Blocked sink clearing in Exeter
Professional blocked sink clearing services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£60-£85
Typical Duration
30-45 mins
Location
Exeter, Devon
Sink not draining? Water backing up? I'll clear the blockage quickly - usually it's just gunk in the trap or waste pipe. Quick fix, proper drainage restored.
Standing Water In The Sink
You're washing up and the water's not going anywhere. Just sitting there, getting scummier by the minute. Or it's draining so slowly you have to wait 10 minutes between loads. Infuriating.
💡 Pro tip: If your sink's draining slowly, it's a partial blockage that'll become a complete blockage within weeks. Sort it now while you've still got some drainage.
Why Sinks Block
It's always gradual buildup until suddenly it isn't:
| ✅ Clear Drain | ❌ Blocked Drain |
|---|---|
| Water drains instantly | Standing water in sink |
| No smells | Unpleasant drain odours |
| Silent drainage | Gurgling noises |
| Normal trap | Trap full of gunk, hair, grease |
What You Get
🔧 The Full Service
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Diagnose | Work out where the blockage is (trap, waste pipe, further down) |
| Clear | Dismantle trap and clear, or rod through the waste pipe |
| Clean | Clear away all the gunk (you don't want to see this bit) |
| Test | Run lots of water through to confirm it's flowing |
📦 You're Left With
- Sink draining properly again
- Clean trap refitted
- No mess left behind
- Advice on preventing it happening again
Pricing Guide
| Blockage Type | Estimated Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Simple trap blockage | 20-30 mins | £60 |
| Waste pipe blockage | 30-45 mins | £60-£85 |
| Stubborn/deep blockage | 45-60 mins | £85-£110 |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after.
Perfect For...
✅ Kitchen sink - grease and food waste buildup
✅ Bathroom sink - hair and soap scum
✅ Slow draining - partial blockage before it gets worse
✅ Completely blocked - standing water won't drain at all
Why Choose Us for Blocked sink clearing in Exeter?
Water draining properly again
Fixed in 30-45 minutes usually
Advice on preventing future blockages
Kitchen and bathroom sinks
What to Expect
Step 1: Locate The Blockage
I'll check if it's in the trap (the U-bend under the sink), the waste pipe, or further down. Usually it's the trap - that's where everything accumulates.
Step 2: Clear It Out
Either unscrew the trap and clear it (most common), or rod through the waste pipe with a drain rod or snake. The blockage comes out, sometimes in spectacular fashion.
Step 3: Clean Up
I'll clear away all the gunk, wipe down the trap, refit everything properly with fresh seals if needed.
Step 4: Test
Run the taps full blast to confirm it's draining properly. If it's still slow, there's more blockage to find.
🔧 DIY Tips
Blocked sinks are actually quite DIY-able if you don't mind getting a bit messy:
🔧 Tools you'll need
- Bucket
- Old towels or rags
- Adjustable spanner or pliers
- Rubber gloves (trust me)
- Possibly a drain rod or plunger
🔩 How to clear a blocked sink
- Put bucket under the trap
- Unscrew the trap (the U-bend) - usually just hand-tight compression fittings
- Empty the trap contents into bucket (don't look too closely)
- Use a bent wire or brush to clear out the trap properly
- Check the waste pipe either side - sometimes blockage is just beyond the trap
- Reassemble trap, run water to test
For bathroom sink (hair blockage):
- Remove the pop-up waste if you can
- Use a zip-it tool or bent wire to pull out hair
- Refit everything, test
⚠️ Common DIY mistakes
- Using too much force and cracking the plastic trap
- Losing washers down the drain when dismantling
- Not having a bucket ready (wet floor guaranteed)
- Chemical drain cleaners that damage pipes but don't clear the blockage
- Pushing the blockage further down instead of pulling it out
💡 Pro trick: For kitchen sinks, pour boiling water down once a week to help dissolve grease before it builds up. For bathroom sinks, get a stick-on drain guard to catch hair before it goes down.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🔧 Both sinks blocked? If the kitchen sink AND bathroom sink are both blocked, the blockage is probably in the shared waste pipe or outside drain. That's a different job (and might need drain rods or even a drain jetting service).
Baby wipes or cotton buds? These don't break down like toilet paper. If they've gone down your sink, they're causing a blockage further down. We'll need to clear the waste pipe properly.
Old house with odd plumbing? Victorian and Edwardian houses sometimes have lead or iron waste traps that are furr ed up solid. Clearing them is temporary - you're better off replacing the trap with modern plastic (I can do that at the same time).
Garbage disposal unit? These can block underneath if you put the wrong stuff through. I can dismantle and clear them, but sometimes the unit itself is seized and needs replacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes blocked sinks?
Kitchen sinks? Usually fat, grease, and food waste building up in the trap and waste pipe. Bathroom sinks? Hair, soap scum, and toothpaste. It builds up gradually until one day the water just won't go down. Sometimes it's something dropped down the plughole (kids' toys, jewellery, etc.).
Can you always clear it, or might I need new pipes?
I can clear about 95% of blocked sinks. It's usually just gunk in the trap or the first section of waste pipe - easy to rod or dismantle and clean. Occasionally the pipe's collapsed or completely furred up, then yes, it needs replacing.
Will you need to take the sink apart?
Sometimes I'll unscrew the trap under the sink - that's where most blockages are. Quick to do and lets me clear it properly. If the blockage is further down, I'll rod through the waste pipe. Either way, I'll have it sorted quickly.
Should I try drain cleaner first?
If you want, but honestly those chemical drain cleaners rarely work on a proper blockage. They're harsh on pipes, horrible for the environment, and if they don't work you've wasted £6 and still need me anyway. Save your money.
How do I stop it happening again?
Kitchen: don't pour fat down the sink (let it solidify and bin it), use a sink strainer. Bathroom: catch hair before it goes down (stick-on drain guards are brilliant), don't rinse shaving cream down the sink. And get the trap cleaned out every couple of years.
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