Kitchen sink clog guides

One problem per guide, explained the way we would explain it at your sink. Grease plugs, jammed disposals, dishwasher backups, tired cast-iron pipe, and the day the kitchen clog turns out to be the main line.

Grease clogs in kitchen drains Cooking grease is the most common reason a kitchen sink stops draining. This guide explains how the buildup forms, where it usually sits, and which fixes actually remove it.
One side of a double sink backs up Water rising in one basin while you drain the other tells you a lot about where the clog sits. This guide explains the plumbing under a double sink and the safe next steps.
Dishwasher water backing up into the sink When the dishwasher drains and gray water appears in the sink, the problem is usually the shared kitchen drain rather than the dishwasher. Here is how the connection works and what gets checked.
Garbage disposal clogs and jams A humming disposal and a sink full of water are two different problems that often show up together. This guide separates a jammed unit from a clogged drain and covers the safe way to deal with each.
A slow kitchen sink drain A slow drain is a clog in progress. Dealing with it now is easier and calmer than waiting for the sink to stop on a busy evening.
Kitchen drain smells Not every bad smell from a kitchen sink means a clog, and not every clog smells. The type of odor and when it appears point to where to look.
Chemical drain cleaners and kitchen clogs Store-bought drain openers are tempting when the sink is full. In a kitchen they tend to cause more trouble than they solve, and this guide explains why.
How to plunge a kitchen sink A plunger is the right first tool for a kitchen clog close to the sink. Done correctly, with the other openings sealed, it often clears a packed trap in a few minutes.
Clearing the P-trap under a kitchen sink Many kitchen clogs sit in the curved trap right under the sink. Removing and rinsing it is messy but manageable, as long as the fittings are in good shape.
Kitchen sink clog or main line backup? A kitchen clog and a main line backup can start the same way. Knowing which one you have changes what is safe to do and who you call.
Hydro jetting a kitchen drain line Jetting uses high-pressure water to clean grease off the inside of a drain. It can help with kitchen lines that keep clogging, but it is not the right first step for every pipe.
Camera inspection for a kitchen drain A camera turns guesswork about a repeat clog into something you can see. This guide covers when to ask for one, what it can show, and how to make sense of the findings.
Older metal kitchen drains in Fullerton homes Original metal drain pipe narrows and roughens inside over the decades, which makes kitchen grease clogs more likely and more stubborn. Here is what that means for repairs.
What drives the cost of a kitchen clog This site does not quote prices, and any price you are given should come from a licensed plumber in writing. What we can explain is why one kitchen clog costs more to fix than another.
Kitchen drain permits and code questions Clearing a clog and rebuilding a kitchen drain are treated differently. This guide sorts the kinds of work and lists the questions to bring to the city, without guessing at rules that only the city can confirm.
Hiring a plumber for a kitchen clog A few minutes of questions before work starts protects your home, your pipes and your budget. This guide lists what to check and what good answers sound like.