Do you hear a weird gurgling noise every time you run water from the faucet or when you’re draining water from the sink or bathtub? These and other strange noises can be worrying and annoying. Or maybe you’re used to your drains making that noise by now and simply pass it off as normal. But gurgling and other noises coming from your drains are not normal, so let’s take a look at what might be causing them and how to fix your noisy drains.

What causes gurgling drains?

Gurgling drains are typically caused by a simple blockage in the drain or the pipes. This disrupts the flow of water, causing air bubbles to form and create that familiar bubbling or gurgling sound. Things like hair in your shower drain or food debris in your kitchen sink can cause these full or partial blockages. As well as the strange noises, you may also notice water draining more slowly as a result of the clog, or water backing up into your sink or tub.

Gurgling drains could also be the result of a blocked sewer line in the area. If this is the case, you may experience strange occurrences like the kitchen drain gurgling every time you flush the toilet upstairs, for example. There may also be a bad smell coming from your plumbing if the problem is with the sewer line. Sewer lines can be blocked by a build-up of debris from homes in the area, or from the environment such as tree roots growing into the sewer lines.

How to fix a gurgling drain

If your pipes are blocked, then you may be able to resolve the problem yourself using a drain snake or a store-bought drain cleaner, although we recommend professional drain cleaning since store-bought cleaners are not always effective and can cause damage to your pipes. If the clog is more severe or if there is a more complicated problem to blame for your noisy drains, then you should call an emergency plumber to properly diagnose the problem and clean and inspect your drains with the proper tools.

If you think that there is a blockage in the sewer lines, contact an emergency plumber to inspect and resolve the situation.

If your drains consistently make weird noises when draining water, then call Brandon Plumbing for our plumbing maintenance and repair services around Winston Salem, Clemmons, Lewisville, and Bermuda Run.