"SharkBites saved me once during a midnight leak, but yeah, wouldn't trust them long-term under the sink..."
Haha, SharkBites are like duct tape for plumbing—great in a pinch, but not exactly confidence-inspiring for the long haul. Had one under my bathroom sink that I meant to replace "soon," and of course, "soon" turned into two years. It held up fine, but every time I opened the cabinet door, I'd give it the side-eye like it owed me money.
Anyway, about your kitchen sink leak driving you nuts:
- If you're comfortable with DIY (sounds like you are), PEX is definitely worth considering. It's flexible, easy to cut, and no soldering means no accidental torching of cabinets (ask me how I know...).
- Copper's solid and reliable, sure—but if you're environmentally conscious or just want something easier to handle in tight spaces, PEX is a winner.
- For fittings under sinks, I've had good luck with compression fittings or threaded connections. They're straightforward and pretty foolproof if you take your time.
- If you're sticking with copper and soldering isn't your jam, compression fittings can be a lifesaver. Just make sure you tighten them properly—snug but not Hulk-level tight.
- And if you're still wary of SharkBites long-term (fair enough), maybe keep one handy as an emergency backup. Midnight leaks have a way of happening at the worst possible times...
Good luck with the leak—hope your kitchen stays dry and your sanity intact!
Haha, I feel you on the SharkBite side-eye...been there myself. Curious though, have you checked your water pressure lately? Sometimes high pressure can make those quick-connect fittings more prone to leaks over time. Might be worth double-checking just to rule it out. Anyway, sounds like you've got a solid plan—hope it goes smoothly and stays leak-free for good.
"Curious though, have you checked your water pressure lately?"
Good call on the water pressure. Had a tenant once who kept getting mystery leaks under the sink, drove us both nuts. Turns out the city had cranked up the pressure after some street work, and the SharkBites just couldn't handle it long-term. Ended up installing a pressure regulator, and haven't had a drip since. Might be worth a quick look before you go tearing everything apart...just sayin'. Good luck!
"Turns out the city had cranked up the pressure after some street work, and the SharkBites just couldn't handle it long-term."
Interesting point about SharkBites—I had a similar issue a while back. Thought they were supposed to handle higher pressures, but after a few leaks I stopped trusting them completely under sinks. Switched back to traditional fittings and added a pressure gauge just to be safe. Have you checked if your fittings are SharkBite or something similar? Might be worth double-checking before things get worse...
Had the same issue with SharkBites under my bathroom sink last year. Seemed fine at first, but after a couple months I noticed some dampness... nothing major, just enough to make me uneasy. Switched them out for compression fittings and haven't had an issue since. Did you happen to measure your home's water pressure? If it's consistently high, might be worth adding a regulator just to keep things safe long-term.
