A clogged kitchen sink can be a nightmare for a busy homeowner. It can cause slow drainage, make it difficult to wash dishes, and even cause a foul smell in the kitchen. It can also be a costly nuisance to deal with. If left untreated, a clogged drain can lead to significant damage to your home and plumbing system, so it’s best to fix a clogged sink in Northwest San Pedro as soon as possible!
- Food Waste
The first step in preventing a clogged sink is to make sure that the right types of food waste do not end up in your plumbing. Fruit and vegetable scraps, tiny bones, ice, cooked meats, and other foods should never be tossed down your kitchen sink’s disposal.
- Grease and Oil
People often mistakenly pour grease, oils, and fat down their kitchen drains, but these substances are very corrosive to plumbing pipes. They can coat the walls of your pipe and cause clogs, even when combined with water from the sink’s faucet.
This happens when they congeal, causing the liquid to harden and create a blockage that’s impossible to flush out. To avoid this, keep used cooking grease in a clean jar or can and dispose of it with the trash each day.
- Soaps and Dishwashers
Some dishwashing soaps are made with fats, and when they combine with some hard minerals found in your kitchen’s water supply, they can create a clog. This is another reason why it’s important to only use soap-free cleaners.
- Coffee Grounds
Unlike most other types of kitchen drain clogs, coffee grounds tend to clump and eventually build up inside the pipes, which can narrow the passageway. A simple way to prevent this is to filter large particles through a drain screen that’s inexpensive and easy to install.
- Soapsuds
Foam and froth from dishwashing soaps can soak into other food particles in the drain and make them swell, increasing the chance of a clog. This is especially true for bread, pasta, and other soft breads.
These foamy soaps can also clog the pipe walls, so it’s important to use soap-free cleaning products.
- Plunging and Snakes
A plunger or a specialized drain snake can help clear a clogged drain, but they do require practice to use correctly. You should feed the tool down a few feet at a time, and push it up against the obstruction until it’s cleared.
Once you feel confident the clog is gone, it’s time to run hot water down the sink’s drain. If this doesn’t work, it may be time to call a plumber for professional drain cleaning.
If the clog is caused by a blockage in the p-trap, this is a common problem and will need to be addressed immediately. The p-trap is located in the pipe that connects to your sink and is a U-shaped structure that collects waste. If the p-trap becomes clogged, it will stop the water from flowing through the drain and could cause a backup.
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