under-sink bottle trap leaking

[ukwill]

The bathroom sink has started to leak

It's leaking from where the bottle trap connects to the sink pop-up.

The bottle trap and pop up are chrome. In fact, it's very similar to this:


Anyone any idea what to do?

[-Pete-]

Try gently tightening the top and side fittings, but don't use too much force. If that doesn't work, get a bucket underneath and dismantle it, taking care which way round the rubber seals are fitted. clean it up and reassemble it, it should tighten up until it suddenly gets hard to turn it... that's enough to seal it.

[ukwill]

Thanks for the tips Pete. I have tried to tighten it, but it doesnt seem to want to go any tighter. Im wondering if the black o-ring inside has perished? It's about an inch long, and has a small lip - it's gone quite hard. I was expecting it to be well, soft and rubbery?!

[GuinnessMK]

ukwill said:

It's about an inch long, and has a small lip - it's gone quite hard. I was expecting it to be well, soft and rubbery?!

[ukwill]

GuinnessMK said:

Go and stand in the corner, facing the wall!

[Simpo Two]

Strange but I know a property in which a pop-up waste worked perfectly for 20 years (while my mother lived there). And then after less than two years of rental it started leaking and running through to the ceiling below, staining it badly. The room is occupied by a teenage boy and whilst trying to fix the leak I did find shard of broken CD in the trap. Part of me thinks he's something to do with the leak but I can't see how...

[Gingerbread Man]

You can buy new seals for the trap to waste connection from your local plumbing shop.

As it's a pop up, make sure the back nut which grips the pop up mechanism on the waste is tight, or it can leak from there.

[ukwill]

Gingerbread Man said:

You can buy new seals for the trap to waste connection from your local plumbing shop.

As it's a pop up, make sure the back nut which grips the pop up mechanism on the waste is tight, or it can leak from there.

If the back nut is the the nut at the top of the bottle, then even though its screwed tight, it's still very loose and I am able to pull it down so that I can see the bottom of the pop up tube.

[Gingerbread Man]

ukwill said:

If the back nut is the the nut at the top of the bottle, then even though its screwed tight, it's still very loose and I am able to pull it down so that I can see the bottom of the pop up tube.

I meant the back nut on the bottom right of this picture where the pop up system enters the waste fitting. If they become loose, they can leak from there. Was just a second thought is all.

[ukwill]

ah ok - thanks. I dont think its that bit. Right now I can see its coming out of the top part of the bottle. Gonna try a new o-ring to start with and keep my fingers crossed. Im assuming the it's a standard size...

[Gingerbread Man]

ukwill said:

ah ok - thanks. I dont think its that bit. Right now I can see its coming out of the top part of the bottle. Gonna try a new o-ring to start with and keep my fingers crossed. Im assuming the it's a standard size...

It's a flat washer as opposed to an O ring. Make sure to mention it's for a basin as opposed to a sink. The trap - waste connection is a different diameter, 1 1/4" inch vs. 1 1/2".

[ukwill]

Thanks for the info. I'll make a note of that.