Hi,
Noticed a strange thing today. There are two shelves in my under sink cupboard and they are drenched right through the chipboard but the laminated surfaces are bone dry. I can't seem to find any leaking pipes, but also I can't work out how to take the units apart. I live in a housing association property so I'll contact them in the morning. Just seems odd how the woods wet inside but the outside is dry.
Marky P.
There doesn't appear to be any water leaks on any visible pipes. I'ved checked the sides of the unit and one side is bowing out slightly and the wood feels damp under the laminate. All other cupboards (even ones right next to it) are bone dry. Kitchen units are quite old (imo) and the housing association are gradually going round updating homes, so maybe this little problem will push me up the list.
Marky P.
Is there a cut edge against a damp surface that is acting as a wick, drawing moisture into the chipboard?
Like the cold rising main on which water can condense?
Very common to have a leak which soaks the chipboard core, but evaporates from the melamine finish. Usually the damp chipboard smells. Could have been a leak ages ago, the chipboard core takes yonks to dry out.
How long is a yonk exactly?
Is water making its way under the edge of the sink?
Once the core of the chip gets wets, it takes an awfully long time to dry out.
Significantly longer than a mo.
Thus spake John ( snipped-for-privacy@ntlworld.com) unto the assembled multitudes:
Do you have a dishwasher or washing machine in the vicinity? A friend of mine's dishwasher, unknown to her, was leaking a fine spray from one of the rear hoses (hidden from view within cabinet unit), and playing on the chipboard wall behind, every time the dishwasher was used. This had been going on for *months* unnoticed, and it was when they began to notice a musty, damp smell in the kitchen they checked behind and found the chipboard walls behind the kitchen units were wrecked, plus the backs of the units themselves.... resulting in almost complete refit of kitchen required.
3 months 13 days
Another cause not yet mentioned is tiled worktops. Tiny grout cracks can let in enough water to soak the chip.
Hopefully a good look round can tell you where its worst, thus where its coming from. Drilling small holes in the chip underside (not right through!) can help the core dry quicker, which hopefully would reduce the damage as well. The latter should be avoided by the OP of course, due to renting.
NT
And twice as long as half a yonk.
Could be. I had a prob here too where the pipework actually came loose where it normally attaches to the underside of the sink drain.
Visually it looked fine, but once in a while it'd leak depending on how the sink was being used (i.e. if filled with water and drained, it'd be OK, but would sometimes leak if water was poured down the drain from a pan, or if the spray tap was used)
I have checked behind the dishwasher and washine machine and all seems fine.
Marky P.
I have had that in the past, but it was very minor and I fixed it. I did try pouring water down the sink and there are no leakages.
Marky P.
That could be possible. I think there's a possibility that the wall is getting damp (maybe condensation) and the damp is getting drawn into the chipboard through an unsealed edge. It appears to be slowly drying out now, so maybe connected with the recent bad weather. Anyway, a bloke will be round in the morning :-)
Marky P.
I hope so. That would be nice & easy to sort out.
Marky P.
I don't really want to tamper with it too much, just in case they blame me for the problem. If it's not my fault it will be fixed for free. Well, I say free, that's really what I pay my rent for. Or at least part of it.
Marky P.
Got some pics here :-)
Marky P.
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