blocked sink - a little advice

Joined
31 Jul 2006
Messages
48
Reaction score
1
Location
Leicestershire
Country
United Kingdom
Hi - I managed to accidently poor fat down the sink and it's blocked (a cup full of fat was left in the sink and without looking I turned on the tap to wait for the water to get hot to wash up - next time I turned round it was blocked and full of fatty water.

I got the water out as far as I could and pored boiling water down but it was still blocked - the pipes felt hot until the u-bend so I guess the problem is there.

Unfortunately I think I then made another mistake - it was hard to get the U-bend off so we made a caustic soda solution as on the instructions (100g & 1 litre of water) but after waiting half an hour it's still there

My question now is how do I have another go at getting the u-bend off now that the pipes are full of the caustic soda solution? Or is it time to give up and call somebody out!

After a certain time period does the solution become safe to handle again so I can drain it out and have another go at removing the u-bend?

Thanks for any help!
worto.
 
Sponsored Links
have you got net curtains???
if so rob the wire take the hook off and try and guide it down the plug hole,this is a very basic rodding iron.worked for me in the past.
 
If you suspect the problem is in the trap, pair of rubber gloves, bowl under trap ease the trap nut(s) with grips, "almost sounds rude" :oops:
 
if it drains slowly then leave it overnight and should empty out, then use boiling water, as many kettles as you can. if its grease then it will fix it.
 
Sponsored Links
Thanks all - sry I had to go into work last night - it didn't drain at all overnight so I'll have another go at removing the trap with some rubber gloves on.
 
You could use a hair dryer on the pipe work to heat up the grease.

Make sure you put a couple of kettles of hot water in the sink first which will also help with the movement.

Andy
 
Without sounding like a H & S nutter. If you've put caustic down the plug hole and are going to remove the trap, then ensure you are wearing eye protection of some sort.

That stuff can burn your skin. And as for your eyes....

From a man who once got caustic soda in his eye at work :(.
 
All done - thanks guys - mostly for helping me to not panic!

for completeness if anyone else has the same issue and comes here looking - once I'd left it overnight the pipes under the sink had all dried so the u-bend (which I now gather is also called a trap) came off easily.

Last night I think I was just slipping around in all the grease, fat and water :eek:

With it off there was a 2-3" plug of fat wedged in there which I couuld then pop out.

All sorted now - Thanks, and I'd like to second the warning about the caustic solution - I had rubber gloves on but some got inside them and has burnt my arm and hand - it's not too bad but still stings now (2hrs later) and is quite red and patchy. I'll not be treating that stuff lightly again.
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top