How the job runs
- 1Empty the bowlbail standing water so the trap can come apart without a flood
- 2Pull the trapremove the P-trap and check it for food and grease
- 3Snake the branchrun a cable into the wall pipe toward the stack
- 4Check the dishwasherconfirm the drain hose has a high loop or air gap and is not kinked
- 5Flush hotrun hot water and a full basin to push residue through
01Grease travels, then stops
Bacon fat and pan drippings go down warm and liquid. A few metres along, in the cooler pipe inside the wall or under the basement ceiling, they solidify and coat the walls. Rice, coffee grounds and pasta catch on that coating and the pipe narrows year by year until one big dinner finishes it off.
In older Scarborough bungalows the kitchen branch often travels a long, nearly flat path before meeting the stack, which gives grease plenty of room to settle.
| Main enemy | Cooking fat poured warm, then hardening in the pipe |
|---|---|
| Double sinks | A shared trap can hide a clog in one side |
| Disposal units | Grind food but do not dissolve it |
02Disposal or not
A garbage disposal sends more solids down the line. It can work well, but on long, flat runs it tends to make clogs more frequent. We look at the slope of the drain and give you an honest opinion.
03Keeping it clear
Blot fatty pans with a paper towel first, scrape leftovers into the green bin, and run plenty of hot water after the dishwasher. Avoid caustic drain openers; they rarely reach the clog and they are hard on old pipe.