Daughter completed on her new flat on Friday. The weekend was a manic decorating marathon but progress was hampered by 1) cheap paint requiring 3 coats (as being discussed elsewhere) and 2) problems with an under-sink waste disposal unit.
The unit was very smelly and was leaking. It's a Waste Maid 258. www.wastemaidshop.co.uk/acatalog/wastemaid_258_waste_disposer_unit.htm
So I got it off and brought it here to clean. The smell was almost definitely caused because the sink overflow had been attached to the dishwasher drain socket on the unit, but no hole had been punched into the device to allow any overflow to go into the unit - so there was a large build up of smelly substance in the waste pipe. I've now punched a hole from the dishwasher inlet so water can go somewhere!
The problem now is washers and gaskets. The reason for the leak was almost definitely a broken rubber washer (when does a washer become a gasket?) under the drain outlet, on the top side of the sink (the bit you can see). It's a big hole, 110mm I think, and I can't find any stockist for parts to replace it. The sink is stainless steel. Neighbour has suggested using silicone - a bead all around, let it dry then do it up tight. Does the panel agree?
Then, underneath the sink, there was a fibre gasket on the other side of the hole, which disintegrated when I removed the unit. I've searched around t'internet but can't find similar. I've also tried called Anaheim, the Waste Maid spares people, but they aren;t in (will try again).
Can anyone suggest a way to seal this bit? Would putty do it, and would that be OK with stainless steel sink? The tricky bit is that the mounting ring for the unit is very firmly on the tail of the pipe from the sink and I'm reluctant (or might even be incapable) to get it off. So even if I could find a ring, I might not be able to get it on (unless it were stretchy rubber).
Could do with fixing this tonight as she wants to move in!! :-)
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Silicon sealant, piped on as a bead, then done up while still wet.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 2 Jul 12 at 10:25
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Or cut some washers/gaskets from the sides of an old wellie boot! - I`ve had to before and they work rather well(y)!
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Or 'fibre' washers from a cereal packet, or even a length of string.
The main weakness with silicone is it's 'once only' so the joint cannot be remade in future after cleaning.
Wouldn't bother me, because of course the joint can be remade with sealant again.
Edit: The putty stuff the plumbers use is called Plumbers Mait, which never dries. Google the obvious for more info.
Last edited by: Iffy on Mon 2 Jul 12 at 12:06
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Think I'll go with the sealant idea, my difficulty will be not being able to do a nice bead as I can't get to the underneath bit very easily with my gun, and as I can't get the drain fully out nor will I be able to do a bead on the top bit.
I suppose I could get to it easier with Plumbers Mait... Hmmm...
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...I can't get to the underneath bit very easily with my gun...
Your index finger is your friend here.
I've seen plumbers create a bead of Plumber's Mait between the palms of their hands and then fit it to the joint.
Last edited by: Iffy on Mon 2 Jul 12 at 12:32
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>>I suppose I could get to it easier with Plumbers Mait<<
Useless muck: www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=29606
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...Useless muck:...
Did the job on my bathroom sink a few years ago.
It was recommended to me by a helpful plumber in the queue at the merchants, who also told me how to apply it.
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IIRC the hole in the sink is a standard size so gaskets should be available.
Try www.wastedisposers.com/spares.html
From a Google search - waste disposal unit spares.
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When forced by circumstances into a bit of amateur plumbing, something that has happened to me quite often, I have sometimes succeeded in making gaskets or washers with string and plumber's white.
The right part can nearly always be found if you have the right sort of old-fashioned hardware shop. The steel double sink I installed many years ago in the third-floor kitchen in our last gaff had plastic waste piping, and 'crap drop' to quote Zero on its way to the ancient lead waste pipe through the wall. Nevertheless managed to find a fitting with a squashy rubber ring in it and a sort of internal taper so that when you tightened up the union, the rubber ring was squeezed down onto the old lead pipe without even a weep. Looked weird but worked all right.
Of course the waste pipe down the front of the house would get blocked in really freezing weather if there was a dripping tap for example. Leaning out of the window pouring boiling water down the outside of the pipe in an effort to free it wasn't much fun. Easier to keep the taps in proper order, as I found out the hard way.
The worst thing was a blocked soil pipe. Let me urge anyone who lives in an old, unmodernized house not to chuck used dental floss down the bog. It knits itself together into the armature of a blockage in the most awkward place, usually just below ground level. Nightmare.
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We had one in the old kitchen which started leaking. I took it out and the top of the unit just disintegrated with rust. I was left with just a hole in the small sink.
We didn't want to fit another waste disposal. IIRC, I just bought a new sink outlet and plumbed it into the large sink waste.
There will be flexible gaskets in that, they can be stretched to go over the top of the unit if it can't be removed.
I think I might have a couple in my ' plumbing ' box...I'll have a look and a measure, if so.
Ted
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>> Or 'fibre' washers from a cereal packet, or even a length of string.
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>> The main weakness with silicone is it's 'once only' so the joint cannot be remade
>> in future after cleaning.
Not a problem a: it cleans up well enough b: new silicon sealant will fill any rough areas left by the old.
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Using putty instead of washers? - Zero
