How to Repair a Sink Trap

By +Don Vandervort, HomeTips

To fix a sink trap, start by placing a bucket beneath the trap. Using slip-joint pliers, disconnect the slip-joint nuts that hold the trap to the tailpiece and drainpipe. Be ready for water to pour out of the disconnected pipe momentarily.

Once you have taken the trap apart, clean it out with a straightened wire coat hanger and replace any faulty parts.
 
When reassembling it, first tighten the slip-joint nuts by hand and then tighten them with pliers, but don’t over-tighten. Run the water, and look for leaks. If you spot leaks, tighten the nuts a little more. If everything appears to be sound, place a newspaper under the sink and check the paper for signs of dripping the next day.
 
 
Copyright © 1997-2012, Don Vandervort, HomeTips, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.




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