Blocked Kitchen Sink Drain - Any Suggestions

TAJ9

Hi All

I have been having an issue with water draining from the Kitchen sink very slowly (e.g. takes about 5 minutes to fully drain a small amount of water). I have tried most of the obvious techniques with no sucess, including a "drain snake", plunging and a water injection plunger (with the overflow and washing machine drain connection covered). In the case of using the plunger it actually appeared to make the problem worse. I have also taken the pipes apart as much as I can and there is no blockage in the U-Bend. I think the blockage is just past the U-Bend, this is based on the volume of water that I need to pour down the drain before it backs up into the sink (about 0.5L), but annoyingly I cannot see it or take the pipes apart past a certain point as they are "push fit" type fittings. I have also tried the drain snake with the pipes dissambled but it just catches on the joins before it can get far enough. However when I was using the water injection plunger I pulled some water back up the drain to see if that would help (from past the blockage) and in the water there were small chunks of white pieces that had a similar texture/feel to chalk and the appearance of limescale.

Therefore is it possible that a large amount of limescale has built up in the drain pipe that is causing the blockage? Has anyone had similiar issues to this and how did they fix it? Ideally I do not want to call out a plumber if there is a trick I am missing.

When using the sink I always try to avoid chunks of food being washed down and do not pour fat/grease down the drain. However it is made worse by there being effectively no hot water to the kitchen sink (the flow rate from the hot side of the tap is so low it makes using it useless). In the past I have tried using Mr Muscle type drain cleaning chemicals but with limited sucess as well - as the flow from the sink has always been on the slow side since I moved in (but nowhere near as bad as it currently is)

I have considered cutting the pipe just past where I think the blockage is but as I live in a rented place I do not want to go tearing the place apart/modifying the plumbing.

Any suggestions would be gratefully accepted.

Many Thanks

theoretica

You live in a rented place so ask your landlord for help - I am pretty sure they will not want you cutting pipes.

nofoollikeold

1. The white chalky stuff is probably congealed fat.  Even small quantities of oil can cause this to happen.
2. If you have only moved in in the last few months, you could perhaps reasonably suggest that it was a pre-existing problem and that the landlord should fix it.
3. If you have been there more than, say, six months, then whatever is blocking the pipes is likely to be your fault.  You could still ask the landlord for help, but he / she might want at least a contribution from you towards the cost of rectification.  

Jeepers_Creepers

And ask the LL to sort out your slow hot tap too...

When using the 'snake', did you rotate/spin it as you pushed in slowly down the pipe?

Jeepers_Creepers

These white pieces - do you have any samples of them? Are they as hard as you say? Has there been any tiling/grouting in the kitchen before you moved in? I can't see that congealed fat would be that hard. I also don't see how limescale would build up in a drain pipe.

clive0510

buy some drain cleaner and pour it down the drain. all ways read the instructions and keep out of childrens reach.keep the receipt and give it to your landlord. 

TELLIT01

Caustic soda will break down most stuff in the pipe but follow instructions carefully.  Assuming you can see the discharge end of the waste pipe, wrap it in plastic to prevent the caustic soda just running out of the pipe.  Wear rubber gloves when you remove the plastic to allow it to drain.

I had a similar problem and caustic soda did a good job.  I follow up by using a sink plunger (after running water through to remove the caustic sode) and that still brought out some pretty disgusting smelling gunk which did wash away.

shaun_from_Africa

If you have a Screwfix near to you, I would recommend trying one of these:
It's only £3 and if you put it over the drain and pull the plunger up, you are sucking the blockage rather than pushing it, something that can often make it worse.
I've got one and it's unblocked two sinks for me.
Just make sure that you cover the overflow hole first otherwise you will just suck air in from there.

greatcrested

Do NOT start cutting your landlord's pipes!

I would get the LL to sort this out.

Landlord & Tenant Act 1985

11 Repairing obligations in short leases.

(1)In a lease to which this section applies (as to which, see sections 13 and 14) there is implied a covenant by the lessor—

(a)to keep in repair the structure and exterior of the dwelling-house (including drains, gutters and external pipes),

(b)to keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the dwelling-house for the supply of water, gas and electricity and for sanitation (including basins, sinks, baths and sanitary conveniences

Homer_home

Push fit fittings can be pulled apart quite easily do you mean solvent weld type fittings?

Most blockages occur at a bend so it's easier to take the waste apart

GS..

Yeap the white bits are fat and that's what is blocking your pipes. I just cleaned ours just before we moved house. You'll need to lift the outside drain if you can, and lift the next drain after the blockage and rod it between the two. I used a spiral thing, followed by tubs if hot water