A gurgling kitchen sink not only bothers it, but it also means a problem with how water flows down the sink drain. As a homeowner, you can eliminate the simple problems that lead to gurgling if they have the right tools and aren’t afraid of heights. Let’s see how to fix a gurgling kitchen sink.
Causes of a gurgling kitchen sink: Food residues
If your kitchen sink has a provision in it, you or someone else may have partially blocked the drain pipe that connects to the disposal. While a provision will handle some food residue, it may become overwhelmed and not chop up the debris enough. The debris then empties into the drain pipe, where it causes a partial obstruction and traps air behind the clog. As water washes down the drain, some air escapes from behind the plinth and travels to the opening drain, causing the gurgling problem.
Check the vent
All drain pipes in your home must be ventilated. Otherwise, the drains will allow the water to flow smoothly downward. A lack of ventilation can also allow the gas in the drain pipes to raise its way through the sink drain, introducing the potentially toxic gas into your home. Vent pipes connect the gutters, running all the way through the roof of your home, where the gas sewer escape. The vent pipes also replace the air that washes down the gutters with the wastewater, keeping the plumbing system balanced.
Repair
As a homeowner, you can clear debris from vent pipes. First, you need to get on top of the roof so you can inspect the pipes. You need a flashlight to look down the pipes. If you see debris in the vent tubes, pull it out using a long, thin tool like a flexible retriever. With debris you can see but don’t get through, try washing the debris down the vent hose using your hose and a high-pressure attachment. Loose debris can be beaten, so it does not clog the vent pipes. Clearing the clog gutters using a plunger and a drain auger can also help with the gurgling. You need to take the pipes under the sink to pieces for the feed auger into the pipe in the wall, giving you a chance to inspect the plinth pipes.
Plumbers
If you continue to have problems with the kitchen sink gurgling, see a plumber. Plumbers have the necessary training, tools and experience to determine the cause of the gurgling kitchen sink and fix the problem. Plumbers are equipped with devices to locate clogs in vent pipes, as well as long augers that snake all the way through a vent pipe to knock loose any obstructions.
