With constant use, no plumbing system will develop clogs at some point, and there is no way around this situation.
One of the most common plumbing problems homeowners face is a clogged or slow moving drain in the bathroom sink. Fortunately, you can fix a clogged kitchen in Brentwood Heights with a simple solution, and all it takes to get your sink draining properly again is a little time and the right tools.
What Causes A Clogged Kitchen?
Before moving on to the procedure to repair a clogged bathroom drain, let’s discuss the causes of the problem.
Typically, bathroom sink clogs are the result of a combination of hair, dirt, and skin flakes adhering to sticky soap scum that collects on the walls of drain pipes or snags on the dipstick, pivot or drain plug.
Since it’s the bathroom sink, things like toothpaste, hand lotions, and even phlegm can also contribute to clogging. This combination of gunk builds up bacteria on it, so when you pull the plug out of the sink, there’s a buildup of what looks like black slime, and it’s not pretty!
How To Fix Your Clogged Kitchen
Here are some essential tips to clear the clog in your sink:
- Step #1 – Remove and clean the plug.
Depending on the design of your sink, you may either pry up the plug on the drain hole opening, or you may need to remove the pivot rod first. To remove the pivot rod, unscrew the pivot rod nut by hand or with a pair of pliers and slide the pivot rod out before removing the stop.
Once you remove the plug, the source of your clog may simply be hair and dirt buildup. So it is simply a matter of untangling the hair from the plug and cleaning the plug before replacing it in the weep hole along with the pivot rod.
Chances are the clogging is caused by hair and dirt wrapped around the pivot rod or in the vicinity of the rod once it has been removed.
To remove that clog, you’ll have to improvise a bit. You can use a lightweight wire like a metal hanger or even a short piece of wire that you can bend and make into a tight hook.
Run some hot water to help remove any remaining gunk and see if the clog is gone. If the water is still backing up or the sink won’t drain, another clog in the line is causing a clog.
- Step #2 – Use boiling water.
The key word here is “boiling.” Typical hot water from the sink will not work. The water must be hot enough to dissolve the organic matter accumulated in the drain.
While this is a standard solution, we ask that you do not use boiling water if the pipes are made of PVC. The heat of the water can cause pipe joints to loosen.
If your sink is made of porcelain, you should never pour boiling water directly into the sink as the heat can cause it to crack. You should pour the water directly into the drain.
- Step #3 – Test the plunger.
The above steps work for minor clogs, but if your sink clog is caused by a more significant clog, you may be able to remove it with a cup-shaped plunger.
Fill the sink halfway with water, then place the plunger over the drain hole and check for a good seal. Take quick, steady dips to clear the clog. The clog may take several times to loosen.
Between each dive, check to see if the water has started to drain.
- Step #4 – Drain the snake.
A drain snake is a flexible hand auger that is often used to clear more giant blockages in pipes. You can buy one for around $15 at your local home improvement or hardware store.
The drain snake works in the opposite way to a plunger. Instead of using suction to dislodge it, turn the crank to push the snake further in once the drain snake hits the clog. This causes parts of the clog to break off and allow it to continue down the drain. The snake can also grab part of the obstruction while retracting it, allowing you to pull it out.
Our professional plumbers are ready to check your line if you were unable to clear your clogged kitchen in Brentwood Heights after trying all the steps above.
When you have plumbing problems, contact Angelino’s Plumbing Emergency Services Pacific Palisades. It has the best plumbers in the city, they have the experience and knowledge to solve all your plumbing problems.
Your Kitchen: A Problem You Don’T Want To Ignore in Brentwood Heights