Drains and toilets · Naples and Campania
Blocked sink drain: what to do
The sink fills up and the water goes down slowly, or not at all. In most cases the blockage is in the trap, half a metre from your hands, and it comes out with a bucket and ten minutes of work. On a video call we follow you step by step, and if the blockage is further away we see it straight away.
From €100 + VAT about 1 hourFloat, button or flush mechanism
Recognise the problem
- Water drains slowly and leaves a ring of dirt in the basin
- The kitchen sink fills up when the dishwasher empties
- Gurgling from the hole while the water goes down
- A bad smell from the sink, even when it is clean
- The bathroom sink is blocked but the shower and bidet drain well
The most common causes
- 1
Hair and soap in the bathroom
In a bathroom sink hair, toothpaste and soap form a mat that clings to the pop-up plug mechanism, the plug lifted by a small lever, and to the bottom of the trap.
- 2
Grease and residue in the kitchen
In the kitchen the problem is grease: even the grease from dishes, melted by hot water, sets further along the pipe and holds crumbs, rice and coffee grounds.
- 3
Narrowed wall pipe
If the trap is clean, the blockage is in the section that runs from the sink to the stack. In the kitchen it is often a long pipe with little slope, where deposits build up over the years.
- 4
Dishwasher or washing machine connection
When the dishwasher drains into the same trap as the sink, a tight fitting or a kinked hose makes water rise into the basin.
What you can safely check yourself
- First of all put a bucket or bowl under the trap and a towel on the floor: there is always dirty water inside.
- With gloves on, unscrew the rings by hand, the big plastic nuts that hold the parts of the trap together. If they are stiff, wrap them in a cloth and use pliers without squeezing too hard.
- In the bottle trap of a bathroom, you only need to unscrew the cup at the bottom. Wash the parts with a brush and hot water in a bucket or in the bath, not in the same sink: the drain is open.
- Before refitting, check the seals are in place and the right way round. Tighten by hand, run the water and pass a sheet of paper under the rings: if it stays dry, all is well.
- If it is a kitchen sink, first try running hot water from the tap for a few minutes: sometimes the grease melts just enough to get the drain going.
Never open the boiler or the gas water heater, and always switch off the power before touching an electrical appliance. If in doubt, call us.
When you need a technician at home
- The trap is clean but the water stays put
- The rings are seized or the trap is old and cracks
- The kitchen sink blocks every few weeks
- The sink drain backs up into another basin or into the shower
How much it costs
Toilet cistern and float (our price)
Float, button or flush mechanism
from €100 + VAT
Blocked kitchen sink
Indicative market price for Naples and surroundings: what matters most is how far the blockage is from the trap
80-220 €
Minor blockage near the trap
Indicative market price in the Naples area
80-125 €
Market figures are indicative for the Naples area. You know our exact price before we start; prices apply near our base in Parete, and further away you see them in full when you choose your town.
Blocked kitchen sink
In the kitchen the problem is rarely only in the trap. Grease settles all along the pipe that runs in the wall or under the cabinets, and the blockage forms where the pipe changes direction. That is why, once the trap is clean, the water may drain better for a few days and then block again.
Frying oil never goes down the sink: let it cool and collect it in a bottle to take to a used-oil collection point. On greasy plates, a wipe with paper before washing removes most of the fat.
If the sink blocks often, it is worth having the wall section cleaned with a drain snake, a long steel coil that goes into the pipe and breaks up the deposit, and then checking the slope.
Bathroom sink that will not drain
In the bathroom the culprit is almost always a mat of hair just below the hole. Before dismantling the trap try removing the pop-up plug: in some sinks it lifts out by pulling it upwards or turning it, in others it unhooks from underneath by unscrewing the nut of the rod connected to the lever.
If water drains slowly with no visible blockage, look at the overflow hole at the top of the basin: when it is dirty it also smells bad. It is cleaned with a bottle brush.
A plunger works better with little water in the sink and the overflow blocked: if that hole stays open, the push escapes from there instead of reaching the blockage.
Want to know what it is first? Show us
On a video call we look at which trap you have under the sink and explain how to remove it without breaking anything. When you put it back we check the seals with you, so the next day you do not find a leak. If the trap is clean and the water stays put, we work out whether the blockage is in the wall pipe.
Video consultation, up to 15 minutes: €9.90 (€14.90 on Sundays), deducted from the bill if we then come to your home.
Book the consultationDIY guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I use caustic soda in a blocked sink?
Better not with the sink full of water: the product is diluted, does not reach the blockage and makes the water dangerous to touch when you take the trap apart. If you want to use it, do so once the water has gone down, with gloves and goggles, following the label.
How do I take the sink trap apart?
Put a bucket underneath, unscrew the rings by hand and slide the pieces off, remembering the order. Clean them, check the seals and reassemble, tightening by hand. The first time you use it, look underneath for drops.
Why does the kitchen sink always block?
Usually because of grease built up in the wall pipe, sometimes because of insufficient slope. Cleaning the trap alone is not enough: the pipe must be cleaned and, if the problem recurs, how it was laid should be checked.
How much does it cost to have a sink unblocked in Naples?
For the kitchen sink the market in the area runs from about 80 to 220 €, less for blockages close to the trap. If you want to try yourself, we guide you on video: if taking off the trap is enough, you only spend the 9.90 € for the call.
The sink gurgles but drains: should I worry?
Gurgling tells you air is not passing well: it can be the start of a blockage or a problem with the stack vent. If a bad smell also comes up, the trap may be emptying: we talk about it on the page about sewer smell.
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Drains and toilets all over Campania
We work in Naples, Posillipo, Caserta and all over the region. Near our base in Parete there is no travel cost; further away you see the full price before you confirm.
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