Fixing the wrong thing

[eccentrictinkerer]

A couple of weeks before last Thanksgiving my wife noticed water under the sink. I noticed that the underside of the sink had a water stain so I assumed that the soapstone sink was cracked.

I remodeled 3 years ago and installed a soapstone countertop with a soapstone farm sink. We chose soapstone because my wife liked the look so I checked and found I could order it on line and the stone can be worked with carbide woodworking tools. Other than being heavy, it was a joy to work with.

Back to my leak. I called my supplier in Vermont and she said just smush epoxy into the crack and sand it off. I tried it and it seemed to work.

Last night I went downstairs to the basement to find a tool and I heard water dripping. The dishwasher was running and when I opened the undersink door, I saw that a large basin was full of soapy water and running over.

The sink hadn't leaked, the dishwasher connection on the 3 year old disposer had rotted almost completely off!

As I cleaned up I remembered that I purchased the disposer from a local lumber yard 3 years ago. It was being clearanced out at $25.

It was a new-old-stock In-Sink-Erator. It probably was the last unit built using pot metal for the body.

Buy cheap - Pay twice! Hope I remember this lesson.

[chopnhack]

ouch, eccen. I hope the base cab wasn't ruined. I had a similar experience with mystery leaks under the sink. I've gotten into the nervous habit of looking under sinks more routinely now! (Mine was a badly corroded P-trap)

[Tom Slick]

I also chased a sink leak that ended up being an internal leak in the 3yo garbage disposer. I thought that is was the basin-to-countertop (self-rimming) connection leaking when water got on the countertop. the leak reappeared when I finished a complete remodel of the kitchen and the only leftover component was the disposer.
it gave me an excuse to buy a new one that is super quiet, much nicer than the old one.

[jackellis]

Reminds me of a story in Fine Homebuilding about a GC who had been called back to fix what everyone thought were roof leaks. After it rained, there was always a small, isolated puddle of water under the eave. GC keeps trying to fix the roof even though he can't find anything wrong.

Turned out the puddle came from the owner's dog.

[JR]

Buy cheap - Pay twice! Hope I remember this lesson.

That'll be three Hail Marys and five minutes chanting your mantra, Brother.



JR