You are trying to do dishes or wash your hands when you notice that your sink is filling with water instead of flowing smoothly down the drain. Maybe there’s a smell coming from your sink that you can’t find the source of and you are not sure what to do.
There are a thousand things that can cause a clogged or smelly drain. At Proficient Plumbing & Heating, we are here to help. First, let’s talk about the things that could be causing your sink to drain slowly.
- In the bathroom: Bathroom sinks can have slow-moving or stopped-up drains due to hair or soap scum getting caught on the stopper. The clog may also work free of the stopper, only to block up the pipe itself, causing the water to back up once it hits the clog.
- In the kitchen: Food, grease, or soap scum can cause your sink drain to be clogged, especially if you do a lot of cooking. It’s important to remember to clean your sink thoroughly, and to be careful if you have a garbage disposal – never stick your hand down your drain if that’s the case!
Fixing a Clogged Drain
Now, how can you fix a clogged drain? There are a variety of ways, from taking a plunger to the situation for a temporary fix to using plumber’s snakes to buying drain cleaner. With a little bit of practice, all of these tools are easily usable by the homeowner; you simply have to make sure that you are handling them correctly.
You might think that using a plunger would never work, but in fact it is able to clear most small clogs in both a kitchen and bathroom sink! Simply fill your sink partly with water and use the plunger exactly as you would on the toilet (though we recommend getting a separate plunger to handle sink clogs – you don’t want to worry about germs or contamination near your food). Work the plunger up and down several times then quickly pull it off the drain opening. If the water you filled the sink with begins flowing freely, congratulations – you’ve fixed your drain clog!
If not, you may need to use the snake. However, using the snake can be a bit more complicated, as it requires you to bypass your sink drain and do some work with the pipes. For example, with your kitchen sink, you’ll want to remove your sink trap and empty any water into a bucket then make sure the trap itself isn’t clogged before feeding your snake into the pipe in the wall.
And what do you do about issues with your sink having a terrible smell? It is possible that there is rotting food stuck in your garbage disposal or drain, or that you are having sewer smells coming up through your drain trap or vent. The first issue can usually be resolved by clearing the clog and cleaning it out, however, the sewage smell could be caused by a leak in your sink trap or another, more serious issue with your pipes.
If you are experiencing any of these problems and want assistance from a professional, don’t worry – Proficient Plumbing & Heating is here to help! We offer free estimates and 24-hour emergency services, so don’t delay if you notice a seriously slow drain or a bad smell. Contact us and our expert team will handle the problem for you!
