Author Topic: Blocked sink  (Read 5856 times)

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Blocked sink
« on: 23 March, 2018, 11:25:30 am »
Because Pies, the kitchen sink at Larrington Towers has become the slowest-draining thing in the wurrrrld.  Are those flexible drain-deskogging augurs any cop or do I have to bite the bullet and start dismantling things?  I have tried kemikulz, which only made it worse.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Tail End Charlie

Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #1 on: 23 March, 2018, 11:31:58 am »
I'd start dismantling and do a proper job. Never found the augurs much use.

It's not like it's a macerator.  :hand:

We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #3 on: 23 March, 2018, 12:13:06 pm »
You could try chemical attack.
Sinks get blocked by a combination of debris, fats and limescale.
Start with BOILING water, straight from the kettle.
Caustic soda will attack the fats. Use this with EXTREME caution.  Put this in a cold sink, wear gloves and goggles and WAIT. Make sure it is flushed away properly, using lots of water.
Hydrochloric acid will do for the limescale but whatever else, don't mix it with the caustic!

The various unblockers you can buy from supermarkets are dumbed down beyond usefulness for most serious blockages.

Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #4 on: 23 March, 2018, 12:19:52 pm »
Place bowl under watertrap.
Unscrew watertrap and allow gunge to fall into bowl.
Don't make the mistake I did - which was to unscrew the watertrap and fail to poke something screwdriver-like up the waste pipe - which was absolutely full of solid material  - which is what was causing the blockage.

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #5 on: 23 March, 2018, 12:33:58 pm »
In the absence of Kim, might I warn against pouring the bowl of captured water back into the sink which at this point does not have a trap reconnected.
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #6 on: 23 March, 2018, 12:34:48 pm »
You could try chemical attack.
Sinks get blocked by a combination of debris, fats and limescale.
Start with BOILING water, straight from the kettle.
Caustic soda will attack the fats. Use this with EXTREME caution.  Put this in a cold sink, wear gloves and goggles and WAIT. Make sure it is flushed away properly, using lots of water.
Hydrochloric acid will do for the limescale but whatever else, don't mix it with the caustic!

The various unblockers you can buy from supermarkets are dumbed down beyond usefulness for most serious blockages.

For chemical warfare we use the HG brand of products, generally superb.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #7 on: 23 March, 2018, 12:38:35 pm »
Don't make the mistake I did - which was to unscrew the watertrap and fail to poke something screwdriver-like up the waste pipe - which was absolutely full of solid material  - which is what was causing the blockage.

I got good results through a combination of this and filling the sink with a few litres of water then removing the plug to flush the loosened nasty down into the bowl.

Bearing in mind not to...

In the absence of Kim, might I warn against pouring the bowl of captured water back into the sink which at this point does not have a trap reconnected.

Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #8 on: 23 March, 2018, 12:42:21 pm »
For all those advocating chemical warfare:

I have tried kemikulz, which only made it worse.

Mr L:  :hand:

The gunk is now saturated with whatever you've been sticking down there.

Gloves, eyewear, full NBC suit, dismantle it, clean out and handle the gunk with extreme care. Reassemble.

Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #9 on: 23 March, 2018, 12:45:55 pm »
Also keep a note of what and how much of the chemicals you've put down the sink.

The ambulance and fire brigades like a laugh.
“There is no point in using the word 'impossible' to describe something that has clearly happened.”
― Douglas Adams

Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #10 on: 23 March, 2018, 12:55:52 pm »
Also keep a note of what and how much of the chemicals you've put down the sink.


Tell us, tell us, tell us

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #11 on: 23 March, 2018, 01:17:21 pm »
You could try chemical attack.
Sinks get blocked by a combination of debris, fats and limescale.
Start with BOILING water, straight from the kettle.
Caustic soda will attack the fats. Use this with EXTREME caution.  Put this in a cold sink, wear gloves and goggles and WAIT. Make sure it is flushed away properly, using lots of water.
Hydrochloric acid will do for the limescale but whatever else, don't mix it with the caustic!

The various unblockers you can buy from supermarkets are dumbed down beyond usefulness for most serious blockages.

For chemical warfare we use the HG brand of products, generally superb.

That was the brand I tried.  Ten quid  literally down the drain  :'(
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #12 on: 23 March, 2018, 01:18:05 pm »
Because Pies, the kitchen sink at Larrington Towers has become the slowest-draining thing in the wurrrrld.  Are those flexible drain-deskogging augurs any cop or do I have to bite the bullet and start dismantling things?  I have tried kemikulz, which only made it worse.

Visions of Mr. L ramming an ancient Roman fortune-teller down the drain.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #13 on: 23 March, 2018, 01:23:20 pm »
Have you checked the gulley or external drain to see if that is blocked also?
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #14 on: 23 March, 2018, 02:46:01 pm »
Because Pies, the kitchen sink at Larrington Towers has become the slowest-draining thing in the wurrrrld.  Are those flexible drain-deskogging augurs any cop or do I have to bite the bullet and start dismantling things?  I have tried kemikulz, which only made it worse.

Visions of Mr. L ramming an ancient Roman fortune-teller down the drain.

I think the problem is he doesn't augur well.
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #15 on: 23 March, 2018, 03:45:12 pm »
Très drôle...

Aunt Maud

  • Le Flâneur.
Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #16 on: 23 March, 2018, 05:01:02 pm »
Grow a pair and take it apart.

fuzzy

Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #17 on: 23 March, 2018, 09:49:17 pm »
If a bit of plunging hasn't worked and ferreting around down the plug hole with a straightened wire coathangar has likewise surrendered, dismantling is the best option.

It is at that point that you find the blockage is NOT within reach of a dismantled u bend.........

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #18 on: 23 March, 2018, 11:50:06 pm »
Grow a pair and take it apart.

That involves Unpleasant Bending :D
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Gattopardo

  • Lord of the sith
  • Overseaing the building of the death star
Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #19 on: 24 March, 2018, 12:27:49 am »
Are you in North london?

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #20 on: 24 March, 2018, 08:12:01 am »
North or east, depending on whether you're buying or selling ;D
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

fruitcake

  • some kind of fruitcake
Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #21 on: 24 March, 2018, 09:32:22 am »
We did this job yesterday on a bathroom sink. We found that a good old fashioned sink plunger was more effective than the caustic-soda-based drain cleaning chemicals.

Plug out, bit of water in the basin, plunger covering the plug-hole, marigold-glad-fingers blocking the sink overflow to stop water squirting back into the basin. A few plunges and all was clear.

Aunt Maud

  • Le Flâneur.
Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #22 on: 24 March, 2018, 01:09:31 pm »
I find sink plunging strangely satisfying.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #23 on: 24 March, 2018, 01:38:51 pm »
I find sink plunging strangely satisfying.

Indeed.  It's also one of the few situations where you get to shout "EX-TER-MIN-ATE! EX-TER-MIN-ATE!" without anyone thinking you're odd.

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: Blocked sink
« Reply #24 on: 26 March, 2018, 09:36:03 pm »
As has been described:

Step 0: Clear the plughole of trapped hair.  Surprisingly a repurposed spoke works really well as a hook with which to go fishing down the plughole.
Step 1: Sink plunging. Is it just a small blockage that can be freed?
Step 2: Dismantle trap as described above. ensure the trap is clear.
Step 3: Use an augur to probe the waste pipe beyond the trap
Step 4: Get a man in.

I had a waste pipe blockage. Thought it was the pipe freezing (it was a slow draining pipe and -9 outside.) Turned out the 100 year old cast iron pipe had trapped crap about half way down the storey and a half. Ended up replacing the pipe with plastic as it came apart in my hands. There were two blockages, one part way up and one at the right angle bend where it goes into the outside drain. That one had accumulated much grit and other rubble so was somewhat more challenging to clear, especially as the access was at right angles and obscured in a below ground level hole 8" square. And it was rather chilly.

"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes