Sink draining issues - bit confusing.

[MasterMark]

Hello all. I have a very slow draining/gurgling/smelly kitchen sink - have checked out the forum here but haven't found anything to solve it but any help would be much appreciated

The sink just doesn't drain. I've checked all the pipes (photo of set up below) and they are clear (I've poured water into the discharge pipe and it goes just fine). Basically, the water just gets stuck in the u-bend and doesn't flow upwards and out and then take about 10 minutes to drain out. If your pour water in either the main sink unit or the small one to the left, water will come out of the other one because it can't drain out properly. It's never done this before, seems very strange. I also don't quite understand how it should work given it the water is supposed to flow up against gravity(?!) but it always used to work and I haven't changed the setup.

There's also a dishwasher next to the sink - works fine but very, very loud gurgling in the kitchen sink when it runs.

Thanks in advance, hope that’s enough info. Can't get a plumber out for the next few days and the sink's almost unusable!

Untitled

• MasterMark
• 30 Dec 2008
• 1

 

[seco services]

have you checked the overflow pipe isn't blocked ?
for water to flow away air must follow.

 

[MasterMark]

excuse my ignorance (i'm new to this game) but which is the overflow pipe?

 

[seco services]

the little tube on the side of the sink/waste

 

[MasterMark]

you mean the one in the middle of th picture, between the two sinks?

btw many thanks for your help, much appreciated sorry I'm such a novice.

 

[seco services]

yep.
check its clear.

 

[MasterMark]

bingo. it looks pretty full of gunk so i guess I should clean it all out.

 

[MasterMark]

can i just pull it out from both ends?

 

[seco services]

unscrew the bottom the top should pull off.

 

[MasterMark]

indeed it does! excellent. so if I just clean that out I should be good to go?

 

[kirkgas]

might not help if the overflow is blocked but it wont be causing the problem as there are 2 sinks one will vent the other, first thing to do is strip as much pipework out as you can and check/clean it out if blocked, or get a sink plunger and try to plunge it clear, sometimes difficult with 2 sinks as the pressure goes up the other sink rather than down the drain unless you can block one off then hold a cloth over the overflow and plunge it clear

 

[MasterMark]

i've checked all the tubing you can see in the picture and it's all clear. I'll start with cleaning the overflow first.

 

[seco services]

do the overflow first
but i would opt for a part block in the main waste if the traps are clear.

its not the best set up under the sink. it really only needs one trap not two
on a 1 half sink set up.

 

[JohnD]

watch out for anyone putting bacon fat or tealeaves down the sink, and make them clean out the blockage.

 

[MasterMark]

nope, there's no bacon or tealeaves getting chucked down there! Well, I've cleaned the overflow (there's still some gunk down there but clean enough for water to flow through comfortably. I'll clean it out properly tomorrow).

But as you suspected, still doesn't drain. Anything else I can do or do I need to change the setup?