Blocked bathroom sink - tried everything...

babasu

Hiya,

Our bathroom sink occasionally gets blocked up but we have managed to clear it with caustic soda / bleach & hot water in the past. However, the other day someone was sick in it (won't give any more detail... not a pleasant day all round...!) and it completely blocked up.

I have done the following to try and fix it:
hot water & bleach (did nothing but did drain v v slowly over a period of 6-7 hours)
one shot drain cleaner (smoked but didn't clear it just drained v v slowly)
caustic soda followed by warm water, which caused it to block COMPLETELY.

It eventually drained after about 36 hours, at which point we undid the trap to try and clear the pipes. Nothing in them.

So stumped - any suggestions? Would compressed air help or does it sound as if there's a problem further down the pipes?

Thanks

Rebecca

ormus

how does the waste pipe route towards the drain?
mine has a bend in it and then into a hopper. then a downspout into a grid.
we have lots of problems with leaves. lots of trees nr us.

vaio

Assuming it was installed properly you should be able to "rod" (aka poke a stick) though each section of pipe by unscrewing the rodding access covers, but I'd have thought an old fashioned plunger would do the job.

put some water in the sink so you are pressurising water rather then air and obviously watch out splashes from the remains of any chemicals you've used previously. Wire coat hangers are useful too

mart.vader

You could try this : http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/500594 "Drain Snake or Drain Cleaner" they can be bought cheaper from the pound-shops, but those ones don't work as they're too flimsy

googler

Can you see clearly down the plughole to where the trap used to be? Shine a torch down.

maintenanceman

Really and truely althose one shot etc are a waste of cash. Caustic soda is a last resot situation. It is probablt debis in the trap . the trap is under the sink. It involves undoing 2 unions. It is very simple. This is for american users but the principle is the same.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adJrVNJpf2M

hotcookie101

I once used "power plumber" in a similar situation, it was great-pushed out loads of cotton buds and wool that the previous owners shoved down there! Its in a can, we bought it from b&q, and it saved the yucky "clean sick out of the u-bend" moment

Biggles

maintenanceman wrote: »

It is probablt debis in the trap . the trap is under the sink. It involves undoing 2 unions. It is very simple.

He said he's already done that.

justjohn

Biggles wrote: »

He said he's already done that.

he's a lady lol

justjohn

i would assume your pipes are blocked up elswere. uncouple the pipes as far down as you can and rod them.(method you use will depend on type and curve of pipe)

Sounds like you have had constant probs and its never been totaly cleared ...some spew (lol) should never cause this much hassle.

next time tell the spewey person too do it in the toilet.....lol

i assume all other sinks drain fine???

Kew2u

First stop is the 'U' bend under the sink. Take it a apart...clean it and replace. Then use a 'Vac sink plunger'. That's a device that puts a burst of air down the pipes. Make sure to cover the over flow holes in sink top. If the outlet also feeds into other sinks/bath...put the plugs in and seal the overflows too. Check that the final outlets aren't blocked/covered before you start.