Gurgling Bathroom Sink: Troubleshooting a Stubborn Toilet Clog
You have a lot of pipes running through your home. Unfortunately, a lot of things can go wrong in them. Some problems are worse than others. Action Air Plumbing & Septic provides a full range of plumbing and septic service to Texans. We’ve seen every type of problem that can happen, and some more strange than others. It can be very concerning for a homeowner to hear their sink gurgle every time they flush their toilet.
Gurgling. Bubbling. These are not sounds you ever want to hear coming from your sink, especially not right after you flushed the toilet.
Does a sink gurgling after a toilet flushes mean you have a big problem? Not necessarily. You do have an issue, but it may not be as troubling as you suspect. Keep reading to learn about what can cause a gurgling sound to come from your sink and troubleshooting steps that you can try to fix it yourself.
When a Sink Gurgles After a Toilet Flushes
A gurgling sound coming from a sink indicates an airflow problem in your pipes. The sound is made from air passing through the sink P-trap.
And that is not supposed to happen.
Air flows smoothly (and silently) through the lines in a plumbing system that is working properly. These free-flowing pipes helps waste run smoothly out of your home. A gurgling sound means there is negative air pressure building up somewhere in the drain line. That means air is pushing back through the drains.
If your pipes are not venting properly, the water flow is affected and, unfortunately, may even become blocked.
Signs of a Clog
Do not ignore the warning sign that is a gurgling sink. It does indicate a problem in your pipes, and that you likely have a clog in one of a few places.
The clog could be in your drain line not far from your toilet.
A drain line clog often occurs when someone puts something down a toilet they shouldn’t have. With this clog, your toilet may be backing up and overflowing. Fortunately, some work with a plunger may solve the problem.
The other likely place for a clog is deeper in the sewer lines.
You could have a clog in the main sewer line that connects to your community’s sewer system. Or it’s possible the clog may be in your vent stack. This vent stack is a pipe that releases sewer gas out through your roof.
Troubleshooting Steps: Plunging the Toilet
Even if your toilet is not clogged, the best first attempt to fixing the problem is by plunging it.
Proper Steps to Plunge a Toilet
- Close the drains in nearby sinks. That will help ensure optimum air pressure as you are plunging.
- Armed with a good plunger (read about some top-reviewed plungers), pump it into your toilet a dozen times or more.
- Now you can open your sinks back up and try flushing the toilet. Did the gurgling sound stop? If so, you may have fixed the problem! However, if your sink is still bubbling or gurgling, keep trying to plunge the toilet more in order to push out the clog.
- If plunging your toilet does not fix it, you can try tackling the clog with an auger. This is also called a plumber’s snake, which is often is able to remove clogs that plungers can’t.
If these troubleshooting steps don’t fix it, the clog is likjely too far down to reach on your own. You may need a professional to address it with a longer motorized tool. And if the clog is deeper and into the sewer lines, a more intense tactic may be needed.
Your best option is to call for toilet clog service from a professional with drain and sewer experience like the experienced plumbers at Action Air Plumbing & Septic.
We’ve been providing quality professional clog service to the Odessa and Midland areas since 1985. One of our experienced and trained plumbers will be able to diagnose the source of the clog and completely fix it.
Trust us to handle any problem with your home’s pipes. Call us today for a quick repair at 432-620-8900.
