Unusual sounds in your home are never good signs, especially if they are coming from your kitchen sink. A gurgling sound in your sink is actually the sound of trapped air trying to escape from the drain. Your pipes should not have any air trapped inside, but they can become obstructed by food items like grease, seeds, bones, and rice that shouldn't go down your drain.

Once you hear a gurgle in your kitchen sink, call your plumbers so they can fix the issue. Fixing a gurgling kitchen sink can be done through a chemical solution or a drain auger that will help clear your pipes. Find out more about why your kitchen sink is gurgling and what you can do to avoid it from happening in the future.

What is a gurgling kitchen sink?

After doing the dishes, you might hear a gurgling sound from your kitchen sink. Gurgling is the sound of trapped air in your P-trap. The P-trap is the U-shaped pipe under your sink that generally contains water to block odors and gases from your sewage. It also serves as a catch tray for items that may fall into your sink that should not have. Your kitchen sink will start to gurgle when your pipes are clogged, causing the P-trap to trap air. When you use your kitchen sink, the trapped air will flow and try to escape, causing these gurgling sounds.

Check where the gurgle is coming from.

The first thing you can do when there is a gurgling sound from your kitchen sink is to check where it is coming from. If the gurgle sounds near, it most likely is. However, there are also times when the issue is with the pipe connecting to your sink drain pipe. If this is where the problem is, you'll likely hear the gurgling sound only when you run the dishwasher.

Most gurgling sounds happen when you are running water in the sink while doing the dishes, meaning the problem is also in the drain. In addition to this, a gurgling sound may be accompanied by slow water drainage. When water doesn't take too long to back up, it's a sign the obstruction in your pipes is closer to the sink.

The best way to avoid obstruction in your kitchen pipes is by cleaning the sink regularly using non-abrasive chemicals.

Never put these items down your kitchen drain.

Don't pour cooking oil down your drain in Riverview, FL!

The kitchen sink can sometimes be a catch-all tray where plates, pans, and even leftover food are dumped. While strainers are effective stopgaps, problems arise when certain food items go down your drain. These are the items you never want to put down your drain:

  • Grease: Grease originates from cooking oil, fat, and butter. It can coagulate and harden, especially if it's been cooled down. Make sure to throw away grease and its possible sources properly.
  • Produce stickers: These stickers are often found on fruits bought from the grocery store. Rinsing and peeling produce can cause the stickers to fall down the drain. They do not break down, so they can contribute to pipe-clogging.
  • Seeds and pits: Grapefruit seeds, cherry pits, chia seeds, and even sunflower seeds can fall down your drains. No matter how small, these seeds and pits can easily get caught up in sludge, creating a bigger problem.
  • Bones: Skinny chicken bones can accidentally fall down your drain and easily cause blockage in your pipes. Once they do, they can form a clog with other items that have fallen into your sink.
  • Rice or pasta: You have to remember that rice and pasta soak up water. When they go down your pipes, they can enlarge and create worse clogs.

Call us to fix your gurgling kitchen sink!

When your kitchen sink starts to gurgle, it's telling you there is a problem with your pipes. At Curtis Plumbing, we offer drain cleaning and clearing services that will fix your sink and get it back on track, freeing it of obstructions. Our services are available to homes and businesses in Riverview, Brandon, Valrico, FL and nearby areas. Call us today at (813) 672-4111 to schedule an appointment!