If you’ve ever gone without a kitchen sink for any amount of time, then you know what a headache it can be. If your sink is on the blink, you want a fix, and you want it today. But do you have to call a local Long Beach plumber for each and every issue? Maybe not. There are some situations or issues that you can repair yourself using some basic tips and tricks.
As Soon as Your Kitchen Cabinets Is Leaking
Don’t discount a leak. Water leaking under your sink can cause damage to the cabinet, the flooring, and anything under your kitchen. The first thing to do is get a fantastic look at where the water is coming from.
If there is water around the base of the faucet spout, it could be a weary O-ring. You can replace the ring by simply removing the spout, but first, make sure you switch off the water to the sink. There should be a valve under the sink, so you don’t have to switch off the main.
Kitchen Sink Clogs
A clogged drain is not ever a fantastic thing, but a clogged kitchen sink is especially inconvenient. And smelly. If there is food in the drain, which is probably, the odor from a clogged kitchen sink can be quite unpleasant. A clog also means you can’t use the sink at the popular room in the house before it is cleared.
The most typical reason for a clog from the kitchen is food. Some people feel comfortable placing anything and everything down the drain, assuming the disposal will probably take care of it. Unfortunately, a disposal is not a miracle worker.
Some items that should not go down the kitchen sink drain comprise:
- Oil, fat, and grease
- Fibrous veggies such as celery, squash, and pumpkin
- Starchy foods such as pasta, potatoes, and rice,
- And items that can clump up in the mechanism such as coffee grounds and eggshells.
If the disposal is clogged with grease, you can try pouring boiling water down the drain several days to clear it. If there is food stuck at the disposal itself, you might require a professional to handle the issue.
If you have a double basin sink, then it might be that your non-disposal drain that’s clogged. If this is the case, there are several things you can try. You can use boiling water to determine if there’s something clogging the drain that will disintegrate or melt and wash away. You can try out a plunger to attempt and push the clog through. If the clog is further down, you can try with a plumber’s snake to clear it so the water will run through.
Assess the P-Trap
Sometimes gunk can get stuck in the P-trap below your sink. This is the curve at the pipe below your sink. Because of the curve, food, grease, hair, and other debris that makes its way down the drain can get trapped and cause water to back up into the sink.
If you are searching for some simple troubleshooting, here’s what you can do:
Start by placing a bucket under the drain so water doesn’t get on the floor once you open the trap.
- Unfasten the P-trap.
- Remove it from the pipe.
- Clear out anything that’s stuck in the trap.
- Replace the trap and examine it by running water down the drain.
- Know When to Call for Backup
Everyone enjoys a fantastic DIY job, but sometimes you just have to call in for backup. If you feel out of your depth with anything related to plumbing, such as your kitchen sink, then it is far better to leave it to a professional. It is possible to do more harm than good if you don’t understand what you’re doing, and that can cost you additional time and money in the long term.