Plumbing And Draining Issues In The Kitchen

One of the most feared issues that a homeowner must deal with is a problem with the plumbing in the kitchen. As you look into the sink and find that the water just isn't going down you may be wondering what the next move it. Instead of panicking there are a few things that you can try to do before it is time to make an appointment with the experts.

Garbage Disposal

If you have a garbage disposal this is a great time to use it. As the water is sitting there turn it on. When you do be sure to watch what happens and listen to the sounds that you hear. These two things will help you diagnose the problem that you may be facing. Check the water to see if it is going down now that the garbage disposal is on. If this is the case it may just be that you had some food backed up and it needed to be taken care of before it would allow the water to pass through. If the water doesn't move, there is probably a more serious problem.

As you listen, check to see if you hear the garbage disposal working. Even though some of the newer models create less noise as they work you should still be able to tell the difference between one that is working correctly and one that is just not moving. If your disposal isn't moving there is a chance that the plumbing issues that you are experiencing are because something is stuck in there, preventing movement. Before you attempt to do anything else, turn off the garbage disposal. There is no need to turn a plumbing problem into a health concern. Just to be safe, even after turning off the disposal, you might consider sticking something into the drain other than your hand.

Using a Pipe Snake

If your attempts to fix the plumbing aren't getting anywhere, it is time to try something different. On the outside of the house you should be able to find a place that will give you access to the pipes that lead to the kitchen sink. When you remove this cover, be sure to stand back as chances are there is going to be some backed up water that is ready to start pouring out.

Once the water stops coming out you are ready to send in the pipe snake. Position it to be heading towards the sink and slowly begin to turn the handle. This releases more and more of the snake into the pipes. Keep going until you notice that the pipe will not go any further. Because of the special end on the tip when you begin to drag the snake back out it should pick up some of what is causing the plumbing to back up. Once this happens, be aware that once again you may be experiencing a large amount of water, this time with some of the food or debris, coming out quickly. You may want to have someone inside the house run the water to see if it comes out unhindered. You can then put everything back together.