Edit Article

wikiHow to Tell if Your Plumbing Has a Clog in the Line

Community Q&A

Plumbing can get clogged in dozens of ways, something getting flushed that shouldn't be, or a build-up of food scraps from the kitchen sink over time are just two of the more common ways of things causing blockages.


  1. 1
    Turn on the tap in the bathroom and let the water run for about 1 minute.  While it’s still running, watch the toilet for any signs of a rise in water level or bubbling in the water, these could indicate a blockage.
  2. 2
    Do a load of washing in your washing machine. When it gets to the point in the cycle that the water drains from the machine, inspect close by drains for water backing up into things like showers bath and basins
  3. 3
    Flush the toilet and inspect the water level before and after flushing. If it has either risen or lowered, then there could be a blockage stopping the water flowing as freely as it should.
  4. 4
    Check all sinks and bathtubs for drainage speed. The water should go down the drain in a swirling motion when the tap is at its fastest water flow speed. If the basin is slowly filling up, then you have some form of blockage.
  5. 5
    Listen for gurgling sounds when the basins and sinks are draining. This indicates water flow issues, and therefore a blockage.
  6. 6
    Smell for odors around your sinks and showers. Bad odors can indicate that there is debris in your drain rotting and causing a blockage.

Community Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left


    • Check these things at regular intervals and keep a record of things like drainage speed, by keeping a record you can monitor for blockages by comparing the results of the tests.


    • Checking for blockages using these methods may be easy, but never attempt to doing any plumbing work yourself, in many places it is illegal and you can cause more harm than good, always call a licensed plumber to unblock any blockages you discover.

    Article Info

    Categories: Plumbing Drains Waste and Vents


    Did this article help you?