Drain blocks up regular

marsaday · Jul 25, 2012

We have a drain by the front door where the kitchen sink drains into.

It is often getting blocked up and so i just get my rod and plunge it for a bit and it is fine again.

Any idea what i can do to make it stop blocking up as often. Are there any chemicals which i could pour down to do the job ? We dont really put oils down there as well. The dishwasher also drains into there.

I have had my hands inside to pull up the leaves etc, but i think the problem is to do with the fats that do get in the water becoming soild on the outlet pipe which then goes into the sewer.

stevetheplumber · Jul 25, 2012

dont put fat down the sink

snowhead · Jul 25, 2012

It's probaly cracked and or displaced on the exit of the gulley where it joins the pipe.

marsaday · Jul 25, 2012

If it is cracked why would this make blockage more common?

No fat down the sink is not practical really.

Is caustic soda the best thing to put down which will eat stuff on the sides of the pipe ?

Centralheatking · Jul 25, 2012

We are finding that using low temp detergents - ie get the dirty out at 30 - seem to
result in a often acute blockage of hard caked stuff (not technical) often much
closer to the property than when hot fats etc are let go. It goes to rock.

centralheatking alias Mr. Poo !

dean.diy · Jul 25, 2012

Kitchen drains I clear usually block up from solidified washing powder, then rice/ noodles,then human hair.

petercj · Jul 25, 2012

The pump went on my washing machine, and when I took it apart I was surprised at the way powder had formed and become rock like.

So I bought a large jug, and now I put the powder in the jug and pour on near boiling water to dissolve the powder before it goes into the machine, and that seems to help a lot. No more powder smears on clothes either, and I think the wash has generally improved.

So might be worth seeing if that helps.

If you do go for the jug approach, try putting the occasional jug of hot dissolved washing powder down the drain.

I cleaned the patio with a solution of biological washing powder, and it came up quite well.