Smart relief for your families stopped drains pipes
Smart relief for your families stopped drains pipes
Do you know what the best way to unblock drainage is? Using a plunger is the most effective and quickest way to solve this common household problem. The whole process of unclogging a blocked drain pipe is pretty simple and straightforward. But don’t just shove the plunger into the drainage and start pumping it violently, you could make matters much worse. Ideally the plunger’s bell shaped head should be used to cover the drainpipe fully, you can then push the plunger down and then pull it up again to create suction in a slow rhythmical manner. A minor clog can be pulled up and out of the sink or drain pipe through the sucking action of the plunger. Note that some tubs and sinks are fitted with overflow holes that must be closed with a sponge or wet towel before proceeding with the plunger.
You could use a waste pipes clearance chemical that is designed to break down the material instead of the more conventional plunger. However this option should be used only after you have used the plunger to unclog your drainpipe. You should allow the chemicals time to take effect and then, once the material that is clogging the drain pipe has been disintegrated you can flush it out with hot water. Use rough clothes that cover your body fully as things could get a bit mucky and some of the strong chemicals may spill on you and burn exposed skin. After chemical flushing, you may try the plunger again – this can cause the chemical/water mix to splash back on you – eye guards are highly advisable here. To avoid unwarranted problems from creeping up, follow the manufacturers instructions ardently.
The next thing you can attempt to use if your plunger is ineffective is to loosen the nuts holding the P-trap in place with pliers or a pipe wrench. Keep a bucket and towel to deal with the mess that will follow. If you don’t want to damage the chrome finish of your pipes and also to get a better grip on the pipe, you can wrap the jaws of your wrench with electrical tape. After you have removed the P-trap, clean it thoroughly to eradicate any solid material that may be blocking the pipe opening. If you don’t see anything, the problem might unfortunately go far deeper and may be located between the trap and the drains soil stack.
A toilet auger can be used for unclogging the toilet. With a bathtub or sink, however a drainpipe snake should be used. Because of their size and length, drain pipe snakes are well designed for getting at stoppages in small spaces in difficult to reach places. A plumbers drainage snake has an adjustable handle which is used to make a drill into the blockage, it then becomes easy to remove the obstruction by pulling it upwards. Once, you have taken out the obstruction, re-fix the P-trap and rinse the drain with hot water to make sure that the entire blockage has been removed. Make sure that everything is tight and sealed properly and test the P-trap for leaks.
If none of the steps you have taken work, it is time to bring in a professional plumber. Some common problems that are beyond the capabilities of the common homeowner are blockages in the soil stack or the sewer service by tree roots or even a collapsed pipe which could be the result of old age or deterioration of the pipes because of Mother Nature or an unforeseen Act of God.