You run water down the drain of a kitchen or bathroom sink. Soon afterwards, when you should hear nothing from the drainpipe, up comes an odd gurgling noise, like bubbles rising through liquid. The sound is a bit unusual… but is it a reason to feel concerned?
Yes, most of the time it is. And even when it’s not, you should feel concerned and call for help just in case.
We’ll look at the reasons why your drains may create that gurgling noise when water runs down them. Much of the time, you’ll require professionals to fix trouble with your plumbing—and it could be very serious trouble that needs immediate remedy. Call BZ Dependable Plumbing & Heating, Inc. for the plumbing repair and drain cleaning in Teaneck, NJ necessary to solve the problem.
Reasons for Gurgling Drains
Clogs in Your Drainpipe
The gurgling could indicate a thick clog down in the sink that hasn’t yet blocked up the drain. Plumbing clogs rank among the most common issues homeowners have with their systems. It’s very easy to let the wrong foods slip down the drain, while toiletries, toothpaste and similar materials can gum up your pipes in a very short amount of time. When you hear gurgling, the clog is releasing air bubbles trapped inside into the water just poured down on it, creating the gurgling. Generally speaking, we urge people to contact a professional plumber to deal with clogs, since store-bought solutions like cleansers or snakes rarely do the job as effectively as they should.
Blocked Drain Vents
If you don’t have a clog in the drainpipe, the reason for the gurgling is often blocked drain vents. These vents allow sewage gas to escape away from the house; the vents usually open onto the roof of a house. If the vents become blocked (animal nests, debris blown from the weather, etc.), it will force the sewer gas back down the pipe and force it up through the water plug in the p-trap (the u-shaped pipe under the sink), creating the gurgling noise. The water plug is usually sufficient to stop the escape of sewer gas, but not when the vents are blocked.
Blockage/Damage in Sewer Line
The third reason for gurgling drains is a serious one: blockage or damage to the sewer line. This pipeline runs under your property, out to the street, and carries all the wastewater from your drains to the municipal sewer. If the line breaks or if tree root growth blocks it up, the sewage will start to back up into your drain pipe, forcing sewer gas ahead of it and up through the water in the p-trap. You need plumbers on this job as soon as possible.
Since the solution to gurgling drains could range from using a drain snake to excavating or replacing a damaged sewer line, don’t guess at the problem: bring in professional plumbers. For drain cleaning in Teaneck, NJ and all other plumbing issues, call BZ Dependable Plumbing & Heating, Inc.
