Tips on Unstopping a Sink

Garbage Disposals

• One of the most common causes of a clogged kitchen sink is a blockage in the garbage disposal. Turn on your garbage disposal and listen for a low hum. If you hear a hum – or your disposal doesn’t turn on or jams quickly – you most likely have a jam in your disposal. Switch off and unplug the unit. Use a flashlight to see if you can spot the cause. If not, insert an Allen wrench through the hole at the bottom of the disposal to manually turn the blades. Once you have disposed of the blockage, replug in the unit and run clean water through the disposal to flush the pipe.

Plungers

• Plungers are available in many sizes at most hardware and home improvement stores. Place the plunger over the drain, creating a good seal around the drain. If you have trouble getting a good seal, leave 1 to 2 inches of water in the bottom of the sink, then set down the plunger. Pump the plunger vigorously for at least 30 seconds. Pull the plunger straight off on your last pump to create good pressure. Continue applying the plunger, pump and then pull until the water swirls down the drain.

Snakes

• Keep a bucket nearby before you use a snake. You will pull up, more than likely, the clog along with other goop that is in your pipes, and you will want to have a convenient place to dump the dirt. Loosen the setscrew at the top of the snake and pull out a few feet of cable. Tighten the screw, then feed the snake down the drain into the pipes, cranking as you go. If you feel a light obstruction, keep cranking. It is most likely that the snake has encountered a turn in your pipes. When the snake reaches the clog, it will feel more solid than a turn in the pipe. Crank until you feel the tip push through the clog. The tension in the snake’s cable should get a little slack when you are through the clog. Crank counterclockwise to retract the snake, slowly, and dump any goop on the end of the snake into the bucket. If you have not completely removed the clog, you can use the snake again until you have removed all of the blockage.

Prevention

• Once you have removed a clog, take steps to prevent clogging your sink again. Hair traps, small, mesh cups that sit at the top of your drain to collect hairs and small detritus and prevent them from going down the drain, are inexpensive and available at most home and hardware stores. Avoid dumping meat, starchy foods, grease and coffee grounds in your garbage disposal. These materials can overload and clog your disposal. Use a magnet to pull out utensils that slip into your disposal and cause damage or block your pipes. Run water in your disposal when you run it to help flush waste through the pipes.