What Are The Causes Of Blocked Sinks And How Do I Clear Them?   

A blocked sink can happen to anyone and as a matter of fact, it is one of the most frequent drain problems that occur in any household. Although the tendency of most people who encounter this problem is to call a plumber, some may opt to fix the problem themselves. After all, the job seems to be easy and simple. While the difference in the result may lie in the areas of skills and proficiency between a professional plumber and a DIY person, the outcome is still the basis of success and that is to fix the blocked sink. Understanding the reasons why a sink gets blocked can be handy in the future even if you do not plan to do the repairing yourself or is not beset with this concern at this time.

What Causes a Blocked Sink?

1. Leftover Food

The most frequent cause of a blocked sink is food. Bits and pieces of leftover food can slip into the sink prior to cleaning the dishes. When this happens, these leftover food stick to the walls of the drain and will eventually accumulate over time, thereby causing an obstruction. Sticky food items like raisins, bread particles, cereals and jellybeans can easily clogged the sink.

2. Fat

Fat or grease is another common cause of a blocked sink. The grease coming from your food is normally in liquid form when it is warm; but when it gets mixed with water and has cooled off, the grease starts to solidify. The solid grease will then stick to the drain's walls and bits of food and other substances will now stick to the grease and in a short while will cause a block in the sink.

3. Solid Objects

Solid objects falling into the sink can also cause blockage. Playful kids in your home are inclined to toss objects into the sink for fun. Things like toys are the common objects they especially like to throw in the sink. The toy will cause an instant blockage when it gets into the drain.

Simple Ways to Clear a Blocked Sink

When your sink is just slow in running down the water, it can only mean that it is not fully clogged.

Try to treat the sink and drain by simply pouring in hot water for several minutes. This should do the trick if the cause of the blockage is from grease, oil or soap scum as these substances will soften when they get in contact with hot water. If the hot water doesn't work then you could try using a drain cleaner but be sure to read the manufacturer's instructions on how to use it as they contain harmful chemicals.

When hot water and drain cleaners are not enough, use the plunger. Pour some water into the sink and position the plunger on the strainer. Begin by pumping in and out at a rapid pace. Keep on doing this for several minutes. The idea here is to build pressure inside the pipes so that the blockage will move. If it is just a small clog you are dealing with, the plunger treatment should do the job.

If the clog is still there after the plunging, you will need to work next on the drain trap.

• Get a container and place it underneath the trap.
• Unfasten the trap using a wrench.
• Remove the things contained therein and clean the trap with water.
• Restore the trap and test the sink by running water for several minutes to see if that solves the problem.
• After cleaning the trap and the clog still persist, it is time to use the cable auger as the clog is most probably inside the wall drain.
• Open the drain trap once again and insert the auger in the direction going to the drain.
• Push the cable auger along the length of the drain until it reaches the blockage.
• Pull the cable back; you should see some substances that cause the clog come out with your cable.
• Re-insert the cable once more and repeat the process.
• Close the drain trap and run water for a few minutes to see if the flow of water is now without any resistance.
• If the water is still slow in going down the sink, some debris may still be left inside the drain. Use the plunger once more to finally clear the remaining clog.

We provide an Mac repair service in London.

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