Blocked sink waste Leeds
Blocked sinks are normally caused by a build up of debris within the system piping
Most of us have encountered a blocked sink- water slowly drains out over the course of minutes, or odd gurgling noises as it drains… they’re all tell-tale signs of a blockage.
Just follow the tips in this article and get ready to let it flow.
You don’t always need fancy tools to unblock a sink, or any special skills at DIY /plumbing.
But it helps to not be squeamish, as you will encounter all kinds food remnants , grease , and build-up of deposits .
Unblocking a sink
There are a few basic ways to unblock a sink, and their effectiveness all depends on how blocked up the sink is.
Before you go diving into the cupboard, and taking the pipework apart there are a few options available to make life easier .
in three easy stages. Try them each in turn, and hopefully at least one of them will get your sink unclogged and functioning properly again.
Try a plunger – The first step is to grab a plunger
Plunging creates a vacuum to push and pull at the blockage this helps to dislodge the blockage.
Cover up the overflow to the sink – Place the cup over the plughole, and ensure a seal is formed, then drive the handle down and up in a pumping action. You’ll know the blockage is clear when you fill the sink up and it drains quickly.
Hot water – remove all waste water from sink using a cloth and a bucket – then try adding some boiling hot water into sink – this will help dissolve any grease – fat causing the blockage – although it may take some time to work
There are a lot of drain unblocking solutions on the market, and though they will often get the job done they can be dangerous if not used correctly and may even make things harder to clear in next steps .
A more friendly solution to unblocking a sink uses a simple mix of baking soda and vinegar. First, pour a load of baking powder down your plughole. Then tip in the vinegar. You’ll hear a lot of fizzing, and may even get some froth coming back up the plughole. Once the chemical reaction subsides tip some hot water down to flush the pipe through.
If that doesn’t work you can also use bleach to dissolve blockages. The best approach with bleach is to pour some through the plughole last thing at night and then flush with hot water in the morning.
You may want to give the sink a quick plunge afterwards as an extra measure to dislodge any clumps of gunge.
If none of the above work, then it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty
Most blocked sinks happen because the U-bend gets clogged up, and sometimes the only solution is to remove the U-bend and clear it out by hand.
You will require the following
Small bucket
Plumber’s spring – or coat hanger
Look under your sink and find the U-bend, it’s the first bend in the pipe immediately below the plughole.
If sink is full place plug in sink
Put your bucket/container under the U-bend and carefully unscrew the section of pipe. The U-bend has two sets of threads, one at either end. As you loosen them any backed up water will drain out, so take your time. Once the flow of water has stopped remove the U-bend and use the wire coat hanger to clean out the inside of the pipe, you can also use a dishcloth and warm water to help clean everything out.
Once it’s all clean, re install the U-bend back into place ensuring not to damage the seals from the u bend . Run the tap to make sure the U-bend is watertight.
If none of the above work then the blockage could be situated elsewhere and it’s probably time to consider calling out a plumber to get to the bottom of the issue. “
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