If you’re living in a building where everyone shares the same drainage system, you must know how to do kitchen stack cleaning.
Why? Because if you don’t keep the kitchen stack clean and unwanted mold and food waste build up in the pipeline, it will cost everyone in the building a lot of money. On top of that, you’ll face cooking issues and the house will smell too.
So, yes, to save you from all these troubles, this article has not only the methods of cleaning your kitchen stack but also the prevention measures that will stop the error from happening in the first place. Let’s dive right in to get started.
What is A Kitchen Stack
If you’re living in Condo buildings, you might have a clear idea about kitchen stack. Because you probably share the kitchen drainage system with other residents.
So, as you can guess by now, a kitchen stack is a collection of pipes that connects one kitchen drainage system to another. However, this system is within a building and the pipes are completely stacked onto each other.
So if you’re washing, trimming or even rinsing in your kitchen drain, it travels the whole pipe system and then goes to sewerage.
See Also: Bathroom sink drain installation mistakes to avoid.
Why Cleaning A Kitchen Stack Is Essential
If you’re here reading this article, you must know why kitchen stack cleaning is essential. Because that will make you more motivated to regularly maintain the cleanliness of your kitchen stack.
First of all,
Whenever everyone in a building shares the same sewer line, the buildup of grease, food residues, and waste becomes much faster. If you neglect washing for too long, every family living in that building will suffer.
Secondly,
If any damage happens due to not maintaining hygiene regularly, the repair you need to do will be costly. As the whole system has to be checked and repaired.
Third,
If the kitchen stack isn’t properly cleaned, soon mold will start forming inside the pipes. If this continues for too long, the whole pipeline will be clogged. And it’s really difficult to get rid of the mold after it’s formed.
Fourthly,
A dirty kitchen stack can result in a bad smell all around the building. It’s really unpleasant to experience the distinct smell where you cook and stay.
Fifthly,
Not cleaning your stack can cause a lack of efficiency in the exhaust system. Do you know what that means? It means there can be fire hazards as well.
How To Clean Your Kitchen Stack
It’s not easy to clean the kitchen stack on your own. Because, unlike a drain or pipe inside your home, the stack is connected to every house.
If there’s already a smell coming out of your kitchen stack or the water isn’t getting down by the pipes that means it’s already clogged. In that case, you need to call in a professional.
The professional will examine the entire drainage system of the building. If the clog is simple, they’ll just do a snake drain which will cost around one hundred to one fifty dollars. However, if the clog is hard or any pipe is damaged, the cost will definitely be more than three hundred dollars. If you’re thinking of how long stack cleaning takes, then brace yourself.
Because only to check and find out the problem itself, it takes more than a week. To repair, it might even take more than ten days. So, you’ll be facing a lot of trouble.
One, you won’t be able to use the kitchen.
Two, odors will make your living impossible in the building.
But if you’re lucky and the professionals can find out the problem quickly, the work can be done in a day also.
The cleanouts are of two types. One is inside and the other one is outside. As mentioned, outside lines are connected with the main building sewer system, so you need a professional.
However, inside cleanouts can be carried out by the people who are living in the building. When clogs develop in a tie trap, joint, or pipe sharp bend, you can do the cleaning on your own.
To do the cleaning, you’ll need a plunger and water jet. Using the plunger, unclog the sink, drains, and pipes that are inside your house. Then using a water jet, pour down water with pressure. By doing these easy steps, the problem will be solved.
You can even use a plumber snake or auger instead of the plunger. It will make the unclogging easier.
Precautions To Stop Kitchen Stack From Getting Dirty
It’s always beneficial to take precautions than cleaning the stack afterward. So, I’ve made a list of precautions to follow.
- Everyone in the building should arrange a meeting together and make instructions for them to follow. Such as, where to dispose of wastes and not throw them down the drain or pipeline.
- Every tenant should clean their kitchen sink, drain, and pipelines with baking soda and vinegar at least once a week. This will work as a natural remedy and stop the pipelines from clogging.
- If any tenant faces any issues such as sink backing up or clogging often, they should let the authority know. This will help determine the issue earlier.
In short, if everyone carries out their work with responsibility, the drainage system will work completely fine.
FAQs
How often should I get a maintenance check of the kitchen stack?
You should get a maintenance check of your entire building twice every year.
Is it okay to wash appliances with food in the kitchen sink or drain?
No, you should never pour food particles down the drain. Remove the residues and then wash kitchen appliances.
Why there’s a smell coming out of my kitchen sink?
If there’s a smell coming out of the sink, that means the pipes are clogged with mold or dirt.
How much does it cost to do kitchen stack cleaning by a professional?
The cost to do a kitchen stack cleaning starts from $350 and goes higher from that
Conclusion
If you’ve read this article thoroughly, you know about how to do kitchen stack cleaning. However, I’ll definitely advise you to focus on the prevention measures more because once the pipes are clogged, it’s more difficult to solve the problem.
Please leave a comment if this article helps you do the right thing.