"Have you considered installing one of those moisture alarms? They're pretty inexpensive and can alert you early if things start dripping again..."
Moisture alarms can be handy, but honestly, they're more of a band-aid than a real fix. Had a similar issue last year—thought I could just tighten a joint and call it good. Nope. Ended up pulling everything apart and replacing the pipe entirely. If you're dealing with repeated leaks, might be worth biting the bullet and swapping out for sturdier fittings or even eco-friendly plumbing materials. Saves headaches (and cabinet floors) in the long run...
I get what you're saying about moisture alarms being more of a temporary fix. Had one myself, and yeah, it beeped when things got damp, but it didn't exactly solve the root issue. My leak was sneaky—just a slow drip that I kept patching up with plumber's tape and quick fixes. Thought I was being clever saving money, but eventually, the cabinet floor warped and I had mold creeping in. Not fun.
Ended up replacing the whole section with PEX piping and better fittings. Honestly, should've done it way sooner. Like you said:
"If you're dealing with repeated leaks, might be worth biting the bullet and swapping out for sturdier fittings..."
Couldn't agree more. Moisture alarms are fine for catching leaks early, but they're not gonna stop them from happening again. Better to tackle the real problem head-on and be done with it.
I get what you're saying about moisture alarms being more of a temporary fix.
Yeah, moisture alarms are handy but like you said, they don't actually fix anything. Had a similar issue myself—kept patching up a slow drip thinking I was beating the system, till one morning I realized the cabinet bottom felt soft and spongy. Not a good day. Ended up redoing the fittings too, but went with copper instead of PEX. Curious though, did you find PEX easier to install yourself?
I've done both copper and PEX installs, and honestly, PEX is a lot quicker if you're DIYing it. But copper feels more solid long-term—never had to second-guess my joints once they're soldered right. Still, either beats waking up to soggy cabinets... learned that one the hard way too.
Copper's definitely solid if you know your way around a torch, but honestly, I've seen plenty of DIY copper jobs go south too. PEX is forgiving for sure, but don't skimp on fittings—cheap connectors are usually the culprit behind leaks. Either way, beats mopping up at 3am...
