Why is My Kitchen Sink Clogged on Both Sides

If you find your kitchen sink clogged on both sides, there is nothing to worry about. You need to know some basic things to avoid confronting this situation. Double kitchen sinks are rising in popularity daily, specifically in modern houses. One kitchen sink is used for dishwashing, while the other is for food preparation. Typically, double kitchen sinks have two sinks of equal size, but it isn’t necessary. It is normal to have different-sized kitchen sinks on both sides.

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The frustration also multiplies when you see both sinks building up and backing up water. Most homeowners’ immediate reaction towards the problem is to check the garbage disposal, and if it is working normally, there is nothing they can do afterwards. It works sometimes, but not every time. Therefore, you need basic knowledge about the issue, its solution, and preventive measures to avoid it.

Reason for Kitchen Sink Clogged on Both Sides

Irrespective of the effectiveness of the double-side kitchen sinks, they are prone to clogging like any other sink. Therefore, any homeowner should know the reasons for clogs in the double side kitchen sinks to take preventive measures accordingly.

Usually, there are three reasons that you both sink back up simultaneously:

•         Garbage disposal
•         Main drainpipe
•         Main water drainage line (external)

Garbage Disposal

 

What Garbage Disposal Does?

The kitchen sinks have the hectic work of disposing of the oil and food particles that go down after washing the dishes. Removing the major food particles and blockages before the drain would be better.

Sink garbage disposals remove food waste and inevitable food odors. Disposals pulverize food scraps into minute particles that can go through the water waste system. This way, these particles are not added to landfill but can safely go into the sewer line.

What if Disposal Does Not Work?

If the garbage disposal does not work properly, the food particles can gather and block the drain line, ultimately backing up the water. So if the water backs up on both sinks of your kitchen, you must check the garbage disposal. If it is not working or turned off, turn it on. If the garbage disposal works well, the sink drain may have clogged for the following reasons.

Main Drain Pipe

When you have two sinks in your kitchen and find your kitchen sink clogged on both sides, you will worry about what is common in both that can cause them to clog simultaneously. The sinks have drain pipes that connect and make a main drain pipe under the sinks. This main drain pipe sends the water to the main wastewater line. This joint drainpipe can be the culprit in this situation.

A clog in the main drain pipe will cause both sinks to back up simultaneously. Therefore, if your garbage disposal is working well, but the water still backs up, you need to check the main drainpipe and try to unclog it. Methods for unclogging are discussed briefly in the next sections.

External Blockage

If your garbage disposal is working well, and the main drainpipe isn’t clogged, it’s a bigger worry for you. It is likely that the sewer line has clogged, backing up the water. This is an external issue you will easily detect because, in this scenario, water will back up from all the drains in your house and probably your neighbors. If this is the case, you must complain to your municipal service providers to resolve the issue.

Possible Solutions

If your drain pipe is clogged, you can try the following solutions.

Boiling Water

You can send boiling water down the drain to unclog and resolve the blockages that will clear the line. Ample boiling water is a sufficient solution to dissolve the suspended particles. However, if you have PVC pipes, do not use this method.

Plunger

Use the plunger to remove any blockage that causes the water to back up. The plunger is a primary plumbing tool with a sucking cup at the end of a handle; this cup removes unwanted debris to clear the drain pipe.

Plumber’s Snake

A plumber’s snake is a tool that contains a steel wire and a hook. You will send the snake into the drain and pull out anything resistant. This way, you can take out major suspended particles.

Vinegar and Soda

White vinegar and baking soda react with each other to neutralize, and in this process, the debris dissolves, clearing the clog in the drain line. You will send one cup of vinegar followed by one cup of baking soda in the line; afterward, you need to pour boiling water to clear the drain.

Conclusion 

Finding your Kitchen sink clogged on both sides is nothing less than a migraine. Being a homeowner, you must understand the reason behind this happening. The root cause of the issue and the probable solutions will help you solve the problem and avoid it in the future.