In our business practice we often have to deal with blocked kitchen sink drains. Usually we can relieve the blockage using electric snake machine. However, sometimes blockage is so strong and grease buildup is so big that snake cannot clear the blockage, so it is necessary to cut out and replace blocked drain pipe sections.

Many times we had situations in new houses, only 5-15 years old when kitchen drain was heavily blocked underground. Why it happened? Usually kitchen faucet in such houses produced very thin stream of water. It was not enough water to flush out food particles from kitchen drain. By new plumbing code kitchen drain when it goes underground must be 4 inch in diameter. So it was not enough water for such a big diameter pipe, and over the time what happens: water goes through – but grease remains, water goes, but grease accumulates… Kitchen drain pipe may become heavily blocked for 10 – 20 feet length, to the place where it ends into main drain pipe.

In older houses laundry sink in basement and washing machine drain pipe were often connected to kitchen sink pipe. So kitchen drain received periodically bigger amounts of water, when laundry was done, so that water flushed the pipe additionally and it helped to prevent blockages and grease accumulation. In new houses it often is not the case.

So what can be done?

1. We recommend to use enzyme based kitchen drain maintenance product. It is basically a liquid that should be flushed from time to time in the kitchen drain pipe. Liquid contains enzyme or bacteria that is harmless for human but it clears kitchen grease deposits in the kitchen drain. One bottle may serve you for a year or two. We have this product available for you.
   
2. Kitchen faucet must produce lots of water. If aerator is blocked, it has to be cleaned or replaced. Sometimes faucets are designed such way that they save water way too much. Yes, we
   are convinced that there are limits to water saving in faucets design. Too much of water saving may
   esult in drain blockages. If you have kitchen faucet with bad design, we recommend to replace it with better one.
3. Kitchen drain pipe must have proper elevation and proper support. During house plumbing inspection we can check and fix the elevation if necessary.
4. If blockage already happened and was cleared, it is important to also check the kitchen drain with TV camera to make sure that pipe does not have grease residue. If lots of grease still remains in the pipe, it will form over the time even more grease deposits and new blockages. Especially it is important to check the pipe underground. Grease remnants can be effectively removed from kitchen drain by using high pressure power jetting machine (power flushing machine). We have the machine and can help you.

Call us 647-660-5030 anytime, visit our website www.24hoursplumber.com