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Having to clear a clogged sink
is inevitable if you are a homeowner. Fortunately, however, clearing a
clogged sink is straight forward to do, albeit it’s a little messy and
awkward.
The first step in clearing a
clogged sink is to first look under the sink, and see what type of drain
plumbing exists. You should see either a PVC or metal J-trap length of
tubing. The J-Trap is basically a 180o bend in the tubing
that creates a water seal between the sink drain and the rest of the
drain system in the house.
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Next remove the drain stopper.
Normally you can remove the drain stopper by turning it left or right 90o
and lifting up. To aid in removing the drain stopper you may also need
to disconnect the pivot rod that sits behind the drain tail pipe underneath
the sink.
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J-Trap with Couplings
If the J –Trap has couplings that
you can unscrew, use your hand or a pair of channel pliers to remove the
couplings. Make sure, however, you first place a bucket underneath the
J-Trap to catch the standing water in the J-trap.
Once you have removed the couplings,
simply slide the J-trap down off the sink drain sleeve and away from the
remaining portion of the house drain system.
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Pour the contents of the J-Trap into
the bucket and remove any large solid/semi-solid clogs from the J-Trap. A
pair of gloves may be helpful during this task.
Next, use a rag or bottle washer
brush to thoroughly clean out the J-Trap.
In the event you did not find a clog
in the J-Trap, first look down through the drain and see if the drain tail
pipe is clear. If it is not use a hand auger to remove the clog in the drain
tail pipe. If there is no clog in the drain tail pipe and the J-Trap, this
probably means the clog is further into the drain system. If this is the
case you will want to use the hand auger again and push it further into the
drain system. As you push it in, feel for resistance. Once you have passed
any resistance screw the hand auger and pull back towards you to remove the
clog.
Finally, reinsert the J-Trap into
position and reconnect the couplings. With the couplings tightened your
clogged sink is a thing of the past.
J-Trap with Clean-Out Plug
Some J-Traps may not have couplings.
This is particularly true with older plumbing systems. In this case there is
typically a Clean-Out Plug at the base of the J-Trap.
Using a pair of channel lock pliers
loosen the Clean-Out Plug nut. Once loose, position a bucket underneath the
J-Trap and remove by hand the Clean-Out Plug. Clear the clog via access the
Clean-Out Hole. Again, gloves work great during this task. Frequently the
clog is a mass of hair. A small screw driver may help in this case to enable
you to reach in and clear the clog.
Again, if the clog persists after
cleaning out the J-trap, repeat with the hand auger as described earlier.
J-Trap without Couplings or
Clean-out Plug
In this case use the hand auger and
insert it into the sink drain to remove the sink clog.
Insert the auger into the sink drain
until you feel the auger pass the obstructed area. Then simply screw the
auger and pull back on it to remove the sink clog.
Using a Plunger to Clear a
Clogged Sink
A plunger should be your last resort
as it effectively just pushes the clog further into the system. The hope is
that the clog will be pushed into a wider portion of the drain system and
then simply be flushed away. Sometimes, however you just push the clog
further into the narrow portion of the drain system and make it more
difficult to remove with a hand auger later.
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