Slow draining and blocked sinks are a frequent issue for every household. This article will explain the cause and the best way to fix it.
Why isn’t My Sink Draining?
A slow or blocked sink is likely to be the most frequent issue that you’ll encounter in your office or home. In your kitchen or bathroom there are a variety of reasons your sink might not be draining.
Let’s look at the reasons in more specific detail:
Food Waste
One of the main reasons for slow draining or blocked drains can be food debris. Simple cleaning up after eating will contribute to the issue and certain foods particularly known for their creating plumbing problems.
Butters and fats congeal and wrap around the inside of the pipes, growing over time, and then solidifying when cool. Rice and pasta become stuck in pipes and start to absorb more water leading them to expand and become immovable by flow of water. Other substances such as the coffee grounds and vegetable waste, as well as fruit skins, are frequent culprits as well.
Soap Build-Up
Similar to the issue with fats, soap buildup is similar to soap build-up. The layers slowly build up over time becoming smaller and creating drainage issues after a certain amount of time.
It’s impossible to not have water dripping from your drains. However, you can make steps to clean them properly that will be described further in this article.
Foreign Objects
The majority of objects aren’t suitable for flushing down the sink, but many common objects are. Tissue, cotton wool and even small pieces of plastic are often drained out of hand by the user. However, they cause significant problems for pipes.
Hair
The most well-known of the drain obstructions is hair. If it’s a result of shaving, showering, or even clipping hair can quickly become knotted and caught in the drain’s components creating a huge problem to clean and can cause the water to drain in a slow and laborious manner.
There are ways to ensure that hair doesn’t reach your drains at all however we’ll discuss those in this guide.
How to Fix a Slow Draining Sink
A sink that is slow draining is frequently discovered long from any effort to fix it is even made. We’ve all had the experience of finding that slow draining pool of water and making the mental note to fix it tomorrow but in the end, it’s obvious that the best time to act is now.
What options are you able to use to fix the slow draining of your sink? Look over the methods below:
Hot Water, Baking Soda and White Vinegar Method
This technique is ideal for sinks that have been clogged by soap, food particles or any other gunk that could be cleaned out.
It’s not recommended to clean drains that have been clogged by hair or other foreign objects. The clue could be from the word “simple” however for this method, you’ll require boiling water, 1 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup white vinegar. Then, follow the steps as follows:
- Cook the kettle, then clean your sink by wiping it with the help of a rag.
- Take a cup of baking soda, and empty it into the drain. If anything is blocking it, such as the drain stopper or an unremovable plug, you can use an earbud that is made of cotton to help push the baking soda down the drain. Do not fret if you do not succeed in getting all of it.
- Measure 1 Cup of white vinegar, and pour it into the drain as well. The bubbling should begin, which is precisely what will cause the disruption and break down of the blockage that is causing it.
- After three minutes After 3 minutes, pour a full kettle of water boiling into the drain slowly to flush out the blockage that remains and get rid of baking soda as well as the white vinegar. If you think it’s necessary for you to do so, pour another kettle of water boiling into the drain.
- Switch on the taps and check how much water drains at a speedier rate. This should work, but if it doesn’t work, try a different option from the list!
Plunger Method
The plunger method is easiest to use and does not require much explanation. However, it’s crucial to understand when the most appropriate moment to use it is.
A plunger is available for a couple of pounds at any grocery or DIY store. It’s usually an item of rubber that is mounted on the end of a wooden stick. The rubber part creates an air-tight seal on the drain that is moved to clear any obstruction.
A plunger will not aid a sink filled with fat or soap buildup but it could be extremely effective in the removal of foreign items and food items. To get even better suction, try using an old rag or duct tape to stop the flow.
Coat Hanger or Unblock Tool Method
It is the most efficient and quickest method of removing hair and other debris off your pipes. You can either use an old-fashioned coat hanger made of wire or purchase an affordable unblocking device that can be a piece of plastic, with hooks on it.
For a hanger for your coat, simply straighten it however bend a hook to the end. Utilizing either your coat hanger, or the unblock tool, put it as in the drain as far as is possible and start spinning it in one direction only for about 15 turns.
After you have removed it you will see that it has taken the water as it went out, thus clearing the obstruction and giving you a quick-draining the sink.
Sink Unblocking Solutions
There are numerous liquid sink blockers available on the market. They tend to be fairly inexpensive and simple to utilize. Then, empty the contents of your drain or into your sink and then leave it for a while and rinse by using hot water until have achieved rapid drainage.
The outcomes can be uneven, depending on the quality of the product, however the best product will work efficiently without being harmful.
Should I Remove the Sink Waste Pipe?
The sink waste pipe is typically called a U-Bend because of its shape. The u-bend is situated under your sink, typically inside a cupboard, that is intended to block any backflows from the septic or sewer system to the drains above in order to protect you from unwelcome gases and greywater. Due to its shape, it can be the place to be for any blockages that can cause slower draining of water.
It is recommended to follow the steps above to clear a blockage prior to trying to fix it yourself. If you aren’t confident about using a u-bend to fix it contact a professional plumber.
If you’ve tried other techniques but haven’t made any progress The next step would be to eliminate the U-bend. Here’s a step-bystep guide below to help you do it:
- Begin by shutting off the water at the master control on the property. It is usually a metal handle that is typically located near the kitchen.
- Install a bucket beneath the u-bend so that it can collect any water stuck within the pipe.
- Twist the fastening to keep the u-bend to ensure it stays in the right position. It is possible to need a wrench if the bends are not tight. They’re typically bolt-shaped and are loosened by hand.
- The pipe should be removed and drain any water that might have been accumulating inside the pipe and into the bucket.
- Make use of a brush to scrub the u-bend, clearing any obstructions, and ensuring that the area is clean.
- Replace the u-bend and tightening the fastenings like before.
- Once the clamp is fixed Once it is in place, turn on the tap and examine for leaks that could have been caused by the removal of a U-bend. If there is any leakage be sure that the fasteners are secure and put back on properly.
Cleaning and removing a u-bend is relatively simple and can be accomplished easily by nearly all. However, as we’ve mentioned earlier, if you’re not comfortable performing this task, make sure you contact an experienced plumber to look the plumbing issue.
Can Bleach Unclog a Sink?
A lot of people believe that because of the potent bleach used in our homes can be a beneficial choice to use for unblocking drains or sinks. However, it isn’t the case as bleach was originally designed to serve to clean as well as disinfectant. It has few properties that can successfully remove something blocking a drain or a sink.
Furthermore, the use of these kinds of chemicals that are harsh will harm and weaken the security the plumbing structure. In time, the bleach and chemicals can cause corrosion and rust to the parts that make up your plumbing, and the gases released by the chemicals won’t be of any benefit to the other family members.
There are a variety of other solutions that can effectively remove any blockage in your kitchen drain and sink that don’t require the use of hazardous and harmful chemicals.
How to prevent a Sink from Blocking
The best solution is always preventative and by taking a couple of measures, you will be able to prevent anything from getting into your drains that isn’t water.
- To store coffee grounds as well as food items, you can keep an enormous coffee container or similar one near the sink to scrape it into. This keeps it out of your drains and make it easy to dispose of when it’s filled.
- You can purchase the sink guard for just some pounds. Sink-guards are typically small pieces of plastic which sit on top of your drain, allowing water flow through while also capturing any debris that falls into the water. Then, you can take the guard off and empty the drain as often you’ll need to.
- Continuously running hot water through your drain will keep your pipes clean because the hot water wash away any soap or scum that is beginning to build up.
- Utilizing using baking soda, vinegar and water as a part of your routine cleaning is an affordable natural, easy and effective method of keeping your plumbing system in good shape and free of blockages.
What Can Happen If I Don’t Unblock My Sink?
In some instances there are instances where drains and sinks are blocked for prolonged durations of time. Most often the cases of this happen in office buildings and other structures, however homeowners aren’t always able to fix the issue with blocked drains a prolonged period and cause more serious problems in the future.
The first and most important thing to remember is that the blocked drain poses an absolute health risk. The stagnant water can be an ideal habitat for harmful germs and bacteria, so having this kind of water in your home is extremely harmful to its inhabitants. In addition to the growth in bacterial matter, it can start emitting the smell of rotten eggs that can create a smell that makes living within the house very unpleasant.
Another problem that is long-term due to the blockage of a drain or drain could be the possibility for pipes to be pushed past their capacity, resulting in ruptured pipes and the possibility of flooding.
The continuous pressure placed on the pipes and their fixings could be damaging to their durability, resulting in a messier and more costly issue to address. Like most things it is the more quickly you fix an issue, the less expensive and less difficult it will be.
Plumber Costs
The price of a plumber in your area can differ based on a variety of aspects, including the area you reside in along with the duration and amount of materials required and the speed at which you’ll need a plumber arrive at your residence. The majority of plumbers charge between £20 to £40 in an hour. simple jobs such as blocked or leaky pipes getting completed quicker than more complex tasks.
The price for fixing blocked drains will vary from £50 for a basic repair, and up to £100-£200 if there are obstructions that are deeper in the plumbing system and could require more time to identify and repair.
If you have to call a plumber to your house in an emergency during unsociable times most of the time you will be charged an emergency call-out cost. The charges vary from PS50 to PS100 dependent on the time and the location of the callout.
