Do you need to call an emergency plumber to unblock a sink?

Let’s be honest, sorting out a blocked sink isn’t the nicest thing to do in the world. However, it’s essential that you get it sorted as soon as you notice a blockage – the longer you leave it, the worse the problem can become.

For some people, this will involve getting on the phone to an emergency plumber. Others will attempt the job themselves. It all depends on how confident you are with DIY and how willing you are to put your hand in your pocket to pay for a tradesman.

If you decide to go down the DIY route, you’ll need to be prepared to get your hands dirty. It can be a pretty disgusting job.

The tools you’ll need

There’s no point starting the job until you’ve got the right tools. The majority of these should be easy to locate around your house, but others might need to be purchased from your local DIY shop. Make sure you’ve got a plunger, gloves, some strong wire and some disinfectant. Other things that could come in useful include clothes, a bucket or a bowl.

Make a start

The best way to start is using the plunger – if you’re lucky, this could do the trick straight away.
However, before getting busy with the plunger, plug the overflow with some damp tissue and fill the sink with water. Then give it some welly, pushing the plunger down the plughole and pumping several times. To finish, put some disinfectant down.

Dealing with tougher blockages

Blockage still not shifting after a heavy plunger session? Then unfortunately your next option is to dismantle the sink. It’s best to put a bucket below the u-bend before starting to unscrew the retaining nuts at each end of the pipe. Once you’ve dismantled the pipe, you can use your gloved fingers or a piece of wire to get the debris out. This is probably the most unpleasant bit, but it’s sadly the only way you’ll get your sink functioning properly again. Once you’re happy the blockage has been removed, you can rinse the pipe, reassemble it and give its seals a thorough clean.

Insurance could help Of course, there is a way to avoid needing to pay a costly call-out charge to an emergency plumber or having to finish the job yourself. Get plumbing and drainage insurance and you’ll be able to get a tradesman in to sort out the blockage without having to worry about being hit with a big call out charge and repair bill. When you’ve got this type of cover in place, you’ll be able to sort out something as minor as a blocked sink or as major as burst pipes, safe in the knowledge that the finance is all in hand. The repairs you need with no big bill to worry about? That’s surely enough to give anyone peace of mind.