Plumbers and engineers in London are regularly called out to unblock kitchen sinks. Blockages are often caused by food waste, leaving unwanted problems. Not dealing with this can result in serious problems with your drainage. Although, this is something that you can resolve yourself without the need of a professional.
There are different ways that a blocked sink may present itself. Water may be slowly draining and, if this is the case, then you have a chance of solving the issues. A handy tip is to place 2 cups of baking soda down the sink and to follow this with a further 2 cups of white vinegar. As these two react, you will see fizzing and this should force the block out of the way. Once the fizzing has stopped, then pour some boiling water down to remove whatever is blocking the plug. This should be done until water is flowing freely again.
Sometimes this won’t work and you will need to use a different approach. A plunger can be used to move the block by forcing air down the pipe. If you do not have access to a plunger then the palm of your hand will work. Simply place this over the plug, creating a seal, and push down over and over.
When a sink is blocked completely and no water will drain, then you could have a large issue on your hands. But it is worth remembering that nothing is unfixable! Most blockages in sinks happen because of an issue within the U-bend, the initial bend in the pipework.
Prior to trying to remove this, ensure that you have all the items you need to carry out any work. A washing up bowl, rubber gloves, and a towel will be helpful. Once you’ve got these, place the washing up bowl and towel underneath the U-bend. Use the rubber gloves to get a grip of the pipe and unscrew this. To keep you from being covered in waste and water, ensure that you do this slowly and empty anything into the bowl. Whilst you are taking the U-bend out, you should never use the taps. If this approach is unsuccessful, then a wire coat hanger may be the best solution. This allows you to loosen the blockage by getting through the whole pipe. After you’re happy that the block has been removed, then run some warm, soapy water down the plughole.
When you reattach the U-bend, it is important to make sure that this is fixed tightly. However, ensure that you do not crack the thread while doing this. Waterproof tape is a great addition if you want to feel more secure that no leakages will occur.
If you cannot find a blockage within the U-bend, then the problems may run deeper into the drainage system. When you discover this, you need to bring in expert plumbers. This is not a problem that you can solve yourself and it requires specialist knowledge.
Preventing blockages from occurring in the first place should be a large priority. Food waste should be disposed of correctly into a composter or bin, rather than down the sink. Putting a vinegar and baking soda solution down the sink monthly can prevent oil, food and other waste from creating blockages.
If your blockage cannot be resolved, then the specialists here at agivo are on hand to solve your problems with our guaranteed service. For more, please feel free to call us today on 0208 088 0624 or fill in our contact form.
