How to Troubleshoot a Sink Drain
Whether a sink is draining slowly or you find water underneath the sink cabinet, you need to identify the problem quickly. You need to troubleshoot the drain to determine whether a slow-moving sink line is the problem or if the issue lies in the main house line. Leaking pipes require quick troubleshooting before they become an even bigger problem. Troubleshooting drain lines does not take a lot of time but could save you a lot of money. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Pot for boiling water
- Bucket
- Wrench set
- Bottle brush
- Clean cloth
- Paper towels
- Pipe wrench
Instructions
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Troubleshooting Slow Drain
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1
Run water in other sinks to determine if the problem is in the main drain or just an individual drain. In a multi-story house, run water in levels of the home other than the area of the drain in question. If the problem is in the main line, other sinks will also drain slowly. Call a plumber to clean the main line.
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2
Pour a pot of slightly boiling water down a slow-moving drain. Slow-moving drains usually result from grease buildup. Boiling water will melt the grease and send it down the main line. After the drain clears, pour a couple more pots of hot water into it.
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3
Look under the sink and place a bucket under the sink trap plug, on the bottom of the curve. Loosen the plug with a wrench and remove the plug from the sink trap. Water and sludge will drain from the trap into the bucket. Stick a bottle brush into the hole and clean the trap as much as possible with the brush. Try to move any debris out of the trap and into the bucket. Reattach the plug after cleaning the sink trap.
Troubleshooting Leaks
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4
Wipe down the drain pipes with a clean, dry cloth. Wipe from the bottom of the drain basket to the drain pipe coming from the wall. Pay special attention to pipe connections.
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5
Wrap some paper towels around the sink basket under the sink and hold the paper towels with your hand. Ask a helper to place the plug in the sink drain and fill the sink with 4 inches of water. If the paper towels become wet while the drain is plugged, the sink drain basket flange is faulty. You need to disconnect the sink drain basket and apply new plumber's putty.
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6
Ask your helper to pull out the drain plug out if you do not notice any water on the paper towels. Have the helper turn the faucet on and allow the water to drain through the pipes.
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7
Examine each of the pipe connections for leaks. You may need to rub a paper towel over each connection to find the one that is leaking. Tighten any leaking connections with a pipe wrench. Disconnect connections and re-wrap the threads with plumber's tape if necessary.
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Tips & Warnings
Water only needs to be slightly boiling to melt grease buildup. You do not need, nor is it recommended, to bring the water to a rolling boil.
