Efficient Sink Unclogging: Insights from a Professional Plumber

Sink Repair Services | Miller Plumbing & Drainage Ltd.

Clogs can develop in your home’s plumbing systems at any time. And you may have no success after trying out a few DIY hacks. Your next line of action in this situation would be to call a pro.

Since they’re equipped with the right tools and techniques, a plumber will have your sink working again in no time. Want to know how it’s done? Here are some of the rules, tips, and guidelines expert plumbers follow!

Equipment for unblocking a sink:

The plunger is every plumber’s friend and one of the first tools they’ll grab when trouble arises. You can use this tool to clear clogs in almost every fixture, including toilets, tubs, and sinks.

If the clog is located deep down the drainpipe, it may also require the following equipment:

  • Plumber’s snake, or
  • a cable auger
  • a steel cable (long and flexible) wound around a spool fitted with a hand crank

Cable augers come in many different lengths and can be as long as 100 feet. But a 25-foot model would suffice for most clogs in your home. When dealing with a large clog, it’s best to go for an electric power auger.

An electrically powered large cable auger can cut through just about any clog, including tangled tree roots. Always request information about safe ways to dispense and retrieve the cable from your rental agent before taking a power auger home. If snaking out a toilet is what you want to do, then a closet auger is the tool for you.

It also has a hand crank, but it differs from the cable auger in that the cable is inside a rigid shaft instead of a spool. The closet auger can fit through the tight curves of your toilet thanks to its bent end.

Wash basin Repair

Unblocking a Sink

A professional plumber can unclog a sink by removing the trap and draining the pipe. In minor sink clog cases, a plunger is all you need to clear the blockage.

  • Pour water into the sink until it is partially full and start plunging.
  • Work the plunger vigorously a couple of times and pull it off quickly from the drain opening.
  • When dealing with a double-bowl kitchen sink, you will need to block one with a wet rag opening while plunging the other.
  • If you are dealing with a bath sink, you will need to block off the overflow hole with a wet rag. It will help direct pressure to the clog.
  • If you don’t get a positive result after plunging, it’s time to grab your cable auger and do some work under the sink.
  • Use a pipe wrench to remove the sink trap. You may unscrew the large threaded coupling on a PVC plastic trap by hand.
  • Now you can ensure that the trap is not plugged by emptying the water in the trap into a bucket.

Cut Through the Clog

cut through the clog

If needed, a plumber may have to cut through the Clog. Here’s how it works:

  • Step 1: Take out the horizontal trap arm protruding from the stub out in the wall.
  • Step 2: Continue feeding the cable into the stub out till it can’t take any more.
  • Step 3: Take out some cable (18 inches) and ensure that you tighten the lock screw.
  • Step 4: Drive the cable deeper into the pipe by cranking the handle using a clockwise motion and then pushing it forward simultaneously.
  • Step 5: Now, take another cable of 18 inches and repeat the steps above until you break into the clog.
  • Step 6: The cable may bog down or catch on something. In this case, turn the crank in an anti-clockwise direction and pull the auger backward.
  • Step 7: Crank and push forward as soon as the cable is clear.
  • Step 8: It’s time to retrieve the cable. Once you are done, replace the trap and the trap arm. You can check if the sink drains well by turning on the hot water faucet. If you noticed that it doesn’t, it could be because the debris from the busted-up blockage has settled into a loose blockage.
  • Step 9: Pour hot water into the sink until it’s partially full and with a plunger, clear the debris.
  • Step 10: Lastly, add more hot water.

Conclusion

The best plumbers in Burnaby will fix your clogged sink in no time. This is great for you since you will have your sink back in order quickly! In addition to fixing sinks, our Burnaby plumbing contractors also offer services like:

  • Plumbing repipe
  • Water heater installation
  • Water heater replacement
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  • Burnaby heating and plumbing
  • Water heater repair
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Sometimes the best option when dealing with clogs is to leave the job for the professionals. Get in touch for help from Miller Plumbing & Drainage Ltd. With the tools and tips above, they will unclog your sink and have it working right again.