When planning your next major kitchen sink plumbing project, it’s important to plan ahead of time to prevent kitchen sink plumbing problems in your San Jose home. Our team has put together this guide to avoiding kitchen sink plumbing problems to help our San Jose customers like you make sure their projects go off without a hitch.
Keep in mind that should you feel like you’re in over your head at any point during your project, you may want to give us a call or send us an email. Our team of experienced, trained plumbing professionals is always standing by and happy to help assist you, no matter what stage of the project you’re in – start to finish.
Make Sure the New Sink Covers the Hole Left by the Old Sink
Many people work too quickly or are simply not thinking into the future when they decide to choose a new sink and forget to measure the space of the old sink ahead of time. If the new sink is too large, it won’t fit, and if it’s too small, there will be gaps that can let water through. When measuring the space for the sink, check the edges of the frame from the bottom. Checking from the bottom is important because whenever the sink was installed, the person doing the installation may make the edges corners instead of rounded, because it’s simpler, however if you buy a rounded sink it won’t fit properly if the base doesn’t match.
Measure the Tailpiece Depth
A lot of homeowners want to upgrade their sink with a deeper model, but it’s important to make sure the new sink doesn’t hang too low, which can lead to it not draining properly and force you to lower the sanitary tee connection in the drain line of the wall. Doesn’t sound fun, right? You want to avoid having to do this if at all possible, so be sure to measure the old sink’s tailpiece, between the strainer and the tee. This measurement represents the extra depth that can safely be added to the sink bowl while still avoiding the need for reworking the drainage. When selecting your new sink, make sure any added depth doesn’t exceed or come close to exceeding this measurement.
Check the Surrounding Area for Water Stains
It isn’t unusual to have some water damage around your old sink, and typically it won’t stop you from being able to install the new sink, however if the damage is severe and swelling is excessive, it may prevent the new sink from sitting flush in the desired position. If there’s a lot of damage in the surrounding area, there may not be a safe, stable base for the sink to rest upon. In this case, you should do some repair work on the surrounding area before installing your new sink.
Choose Your Sealant Wisely
Not all sealants are the same. Avoid plumber’s putty, because it can dry out and crack, leading to leakage. In general, it’s highly recommended to use silicone caulk, which also won’t damage plastics the way plumber’s putty can. Use a 100% silicone caulk that requires a solvent to remove, and which is safe for kitchen-and-bath use.
Consider Having a Professional Help
At Performance Plumbing, our team of experts has come to the aid of countless customers who either didn’t want to do the sink installation themselves or ran out of ambition. We make installation of your sink painless – just sit back and relax as we install things professionally, so your new sink is clean and set in a perfect fit. Give us a quick call or email and we’ll be happy to get your new sink installed the right way so you can avoid any problems or headaches later down the road.