some sort of plumbing catastrophe that I could cause. Also the best method to use to repair the leak, any products or equipment that you recommend. Would I need to remove some/all of the sealant or is it alright to leave it.

Any and all advice would be very much appreciated. 

Sorry for the quality of the photos, it is a tricky angle to get a good shot of.

Cheers

    

[Jason]

Hi @Lorpi,

Let me tag some experienced members in @LePallet and @JDE to see if they might like to kick off the discussion.

The ever-helpful @EricL will also be happy to assist when he's back on the site on the weekend. Thanks for your patience in the meantime. 

Jason

[Lorpi]

That sounds great.

I would rather be safe than sorry  with this sort of thing. So I'm more than happy to wait for the voices of experience to join the conversation.

I may be turning something simple into a problem for no reason. But as a relative plumbing newbie, and with the potential for it all to go sideways, I thought I needed to ask the experts. Who have always provided me with so much valuable help and information. 

It is very much appreciated.

Thanks for tagging the right people in. And for letting me know what's happening  so quickly .

I have dealt with a couple of businesses online recently and have had either no response or automated bot type replies that have been of no help at all. So it is a wonderful ,and much needed, experience to have such a positive and helpful response.

Cheers

[EricL]

Hello @Lorpi

Thank you for sharing your question about needing a plumber to repair the leak under the laundry tub.

Looking at the photos you posted, it seems that the repair person saturated the area with silicone in the hopes of stopping the leak. Because of this, it now becomes extremely difficult to remove any of the plumbing fittings to do repairs. The black spray paint that you see under your sink is called the Rust-Oleum 340g Black LeakSeal Flexible Rubber Coating Spray. It stops leaks from occurring. However, if the sink is used too soon, the leak will simply push the sealant away.

I suggest using the Caroma 50mm Double Bowl Connector to replace the old plumbing fittings. It is an easier option than trying to recover the fittings that are covered in silicone. I recommend replacing the existing plug and waste with the Kinetic Stainless Steel Sink Basket Waste. I propose replacing the current laundry trap with a Caroma 50mm White Short P Trap Inlet. Please double-check the size of your current plug and waste before purchasing a new one. 

By replacing these three components in your laundry tub, it will fix the leak and provide you with long-term trouble-free service. However, if you feel that this project is outside your scope of experience, I suggest engaging the services of a professional plumber. Please keep us updated, we look forward to seeing your laundry tub fixed and leak-free.

If you need more advice or information, please let us know.

Eric