Troubleshooting drainage noises may be necessary as there are occasions when an underlying issue causes strange sounds and gurgles. If you weren’t noticing sounds before and now you do, and the plunger isn’t solving your problem, there could be something else going on.
Troubleshooting Drainage Noises: Back-Ups and Blockages
Noise coming from your drains can indicate blocked drains somewhere in your home or further down the line. If the drain is not free flowing and is full of water, the next flush of water will compress the air in the middle and the only place for it to go may be back up to the toilet, sink or shower. This will cause a gurgling sound and might be the first indication of a blockage, particularly if you don’t normally hear a gurgle. Drain blockages can unpleasant if an overflow occurs so don’t leave it go too long!
Troubleshooting Drainage Noises: Gurgling Noises
Gurgling sounds can also occur from ventilation or syphoning issues from the way the system might be put together. When water is rushing through the pipework it pulls air behind it. If the system isn’t vented it will try and pull air in through the water trap in the sink, shower or toilet and causes it to gurgle until the vacuum is released. This can lead to drain odours as the water seal may be broken as water has been pulled out of the trap temporarily.
The Soil Vent
With your bathroom or kitchen sink, these are equipped with an important bend (the U-bend), which acts as a water seal or airlock. This prevents harmful gasses and nasty odours from coming from the drains and into your building. The system needs a vent to allow gasses ventilate out to atmosphere and to prevent syphoning of the water from the water traps. So if you notice gurgling, there could also indicate an issue with your soil vent.
If you have an issue with your drains, feel free to give us a call on 01-660-3086. If it’s an emergency, we have a plumber ready to help 24-7.
