If your kitchen sink is blocked, it is quite likely a simple task to unblock, therefore saving you the expense of calling a plumber. As a plumber in Blackpool, with the number of holiday apartments in the resort, I get called out very frequently when a kitchen sink is blocked - usually as an ASAP call out as the apartment is due to be let on the same day.
Before you go to the expense of calling an emergency plumber in Blackpool, here's a few tips which may help to resolve the problem of a blocked kitchen sink.
How to avoid a kitchen sink blockage The majority of kitchen sink blockages are caused by food in the drainage. Inadvertently rinsing out a pan with just a small amount of excess rice can start a build up once it enters the drain. The pipe which leads directly from the plug hole is usually a shaped like an L, and has several parts joined together. Therein lies the 'issue' (well actually, the issue is whoever is tipping rice/spuds etc down the drain shouldn't do so..) . As the waste pipe has corners and joins, the food will lodge there no matter how much water you force upon it. You can avoid this by ensuring that food, cooking oil or textured liquids such as smoothies never enter the waste pipe. Keep the waste clear and clean by pouring boiling water and a few drops of bleach into the plughole last thing at night.
How to unblock a kitchen sink - if you feel confident enough to attempt unblocking the waste you should start by using a plunger. The sink will have an overflow outlet - you should tape over this or pop a bit of kitchen roll into it - it needs to be temporarily blocked. Next, put the plunger over the plug hole and run the tap, creating a small water coverage. Then, quickly and firmly, plunge the plunger! This should dislodge the blockage, hopefully enabling it to flow out of the drain towards the outer grid (TIP... it would be useful to place a bowl at the foot of the drain pipe to catch the blockage debris to ensure it doesnt make it's way into the main underground drainage). If the plunger doesn't have any effect, you could try dismantling, clearing, and reassembling the waste trap (TIP.. the smell is very likely to turn your stomach). If you are absolutely meticulous about taking this apart and putting back together exactly as it was (it's a bit like a huge lego set), then it's easy enough to take out the part called the trap. Ensure you have a bucket below it to catch any excess water, remove each part, clean and rinse
then carefully put it back together. Bear in mind that you might be disturbing sealants - once back in place, check it by running the tap for a few minutes to ensure there's no leaks.
Use a drain unblocker - A gel-textured unblocker by Mr Muscle may be all you need to dissolve a small blockage. Worth a try at under a tenner!
Call a plumber - if the plunger doesn't do the trick and you don't want to take the water trap apart, this is the time to call a local plumber. Some plumbers charge an emergency call out fee, so unless it really is an urgent problem (for instance in an Air B&B), please ensure that you mention this - the plumber you're calling will get to you as soon as they can but emergency call outs sometimes entail leaving a job to get to you.
In conclusion, your sink trap & waste can be kept in tip top, blockage free condition if you keep it clear by using a sieve to drain foods and disposing of cooking oil responsibly.
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