Have you ever being standing in your bathroom and suddenly hear a gurgling noise coming from the sink? Spooky, huh?
A gurgling sink can be scary. Not just because it brings visions of crocodiles and swamp things coming up from the drain but, because it could mean that there is a serious problem with your plumbing system.
There are many reasons for a gurgling sink, and most of them are relatively benign. They can be easily diagnosed and fixed. Some of the other causes though, are much more involved and require a professional plumber.
Here are some of the reasons that your sink is making a gurgling noise:
- The most common cause of a gurgling noise is a clog that is further down in the drain. If a clog is small enough that it hasn’t caused water to flood back up into the sink basin, it might be causing a gurgling noise. When just a little bit of water is able to move through the pipe alongside the clog, the air mixed with the water will cause the gurgling noise. The try and get the clog to move through to the sewer line, block the overflow hole and use a sink plunger to dislodge the clog.
- Another cause of gurgling sink drain is a drain vent that is blocked. These vents are actually situated on the roof of your home. They are designed to allow sewer gasses to escape from your plumbing line. But, if an animal has decided to nest in your vent or if there is a build-up of leaves and debris, then the sewer gasses will divert and come back out of the sink.
- The most serious cause of a sink gurgle is if there is a problem in the sewer system. A crack in the pipes or a major clog down the line will cause a gurgling noise … not long before it escalates to something major.
If you have a gurgling sink, you can see there is a range of reasons this is happening. It is best to address a gurgling sink sooner than later, if it is a problem with the sewer line – you don’t want to leave the issue to escalate.