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Triple master contractor Ed Del Grande
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By Ed Del Grande
Q: Ed, help! I have water leaking in over a kitchen cabinet, but it does not leak all the time. There are no water lines in the area and I first thought it was a leak in the roof and replaced some shingles but that did not help. There is a plumbing vent pipe that goes across the area but can a vent pipe leak? The water has destroyed the cabinet, and we don't have a clue as to where the leak is coming from. What next? Fred (Chicago)
A: Fred, in my many years as a service repair person, I have encountered many mystery leaks. Usually it's the last thing you would expect to cause a leak. One time I found a leak that ended up being an unused electrical wire that went outside and rain water followed the wire inside the house and halfway across the house till it started dripping in the living room. My point is that you never know with hidden leaks what the cause may be, and you'll waste more time and money trying to guess.
I always recommend taking a first hand look. Since you say the cabinet is ruined anyway, I would have a finish carpenter remove the cabinet and open up the ceiling to expose the area that's leaking. Once you can see what exactly is leaking, now at least you can pinpoint and address the problem. When the problem is corrected, it should be a pretty easy job to repair the ceiling and install a new cabinet.
When dealing with mystery leaks, even a good guess usually gets you in a puddle of trouble!
Ed Del Grande was born and raised in a family-owned plumbing business. With more than 25 years of experience in every aspect of construction, he holds current Master licenses in pipefitting, fire protection and plumbing. If you have a question for Ed, send him an e-mail at eddelgrande@hgtvpro.com.
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