Kitchen Drain Cleaning in Burlington

When you need kitchen drain cleaning

The early signs are subtle: water lingers in the basin after the dishwasher drains, the sink gurgles, or a sour smell drifts up when the tap is off. Later the sink fills and stays full. If a double sink backs up into the other bowl when the dishwasher runs, the blockage is past the point where the two drains meet.

How the job is done

We start by asking how long the problem has built and what has already been tried. If a chemical opener has been poured in, please tell us; it changes how we handle the trap. The trap is removed and cleaned by hand. Then a drum machine with a cutting head is fed into the branch line toward the stack, where most grease plugs form. Long or repeat blockages may call for a camera look or, on a main line, for hydro jetting. Last, the hot tap runs wide open for a good while to confirm the line drains freely.

Burlington homes and this work

Many kitchens in Burlington's 1960s and 1970s neighbourhoods have a long horizontal drain run across the basement ceiling to reach the stack. A gentle slope over that distance gives grease time to settle. In newer homes, the kitchen sink often sits on an island, and the drain must travel under the floor with an air admittance valve in place of a traditional vent. Both layouts benefit from a cleanout that is easy to reach.

What affects the scope

• Distance from the sink to the main stack
• Whether a cleanout fitting exists or must be added
• Old galvanized drain pipe that has narrowed inside
• Garbage disposers that send ground food into the line

Before we arrive

Clear the cabinet under the sink and set out a bucket and towels. Avoid using the dishwasher until the drain is clear, since it will push more water into a blocked line. Our letter on keeping kitchen drains clear covers habits that stop the problem coming back.