It can be very frustrating when your kitchen or bathroom sinks do not drain effectively. It may take ages or refuse to budge; whatever may be the case, the mess can be difficult to live with and will need attention.
It may not always be possible to get a plumber to visit you, at short notice, every time your sink gets clogged. So you should know these quick tips and tricks to overcome this problem. Most clogged sinks are pretty simple to deal with, and you should be able to handle them yourself in just a few minutes. However, if you notice the problem persists or recurs frequently, it may be a good idea to call the plumber. The expert can identify and deal with the larger problems that are causing frequent clogging.
Using Hot Water And Baking Soda
If you start to notice that the water from your sink is draining very slowly, it should ring alarm bells that you are heading towards a clogged sink. So instead of waiting for the sink to get fully clogged, you should use half a cup of baking soda into the sink. After that, pour boiling water into the sink. The baking soda and hot water can dissolve any gunk stuck in the stopper or the drainpipe and improve the draining within a few minutes.
Clearing The Stopper
One of the most common reasons for a clogged sink is the waste that gets stuck to the stopper. To clean the stopper, you will need to disconnect it first. It is easy to do it by unscrewing the pivot nut that attaches the metal strip to the drain pipe. You can lift the drain stopper and clear out the trash. You will be able to do it very easily.
Clean The Drainpipe With A Snake
Even after cleaning the stopper, you suspect the drain pipe to be clogged, use a plumbing snake to clear out the drain after you have removed the stopper. Insert the snake and twist it around to clear the sides of the drain pipe. You should repeat it till the snake comes out clean. You can clean out the gunk and deposit it into the trash bin and clear out the drain completely.
Reconnecting The Stopper
After you have cleaned out the stopper and drain pipe of all the gunk, you will need to reinstall the stopper back to your drain pipe. You will have to tighten the nut properly to ensure the stopper is held in place and the pivot nut is fixed tightly to the metal. However, before you tighten the nut, test the drain by turning on the faucet slowly. Do not turn it on full as the stopper is not fixed yet. The water force can unlock it and flood your kitchen or bathroom. After you are satisfied that there is no more clogging and the water drains quickly, fix the stopper fully.
Cleaning the trap
After you have cleaned the stopper and the drain completely and tried the test, if you still notice there isn’t much effect and the water is still draining very slowly, then you will have to look for other points that may be clogged. Check the p-trap below the sink. However, have a bucket ready to collect the dirt & water if it spills. Clean it up fully of any gunk and reinstall the p-trap properly. This is important to prevent frequent clogging and to repeat the tedious exercise again and again.
These steps should be able to unclog your sink most of the time. You need to clean your sink as soon as you notice that the water is draining slowly, or every few months. It will help you avoid any emergency.
If the problem persists then, it will be time to call your plumber and let the experts. You must have the garbage disposal system checked as that may also cause clogging. Since the plumbing problems increase in winters, make sure you have the maintenance check done before peak season. If you are sufficiently confident about your plumbing skills, you can venture out to do things on your own, else involve professionals such as CW Service Pros to maintain your plumbing system.
A great idea is to set the panels on sliders so they can be closed or opened depending on whether your AC unit is turned on or not. Additionally, this presents an excellent opportunity to hide other eyesores behind the panels that you’d rather not be in plain sight too, such as radiators or fuse boxes. Consult The Local Electrician if you need expert help with any of this.
Call the professionals
If your garbage disposal is showing signs of wear and tear, you might be experiencing some common symptoms. These include abnormal sounds or smells coming from the unit, water leaking out at its base, clogged drains in adjacent sinks—and if these are happening to you right now then it may be time for repairs. If any of those ring true for you today give a call to your local professional service. The Kannapolis community can turn to Morris Jenkins for repairs or other services at any time during the week even on weekends.