Clogged Sinks in Reading, PA
Kitchen sinks and bathroom sinks are the drains we clear most often. Grease and food in the kitchen, hair and soap in the bathroom. We cable the clog out and tell you what not to pour down the drain so it stays clear. And why chemical cleaners can do more harm than good.
A Sink Clogs at the Trap and the Branch
Every sink has a trap, the curved pipe under the basin, and a branch line that carries water to the larger drain. The trap is there to catch debris and hold a seal of water against sewer gas, which means it is also where most clogs start. Material collects in the trap and the branch just past it, narrows the opening, and eventually stops the sink from draining.
In a kitchen the cause is grease and food. In a bathroom it is hair and soap. Both are soft enough that a cable breaks them up or pulls them out cleanly, and the sink drains again. The fix is simple, and so is the prevention, which we will walk you through once the line is clear.
When a Sink Needs Clearing
- Water sitting in the basin after the tap is off
- A gurgling sound from the drain
- A slow drain that gets worse over days
- A bad smell coming up from the sink
- Water backing up into the sink from another fixture
- A garbage disposal that hums but won't drain
Kitchen vs Bathroom, Different Culprits
Kitchen Sinks
Grease is the main offender. It goes down warm and liquid, cools in the line, hardens, and sticks to the walls. Food scraps, coffee grounds, and garbage disposal waste get caught in it. Over time the trap and branch narrow until the sink stops draining.
Bathroom Sinks
Hair and soap are the cause. They combine into a waxy mass that builds up in the pop-up assembly and the trap. Toothpaste and soap scum add to it. The drain narrows until water barely moves.
How We Clear a Sink
- 1
We check the fixture
We look at whether one sink is affected or several, and whether the disposal is involved, to tell if the clog is in the trap, the branch, or further down the line.
- 2
We cable the line
A cable machine is fed through the trap and into the branch to break up or pull out the clog.
- 3
We test the drain
We run water and watch the flow. If the line is still slow from grease buildup, we may recommend hydro jetting the branch clean.
- 4
We walk you through prevention
We tell you what not to put down the drain so the clog does not return as quickly, and we flag anything we saw that points to a deeper problem.
What Not to Pour, and Why Not to Use Chemicals
In the kitchen, keep grease, oil, coffee grounds, eggshells, pasta, and rice out of the drain. Scrape plates into the trash and wipe grease out of pans with a paper towel before washing. The less grease that goes down, the longer the line stays clear.
On chemical drain cleaners, the honest answer is that they rarely clear a full clog and they can corrode your pipes, especially older cast iron. They work by dissolving a hole through part of the clog, which means the rest of the buildup is still there. Mechanical clearing removes the whole clog, and it does not put a corrosive chemical in your pipes to sit and do damage over time.
At Home
Most home calls are a single kitchen or bathroom sink. We cable the clog, walk you through prevention, and jet the branch if grease is the cause.
At a Business
Commercial kitchen and restroom sinks see far more use. We clear them the same way and can set up maintenance so the busy ones do not shut down your operation.
When a Sink Clog Is Really a Main Line Clog
If only one sink is affected, the clog is in that branch, and clearing it fixes the problem. But if several fixtures back up at once, or water comes up in another sink when this one drains, the clog is in the main line, not the sink. Clearing the sink will not help in that case. We will tell you when the real problem is further down the line.
Related Drain Services
Sink Clog Questions
Why does my kitchen sink keep clogging?
Kitchen sinks clog from grease that cools and hardens in the line, food scraps, and garbage disposal waste collecting in the trap and branch. A cable clears the clog, and hydro jetting cleans the grease off the walls so it returns more slowly.
What causes a bathroom sink to clog?
Hair and soap. Together they form a dense, waxy mass that builds up in the pop-up assembly and the trap. It narrows the drain until water barely moves. We cable it out and the sink drains normally again.
Are chemical drain cleaners safe for my pipes?
Not really. Over-the-counter chemicals rarely clear a full clog, and they are corrosive, especially to older cast iron. They eat a small hole through part of the clog and can damage the pipe over time. Mechanical clearing removes the clog instead.
What shouldn't I pour down the kitchen drain?
Cooking grease and oil, coffee grounds, eggshells, pasta and rice, and fibrous foods. Grease is the biggest problem, it coats the walls and hardens. Scrape plates into the trash and wipe grease out with a paper towel before washing.
Can you clear a garbage disposal that won't drain?
Yes. A disposal that hums but won't drain is often a clog in the branch line past the disposal, not the disposal itself. We cable the line past the trap to clear it, and we'll tell you if the disposal is the actual issue.
What's Causing My Clog?
Answer three quick questions and we'll point to the most likely cause and the service that fits.
Which drain is giving you trouble?
Areas we serve: Reading and Berks County. Outside our main area we serve the rest of Berks County with a trip charge.