Drips from the box vs. leaks at the connections - what’s worse?

Drips under the vanity are bad, but I’d argue leaks at the connections can be a bigger headache. At least with a slow drip, you sometimes get warning signs - swollen wood, musty smell. But a loose supply line or bad compression fitting? That can go from fine to full-blown flood in minutes.

I’ve tried a couple of smart detectors that send alerts to my phone, but sometimes they’re too sensitive (false alarms from humidity).

I hear you on the false alarms. Honestly, I still trust my eyes and hands more than any gadget. Do those detectors even catch fast leaks before it’s too late? Seems like by the time they go off, the damage is already done...

I get what you’re saying about trusting your own senses more than a gadget, but I’ve actually had the opposite experience. Those smart leak detectors saved my butt once when a supply line started spraying behind the washing machine. The alarm was obnoxious, but it went off before the water made it out from behind the unit - no way I would’ve noticed that on my own until it was way worse.

Yeah, they can be touchy with humidity, especially in the summer, but I’d rather deal with a few false alarms than come home to a soaked floor and a huge repair bill. I do agree that nothing beats checking under the sink every now and then, but for the price (some of those sensors are like $30), it’s cheap insurance in my book. Maybe not perfect, but better than nothing... especially if you’re not always home.

Honestly, I get the appeal of those sensors, but I’ve seen a few cases where folks relied on them and missed slow leaks - like tiny drips at the valve or connection that never triggered the alarm. Sometimes you only catch those by feeling around for dampness or spotting a little corrosion. Not saying gadgets are useless, just that they can give a false sense of security if you’re not still checking things by hand every now and then.

I’ve seen those sensors miss the slow stuff too, especially at compression fittings or old shutoffs. The tech’s getting better, but it’s not magic - sometimes you just need to get your hands dirty and check for that greenish corrosion or a bit of moisture. Out of curiosity, do you find more issues at the box itself or at the connections? I’ve always wondered if one’s more prone to sneaky leaks than the other.

Honestly, I’ve had way more trouble at the connections than the box itself. Those old compression fittings are sneaky - sometimes you don’t even notice a slow drip until there’s a weird smell or you spot that greenish gunk. The box seems sturdier, but maybe that’s just luck on my end? I do wish the sensors were better at catching those tiny leaks, though. It’s wild how something so small can waste so much water over time...