Wash-hand basin water drains away very slowly

Sep 04, 2003 2 Replies

I've just replaced a 50 year old wash-hand basin with a new one. The old one was higher up by about 6 inches, and the water outlet is a way up the wall directly behind the basin. The new basin being lower means that there is just a small distance between the level of its plug, and the outlet pipe that goes through the wall. I've had to fit a flexible plastic pipe from the trap, that loops round, in order to make a connection. The only problem now is that the water drains away very very slowly. Other than standing the basin pedestal on a platform, or breaking the wall down to insert a new waste pipe low down, is there anything I can do to ease the problem?


Sounds as though you're going to have to cut into the wall, expose the drain pipe, cut a bit off and connect the basin pipe a bit lower down. Or else raise the basin a tad or two. Even three tads might do it.

Rob Graham

Hello Kevin

Ah, you've got a localised spot of weak gravity. Could try installing a block of antimatter underneath the sink?

Or just check and clean all pipework, a partial blockage could be the issue. *Something* is impeding the clean flow of water, if it's not a blockage then your pipework is too convoluted.

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