Fixing a Leaking Bathroom Sink Drain Before It Became a Bigger Problem

Repairs

Nothing Exciting About Leaking Pipes

Sometimes the smallest leaks are the ones that save you from the biggest repairs.

I guess it's pretty obvious, not every post here at 173 can be exciting and glamorous (although I'm not sure anything here is actually glamorous!).  Some things are just mundane, gotta do - things.  This post is just such a story, after all, there's absolutely nothing exciting about bathroom pipes.  So, the other day, the bathroom sink drain sprung a leak.  Things are pretty busy at work right now, so the repair had to wait 'til today.  I know, doesn't sound like a big deal - bathroom sink out of commission, but it really messed up my morning routine.  For someone like me, who is definitively not a morning person, the morning routine is rote and it doesn't take much to mess that all up!

When a Small Leak Becomes a Big Concern

See the darkened floor tiles behind the sink?  Wet.  Of course we all know water is the #1 enemy of a house, so this was obviously an important job.  Besides that, experience showed me the damage water can do.  Back in December of 2011, the setting ring on the toilet finally surrendered, resulting in damage to the kitchen ceiling:

Water Has a Long Memory

Well, earlier this year, the kitchen here at 173 was remodeled a bit, and after all that, there's no way I want to take a chance on the new ceiling getting damaged!  But, because it seems every project here at 173 ends up becoming more involved than I plan for, this one made me nervous.  The pipes are still the ones that were there when the house was bought in 1997, and I just figured something would go wrong.  But, it actually went pretty smoothly - surprise!  

Sometimes Old Plumbing Doesn't Cooperate

First I removed the pedestal, which I was worried might cause the sink to sag - or worse.

Luckily it didn't! But wait 'til you see the old pipes! Oh, as you can see in the picture above, the sink drain flange was new when I installed the new sink years ago, but look at what it drained into...ooooold pipes!

Here's a closeup...as soon as I put the wrench on the wall pipe, it pretty much crumbled:

And every coupling nut was about rusted off altogether!

What a mess!

Time for New Drain Pipes

I'm just shocked there wasn't a leak a long time ago!  The new stuff went in pretty smoothly, with only one extra trip to the hardware store for one coupling nut.  

Looking at everything once it was apart, replacing the entire drain assembly was an easy decision. Sure, I probably could have chased the leak and replaced only the failed piece, but the rest of the piping wasn't far behind. Sometimes fixing the obvious problem just means you'll be back under the sink again in a few months. New PVC drain parts are inexpensive, won't rust like the originals, and gave me confidence that this repair was actually finished instead of just postponed. On an old house, that's often the difference between maintenance and simply delaying the inevitable.

Here it is - all new!

Hopefully, not to be seen again for a long time!

Hey, thanks for stopping by - see ya' next time!

One thing I appreciated about this post is that you resisted the temptation to make a small repair sound bigger than it was. Every homeowner eventually spends a Saturday fixing something nobody will ever notice, and those are the jobs that keep an old house standing.

The photos told the story. As soon as I saw those old drain pipes, I knew where this was headed. Rusted tubular drains have a habit of holding together just long enough to fool you, then falling apart the moment a wrench touches them. Anyone who's worked on older plumbing knows that feeling of wondering whether a simple repair is about to become a major project.

I also liked that you connected this repair to the toilet leak years ago. Experience teaches you that a dripping sink is never "just a leak." The ending worked because nothing dramatic happened, you replaced worn-out plumbing before it became a much bigger problem. Sometimes that's exactly what successful homeownership looks like. - The Seasoned DIYer

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was the bathroom sink drain leaking?

The original steel drain pipes had rusted badly after decades of service. Several fittings were nearly rusted through, allowing water to escape beneath the sink.

Should old metal drain pipes be replaced instead of repaired?

Usually, yes. Once corrosion reaches the fittings and pipe walls, replacing the entire drain assembly is often more reliable than trying to patch individual leaks.

Can a leaking sink damage a house?

Absolutely. Even a slow drip can damage flooring, cabinets, drywall, and ceilings below if it goes unnoticed long enough.

How do you know drain pipes need replacing?

Visible rust, recurring leaks, crumbling fittings, slow drainage, or corrosion around coupling nuts are all signs that replacement may be the better option.

Why remove the pedestal sink?

Removing the pedestal provided enough room to replace the drain piping safely while inspecting everything behind the sink.

Keywords

leaking bathroom sink drain, bathroom sink drain repair, replacing sink drain pipes, bathroom plumbing repair, old house plumbing, pedestal sink repair, rusted drain pipes, DIY plumbing, bathroom leak repair, House 173