Spent way too long trying to fix a leaky pipe under my kitchen sink

Everyone says replacing a P-trap is a 30 minute job but I had water dripping for almost two weeks before I got it right. The rubber gasket kept slipping out of place no matter how tight I cranked the nut. Finally called my buddy Mike from plumbing supply and he told me to put a little dish soap on the gasket and it sealed up in five seconds flat. Has anyone else fought with a simple fix for way longer than it should take?

2 comments

2 Comments

webb.val8d ago

You ever try to fix a squeaky door with WD-40 and end up making it worse? Same idea. I had a toilet fill valve that kept dripping for a week before I figured out the float was catching on the side of the tank. Pushed it a millimeter to the left and it's been quiet ever since. Sometimes we just get locked into the wrong solution and can't see the simple thing staring us in the face.

hunt.rowan8d ago

Dish soap? No way. I have been wrestling with plumbing for years and never once thought to lube a rubber gasket with soap. That is the kind of trick that makes you want to kick yourself for all the hours you spent cranking on a nut. Handyman wisdom really is just a collection of tiny secrets nobody tells you until you are already drowning in frustration.