What is that gulping sound after I pour a lot of hot boiling water down my bathroom sink?

Question

Every Friday morning, I pour about 6 gallons of hot boiling water down my bathroom sink with the theory that the scalding water should clear the pipes whatever is making this sink drain so slowly. Be it hair, grease, and other stuff.

What I noticed every single time I do this is the "gulping" or "blub blub" sound occurs just seconds after all the boiling water I pour down there is gone... then for the next 20 minutes or so I -still- hear that sound now and then - even if I did nothing else to the sink (ie turn on the water). Sounds like there's some air pocket down or there.

Is that sound good or bad?

Answer 1

You get that glug-glug for the same reason when you turn a narrow bottle of liquid upside down the air is limited to entering the bottle a little at a time and letting just a bit of liquid (glug-glug) out. Your drain plumbing probably isn't done right to allowing enough air to vent properly. If you bore a hole in the bottom of a bottle the liquid would pour right out without the glug-glug when you turned it upside down. The drain vent accomplishes the same thing.
Also make sure your "P" trap (that fat pipe that goes out of the drain under the sink and snakes up traping water to prevent sewer gas from entering) it may be clogged up with foodstuff and limiting air.You can buy a air pressure can at a hardware store that's made to unclog drains it wouldn't hurt to try it.

Answer 2

The only time you might get the Glug Glug sound is if the sink drain is not vented, This is because with a larg amount of water poured down the drain is creates a suction that is pulling in air from the drain in the sink instead of the vent that goes to the roof that is part of the piping. Also you might want to have the drain cleaned wit a liquid drain cleaner if it runs slow.

Answer 3

Try it with cold water. I don't believe it is the temp that causes it. Probably a clogged (or absence of) vent. Each fixture has it's own seperate vent pipe that connects into the main vent. The vent is the pipe that extends out the roof. It allows sewer gas to escape and also allows air into the drainage system. drains need air to work properly. Rather than hot water, I would suggest using an enzyme drain cleaner such as Draincare by Zep. Enzyme cleaners cling to and "eat" organic clogs. Follow the label directions.

Answer 4

Glug Drain Cleaner

Answer 5

I'm puzzled about why you would continue pour that much hot water down your sink, when it's obvious that it didn't make your drain run any faster. If some of the good drain cleaners don't work, break down and call a plumber.

Answer 6

There is a trap under the sink and other places in the pipe lines, like the big U under your sink is one of them. It's used to prevent things like rings and jewelry from going straight to the sewer.

Anyways, if you pour big amounts of water like you do, there will be air bubbles in between your pourring so that's why you hear those sounds.

Answer 7

Im no plumber but boiling water makes steam which rises in the pipes that are slanted low. Maybe the combination of the two is creating a vapor lock.

Answer 8

Not likely to work since the drain cleaner did not do the job. Try removing the plunger and using a piece of wire with a hook bent in the end. Then keep pulling out the hair that is blocking the drain. Next time you wash your hair, put an old nylon sock over the drain to keep the hair from getting caught.

Answer 9

Other than the glug sound of air, I'd like to suggest that you use baking soda and hot vinegar to clear some of the junk out of your pipes. Kind of like doing a kid's project.

Answer 10

you have vent issues ..but it can be fixed by you and wont cost you a arm and a leg. if you have the room under the sink you can put a inline vent in in front of the trap that will let air in but wont let sewer gas out.with a little more info i can send you step by spep instructions.