You may be used to your teenager talking back at you, and your dog barking at the postman. But when your drains start gurgling in your general direction, something is definitely going wrong. Call it gurgling, call it bubbling, but be aware – when your drains start talking back at you in that unmistakably drain gurgle language, and it doesn’t sound quite right, it’s definitely time to take action.
Why do drains gurgle?
When you ask your drains to swallow a full load of water or waste in a single hit, a brief ‘gurgle’ as it all rushes in there in combination with air is perfectly normal. But if that gurgling sound in pipes is different, and normally prolonged, when a clog is obstructing the flow or there’s an issue with your drain venting. Either way, you need to look into it:
1. A drain clog
In many, many cases, the blockage is occurring in a sink – and very commonly in the P-trap directly below it. Normally, it’s just a big, slimy ball of hair, grease, soap, food and general drain gunk – and very often a kettle of boiling water or a plunger will do wonders to clear your sink.
2. A sewer clog
If your sink can get clogged, it’s an unfortunate fact that your sewer line can too. The problem is that a sewer blockage is likely to affect the entire house rather than just a single sink, so the big red flag to watch out for is if more than one – and perhaps all – of your drains are all gurgling the same tune.
Oh, and don’t worry about the plunger – you’ll need to call a plumber for a blocked sewer for this one.
3. Venting problem
To work properly, drains require proper venting so that a vacuum is not created – and nothing goes down properly at all. The main sign of a venting issue is gurgling drains, so head outside and find your plumbing vent pipes – and see if they’ve been visibly blocked or obstructed by something.
What’s the next step?
Now that you’ve got something to look into, you’re already halfway to finding the solution. Luckily, it’s not too hard to take the correct steps so that the gurgling ends and your home or premises can get back to normal:
- Where’s the gurgling?: Is it a single sink or drain, the toilet, or everywhere?
- How can you fix it?: The trusty old plunger or a kettle of boiling water is very effective, and you can always step it up to a hand-held drain snake. If the venting is the issue, a garden hose can work a treat.
What if I can’t fix my gurgling drains myself?
Still having trouble? Luckily, there’s always a Drain Master just around the corner. Here at Drain Masters Plumbing, we travel all over Brisbane and beyond with the best knowledge, experience, products and specialised drain-clearing equipment in our fully stocked vans. No matter what’s gone wrong, we can restore your place to full functionality and prevent any further damage in a jiffy, so get in touch with Brisbane’s plumbing experts at Drain Masters Plumbing today.
