Professional Tips To Prevent Clogged Sinks - Shamrock Plumbing and Drain Cleaning Inc.

Having Trouble With Clogged Sinks?

Your sink is one of the most common places for plumbing problems to occur. The reason for this is simple: a lot of your home’s wastewater passes down their drains and they’re not designed to handle the load that other plumbing fixtures are, such as toilets. Once your sinks start running slow or gurgling as water flows down the drain, you can be sure that your drains are starting to clog. Fortunately, most sink clogs are relatively easy to handle by a homeowner or a plumber. Additionally, there are steps that you can take to make sink clogs less likely to plague you.

Maintaining Your Home Sink

Water Pouring Down From a Kitchen Faucet

Your sinks are vital parts of your home’s plumbing system. The sink itself is a basin that catches water from a fixture that provides fresh water. The basin is connected to the drain and sewer lines of your home to carry away the soiled water from everyday sink use, like toothbrushing, washing dishes, or handwashing.

It’s common for sinks to clog when not enough attention is paid to what is being put down them. Kitchen sinks can easily clog with grease and food debris, even if you have a garbage disposal. Bathroom sinks can clog with hair, toothpaste residue, and soap scum. Utility sinks in basements and garages can clog with debris from whatever is being washed in them.

Fixing A Clogged Sink

There are a lot of ways to fix sink clogs but some are safer than others. Bathroom sinks usually get fouled with hair that wraps around the stopper. To clean out the hair clog, it is necessary to dismantle the mechanism that operates the stopper and manually pull out the clog. Sometimes a plastic snake that is designed for bathroom sinks is beneficial.

Kitchen sinks get clogged by cooking grease or food debris. Clearing out kitchen sink clogs is often as easy as removing the P-trap under the sink and clearing out the debris. However, if grease has begun to coat the walls of your pipes, you may need to have a plumber come out to hydro jet your sink drain.

Most sink clogs result from a clogged P-trap. Cleaning out the P-trap is simple but if you feel intimidated by it then it is best to call a plumber. Empty the contents of the P-trap into a trashcan and rinse out any build-up with a garden hose or hot water from a different sink.

Prevent A Clog In Your Sink

Homeowner Fixing Her Kitchen Clogged Sink

Sink clog prevention is as easy as paying attention to what goes down the drain. Discard food waste and grease into a trash can instead of down the sink. Install hair catchers in sinks that are prone to clogging from hair. Chasing debris with hot water will prevent it from sticking to the pipe walls as it flushes down.

As a last resort, chemical drain cleaners can be used to prevent clogs or open up mild blockages. If you use chemical cleaners, follow the instructions diligently and be safe. Of course, if your plumbing is on the older side, harsh chemicals can damage them, so it may be best to work with a licensed plumber to find an accurate solution.

About Shamrock Plumbing

Shamrock Plumbing has been providing plumbing service to the Orlando, FL area since 2003. With 24-hour emergency service, they are always ready to fix your plumbing problems. Whether you need work done on your home or business, they are trained and fully licensed for residential and commercial projects.

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