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[justboatonic]

After finishing the toilet, Mrs Justboatonic tells me the main bathroom sink isnt draining very well. Took a looksee and it's hardly draining at all. Sooo, took the trap off and it's full of hair, gunge and other unmentionable stuff.
Clean it all out and check the end of the waste pipe. Has a bit of sludge in there too so clear that out. Put it all back together and try again. Nope, no better. Wifey's idea is some drain cleaner. Im not convinced but everywhere is closed now so give it a go.

This morning, sink worse than ever and completely unusable. Decided to go to Screwfix Fleetwood and get one of those wind up coil \ drain snakes. https://www.screwfix.com/p/drain-unblocker-25ft-7-6m/11325
Bit pricey but cheaper than getting a plumber out.

Dismantled the waste again and notice some crud in the top of the trap which has another screw top and a half inch diameter washer. This item shows similar https://www.screwfix.com/p/mcalpine-swivel-p-trap-white-40mm/50408
Gave that a good clean out then attacked the waste pipe with the drain snake. That had to go around two opposing 90 degree bends and got some more rubbish and hair out. Put it all back together and the sink is now emptying faster than an olympic pool.
I suspect the little 'valve' on the top of the trap was the real issue and probably could have saved myself 20 odd quid but there you go. 

[Baldrick]

That little valve you mention is an anti-syphon air inlet valve. Would expect from the symptoms you mention that the waste pipe from the lavatory basin is a bit gunged up generally and suggest that a dose of chemical cleaner (One Shot) while you are in your current DIY mode.

[Perkasaman2]

A sink plunger is very effective and inexpensive. The product 'One Shot' is highly dangerous and gives off  acid gas which is highly toxic. It is a trade product and very toxic  if inadvertently inhaled. It smokes immediately when poured and the fumes stink and are deadly. WARNING.   If you wish to use this product immediately put the plug in and block the sink overflow inlet ready prior to pouring.
Using this product to unblock a shower waste is very dangerous in the  confined of the cubicle. DOUBLE WARNING.
I have a very expensive face mask rated for protection for use when acid gases are A RISK.

[Big Ada]

A sink plunger is very effective and inexpensive. The product 'One Shot' is highly dangerous and gives off  acid gas which is highly toxic. It is a trade product and very toxic  if inadvertently inhaled. It smokes immediately when poured and the fumes stink and are deadly. WARNING.   If you wish to use this product immediately put the plug in and block the sink overflow inlet ready prior to pouring.
Using this product to unblock a shower waste is very dangerous in the  confined of the cubicle. DOUBLE WARNING.
I have a very expensive face mask rated for protection for use when acid gases are A RISK.

Wot he said about sums it up, and now more Plumbers are living on scraps and Hand outs, unable to feed the Family, cause Some People resent paying Money for a Skilled trade Person  who has scrimped and save up to buy all his Tools and the Knowledge he has gained over the Years and Years,  he has been up to his armpits in other peoples Doo Doos, and what has he gained for it, apart from the Porche, Bentley, Harley Knuckle Head and the Castle in Wales and the Penthouse in Knightsbridge, I ask you.!

[TailUK]

A sink plunger is very effective and inexpensive. The product 'One Shot' is highly dangerous and gives off  acid gas which is highly toxic. It is a trade product and very toxic  if inadvertently inhaled. It smokes immediately when poured and the fumes stink and are deadly. WARNING.   If you wish to use this product immediately put the plug in and block the sink overflow inlet ready prior to pouring.
Using this product to unblock a shower waste is very dangerous in the  confined of the cubicle. DOUBLE WARNING.
I have a very expensive face mask rated for protection for use when acid gases are A RISK.

If you're using a sink plunger ("Exterminate", only Brits of a certain age will get that!)  You also need to block up the overflow on the sink.  To get the best effect block the overflow and run about 4 inches of water into the sink. The plunger needs to be emptied of air (an air bubble left inside the plunger will stop the plunger from working efficiently) before you use it.  When you push it down it compresses a plug of water which moves the blockage but if the sink overflow is left open the water flows back up the overflow and out into the sink.

[LJ Crew]

Of course for a real effect do all the above, then uncover the overflow, and push the plunger down Hard!

[tonyH]

Is One Shot still available in retail? It's basically sulphuric acid so hasn't it been taken off since some people were using it as a weapon?

[Stan]

Watching these replies with interest. Visit your local plumbers merchants far cheaper than D I Y chains. Most waste pipes get a lining of slime you will no sooner clean it out and will be back. I am a retired plumber and if you think they make fortune some do some dont.

[Baldrick]

Is One Shot still available in retail? It's basically sulphuric acid so hasn't it been taken off since some people were using it as a weapon?

  For the bowls club urinals I use spirits of salts (Hydrochloric acid)   Now that does need to be treated with caution. Make sure you can hold your breath long enough to get out the door.   Yes it's freely available on eBay they send canisters of it through the post.  "One Shot" is freely available from Screwfix amongst other outlets . Lots of products out there not to be handled by numpties , common household bleach is one of the worst and your wife probably has a large bottle of that under the sink.

[Baldrick]

 

Watching these replies with interest. Visit your local plumbers merchants far cheaper than D I Y chains. Most waste pipes get a lining of slime you will no sooner clean it out and will be back. I am a retired plumber and if you think they make fortune some do some dont.

  I served a 4 year plumbing apprenticeship and a further 4 years as a journeyman plumber . It was in 1963 that I spent 4 months on a new Harmans Water housing area in Bracknell , doing lead chimney flashing on the roofs in snowstorms, down a trench in thunderstorms , drifting flared joints on copper tube when it was 10deg below freezing. having to break the ice on the bucket to wash my hands that I decided to switch into the design office . Still got my old tools just in case.

[RST]

I saw a comment about tradesmen before.  If I could get a tradesman interested in anything in my town I would have booked them many times!!  Price for me has never been an issue because if I call them it means I can't do it myself.  Most won't come out for small jobs, citing "value for money" for the customer.  So before anyone says tradesmen are hard done to and struggling.  I've waved very good money their way many times before and it's been their choice to turn down work.  In my town it's incredulus we can't get tradesman to do domestic jobs these days when there are so may contractors out there.  I can't ell you how many times I've heard the excuse "value for money" when my reply has been -don't care, come out and I'll pay charges.

...I got stuck once on a site near Newcastle when I dropped a stainless bolt down a 2" water pipe in the ground and it dissapeared about 20m from either end of the the pipe.  Called the local drain rod guy, he was actually based in the same village but estimated a £350 minimum charge to stick his drain rods down at the end of the day, even though it would only take lass than 20mins at "best guess" and he was already resident in the area.  My charge-out rate for the day we were working on was about what he wanted for a 10min visit + 2 miles travel each way -so I hope you understand I am very cynical about hearing of struggling tradesmen!!

[cbr900]

It's not that much different in Australia mate, plumbers, electricians, kitchen cabinet makers sorry that is to small a job and they are only 1 kilometre from us even to replace the kitchen it will take two days sorry cannot lose that much time, for gods sake they are being paid for it, but apparently working on new housing estates is more profitable...……………..

[RST]

...Bit different round here.  The "housebilders" are all flat-out as you say.  The guys you used to call-up in the old fashioned "yellow pages" -I need a tradesman please just go full-out on rediculus charges.  My last role was in the water industry and we used to have domestic folk absolutely BEGGING for us to fix domestic works to their water supply their plumbers screwed up.  We charged about 50% less in total for a plumber but we advised allot more for free and fixed more on the watr supply.  It just isn't worth it these days if thats wwhat folk think.  Next time someone asks me about  borehole, wells, tank, booster pump, connection to a water main  I'll just say "dunno" -go find a plumber LoL.  Otherwise our rates were an awful lot less what plumbers and drains guys used to charge!!!

[justboatonic]

Interesting comments again.
Nope, sink plunger wouldnt have worked on the original gunge because it was pretty disgusting. I dont know what my wife has chucked down the sink when doing her oblutions and havent asked. Neither did some commercial drain cleaner shift any blockage.
Im pretty sure the inside of the waste pipe was probably very gungie all the way to the main waste but it isnt now the snake's been down it. Yep, the anti syphon valve on the trap was also gunged up and as I said in the original post, I suspect that was stopping the water draining away after the grunge was removed.

As regards plumbers, the problem is a number Ive called previous dont want to come out to small jobs. I can understand that if you're putting in £500 to £1000 bathroom jobs etc but that doesnt solve my problem.

To put things in context, when I was working, I always used to get tradesmen in to do jobs, even internal decorating because Id rather spend my down time doing stuff I want rather than going DIY. Now Im on my pension, Im more inclined to do jobs within my capabilities.
Ive always used a local lad and always try and support the local economy. He's normally very good if a little slow coming out. I phoned him a few times to come out to the toilet but got no response. So, that made me have a go at a relatively simple task. I dont consider cleaning out a waste trap a job to call out a plumber. I wouldnt dream of doing serious plumbing work in our gaff and will continue to call my plumber (although if he doesnt respond next time, I'll have to find another reliable guy or gal).

[malcolmfrary]

About this time last year the back yard drain bunged itself up.  A quick google found a local firm that offered a fixed fee of £50 for that type of job.  One enquiry via their site, an email reply, they turned up later in the day.  Job done.  It mainly needed a rather larger plunger than I own.


Other tradesman - a few months ago, (actually the Friday morning before the Blackpool Show) the 'leccy in the kitchen failed.  After the show, a bit of shopping round and a couple of likely lads sorted the problem a couple of days later.  Again, an approach via their site and an email response.  The job involved replacing the ancient distribution boxes with a nice new consumer unit, properly populated with breakers, and replacement of the offending sockets, all done for very little more than the cost of the parts from the likes of Screwfix or Toolstation.  And they knew what parts were needed, first go.

[tigertiger]

I am not sure if I missed it, but what type of plug is it? I ask because if you have the push down plug with a push up lever at the back of the tap, that can be a problem. Sometimes the plug will come up, but not far enough to get airflow to allow the water to go down. They often need adjusting or replacing.

[justboatonic]

I am not sure if I missed it, but what type of plug is it? I ask because if you have the push down plug with a push up lever at the back of the tap, that can be a problem. Sometimes the plug will come up, but not far enough to get airflow to allow the water to go down. They often need adjusting or replacing.

Hi, thanks for the comment. No, wifey never used a plug and it's the old style on a chain job. The pipe, trap and syphon was just full of gunge. Now it's cleaned out, it's working fine.