If you have noticed that water pools up around a sink drain and then slowly disappears down the piping, you most likely have an obstruction inside the piping system that needs to be dealt with. Failing to clean your drain pipe will eventually leave you with a pipe that is completely clogged, making it impossible to use your sink without getting a basin full of water. Here are some ways to unclog your sink pipes if they are starting to become encrusted with grime inside.

Easily Accessible Debris

Wait until all the water in your sink has drained and then remove the grate so you can peer inside. Use a flashlight and see if there are any visible wads of hair or food inside the top of the pipe. Remove using your fingers or a fork if it is down a bit farther. 

Digging a Little Deeper

If you can see an obstruction but it is down too far to grab easily, use a plumber's snake to try to dislodge it from the piping. Unwind the snake so it slides through your piping from above. If you feel an obstruction try wiggling it a bit to help dislodge it from the pipe. Wind the snake back up and see if the water drains a little faster.

Battling Larger Problems

If you cannot find an obstruction in your piping, there is a good chance that the interior of your piping system has become encrusted with garbage over the years. In this case, the water will become more and more sluggish, as material will continue adhering to the debris already in place.

One way to ease this problem is to use enzymes to eat away at the sludge inside your pipes. These enzymes are safe for your septic system and they will help remove harmful dirt that causes waste to become thickened in both your septic and inside pipes. You can buy enzymes in the plumbing section of your local home goods store. Simply sprinkle some inside your drain, add water to push it down into the piping, and wait for a day or two before you use the sink again so the bacteria will have time to target buildup.

The best way to handle dirty, clogged pipes is to hire a plumber to professionally clean the entire system. They will bring in equipment to flush out your piping by forcing water inside at a fast rate with a lot of pressure. This hydro-jetting will leave you with pipes that are free of all debris, often in almost-new condition. Consider scheduling an appointment with A Absolute Plumbing & Heating to take care of your drain problem today.