The pedestal hand basin in the bath room had come away from the wall.
As part of the fix (which of course involved dismantling the basin , tap connectors , pedestal to make good the fixing holes) I decided to install isolating valves in the vertical supply pipes and generally clean out the sink components, remove old sealant ect .
This is the first time I have attacked this basin . I am dealing with an inherited installation.
This job has generally gone to plan but I have a problem with a leak of the waste outlet as it comes out immediately under the sink. It is clear that water is leaking between the plug hole body and the body of the sink.
When I dismantled the waste outlet as part of the job I found a low profile
8 sided plastic nut bolting the waste outlet to the underside of the sink. Pretty standard I think. This gripped a large ( oversize to the external dimensions of the 8 sided nut ) plastic "washer " between the nut and the sink body. Not sure this is standard it looked like a bit of improvisation on the part of the installer.On the inside of the sink there was no seal or washer between the outlet flange and the sink body. Instead ( I was surprised but perhaps that is my ignorance) the was a bed of plumbers mate and this was also packed between the thread of the outlet and the waste hole of the basin.
When I reassembled I used the same 8 sided nut and oversize washer. On the inside I did not use plumbers mate ( although I have some , used it to bed the basin on the pedestal) instead I used an appropriately sized plastic seal ring ( white , clear ish , from B & Q "sundries" pack of various sizes).
I did worry that I had perhaps not been able to tighten the 8 sided nut firmly enough ( because the very low profile) prevented a good grip with adjustable spanner , stillson etc. Sure enough when all was back in place there was a serious leak around the waste outlet.
I wondered about the tightness of the nut , but also my seal washer in place of plumbers mate ( even though I have never understood the later is used to provide for watertight situations. I think of it as bedding and gap filling material).
I went out to B & Q tonight intending to find an appropriate sized "ring " spanner for the out let nut. There appeared to be no such thing. In stead I purchased a new bog standard waste outlet. A straight replacement except that this had a much chunkier nut with a taller profile. I fancied that I could get a decent grip on that. The out let came with plastic or rubber seal for inside the basin to seat the outlet. It seemed more rubbery than the one I had used earlier so that was a good sign. There was no equivalent of the large washer /sealer between the nut and the underbody of the basin.
Have just taken the sink off again and fitted the new outlet. My tools got a good grip on the nut and with the new outlet thread I thought I had solved the problem. There is a 90% improvement but there is still a noticeable (although less dramatic ) leak . Again it is definitely coming from between the basin body and the outlet.
I thought I had tightened the nut as tight as was safe , maybe not . Or should I be using plumbers mate under the outlet flange ? Should there be a sealer / washer between the nut and the underside of the basin ?
Any ideas / comment for when I try again tomorrow. At least in the circumstances I am particularly glad I fitted those isolation valves. !
Thanks
Richard