Unclogging Clogged drains
Learn Technique Of How To Unclog A Clogged Drains.
How to use a drain snake
Unclogging Clogged Drains: The Art of Using a Drain Snake
- When you are going to utilize a drain snake for unclogging the clogged drain pipe, you need to know that the process needs thorough preparation. Using this tool can be very messy so make sure that you are wearing your clothes for work and that the floor in the room where you are going to use it is covered with some old rags or papers, especially in the area under the sink. This is still more important if you are planning to dismount the p-trap.
- A p-trap or p-bend as it is often called is located under the sink. It is a curved pipe that is meant to connect the sink to the drainage system. The curve is made to stop the sewer gases from penetrating your home. When it happens, the house becomes a very smelly place. The material such curved pipes are made of is often plastic but it can also be metal. To dismount such a p-trap, you need a special wrench that is adjustable or you can try to do it with your hands but the latter is not always quite successful. After removing the pipe, you need to clean it and examine it for some damage and worn-outs. The clogged p-trap can also become a cause of the standing water in the sink, so if you have detected this, you will not need a snake anymore.
- Sometimes, you may need to continue the dismounting process and remove the trap arm. It also looks like a pipe and is meant to join the p-trap and the wall pipe. It usually has a nut made of metal or plastic that is easy to disconnect with your hands. If you have managed to do that, you can easily remove the trap arm. Sometimes, if the nut cannot be loosened, check whether it is possibly glued. If it is like that, do not remove it because you may damage the entire system. When you have disconnected the trap arm, try to clean it as well. Now you can reach the drain pipe directly.
- After completing stages Two and Three, you can start using the drain snake. Try to push the head of the snake into the pipe in the wall. If it is difficult, you may utilize the running water simultaneously. Do not make an attempt to do everything by force or you can do harm to the drainage system. Do not rush and try to do all the processes patiently.
- Hold the end of the snake’s handle very close to the entrance of the drainpipe. Start uncoiling the tool by rotating a handle at a steady pace. Do not speed up or do everything too slowly because such actions will not be too effective. Continue the procedure until you feel that something has stopped the snake and you need to apply more force to uncoiling it. It means that you have probably reached the clog.
- When you do not have much experience in utilizing the drain snake, try to listen to the sounds it produces while moving down. You need to avoid scraping and scratching. So, try to move the head to and fro, up and down to find the most suitable and harmless position. When there is no resistance any more, it means that the clog has been cleared out. Now, you can pull out the snake and remount the items of the sink on their previous positions. Now, you can tidy the mess and feel satisfied.
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Cloogged Drains
Unclogging the Shower Drain Should Not Be a Problem
1. HOT WATER USE
It seems that pouring hot water into the drainpipe can resolve any clogging issue in any place of your drainage system including the shower. No matter whether it will be effective or not, start with this method just for the beginning. Even if it does not manage to unclog the drain entirely, it will weaken the clog and your further steps will be much easier and more effective.
Here is a short tip on how to do it properly:
- Let the water boil on the stove
- Pour the amount of it into the pipe
- Utilize a funnel to make sure that your use of the boiling water is not dangerous and the water will not hurt you.
2. CLOGGED DRAINS: A PLUNGER CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE
A plunger can be very effective when the clog is located not far from the entrance into the drainpipe. Like the boiling water, the plunger may not be considered as the most efficient method of unclogging but in many events, it works perfectly. To use it, follow these steps:
- Put the petroleum jelly on the edges of a plunger to ensure good suction.
- Submerge the tool in water.
- Utilize the special plunging movements for better effect.
3. VINEGAR AND SODA ARE HERE TO BE USED AGAIN
The method is considered to be more effective than using any ready-made chemical cleaners. If you do not want to use chemicals in your home, utilize this solution. It will save your plastic pipes from damage and keep the environment cleaner. However, the efficiency of it is not lower than that of those harmful chemicals. Use the following procedure:
- Take a cup of baking soda and throw it into the drainpipe.
- Wait for a couple of minutes and then measure a cup of vinegar and drop it into the pipe as well.
- Leave the substances in the drain for up to several hours and then you will see whether the hair and other clogging materials have dissolved.
- Do not forget to wash out everything with the boiling water to make sure that no vinegar remains on the walls of the drain.
4. THE MIX OF SODA AND SALT WORKS WELL TOO
If you do not want to utilize vinegar or don’t have it at your disposal at home, you can replace it with salt. Your shower can be unblocked with it effectively. It is good if you don’t want to apply chemicals. Follow these simple steps:
- Prepare a mixture of half cup of soda with a half cup of salt.
- Throw this mixture into the drain and leave it sitting in the pipe for about 10-20 minutes.
- Now, you will need to rinse the drain with the hot water to remove the residues of the mixture and the clog.
5. WHY NOT USE A HOOK?
The cause of blockage can be removed by hand but it often sits too deep in the drain to reach it easily. Then. you can utilize a hook. The hook can be made of the common long wire when you make a hook on one of its ends. This tool can effectively pull out the clog. If the blockage is of chemical origin, however, the hook is helpless. So, you may try the following:
- Just find a long piece of wire.
- Make a hook on its end.
- Try to pull out the content of the clog.
- Repeat the attempts several times.
6. GLOGGED DRAINS? A PLUMBER’S SNAKE IS A HELPFUL TOOL
A snake is a very simple in use and quite affordable household tool. It is very helpful for removing the drain blockages of different types. Success is almost guaranteed if you know how to use the tool correctly. Among the small number of situations when the drain snake is useless is blocking the drainage system with tree roots. In many cases, the snake is not needed at all if the clog is not rather stubborn or specific. However, here are some tips on how to use it for unclogging the shower.
- Insert the snake into the shower drain and push it until you feel some obstacle.
- Turn the handle round to take the snake back for a while.
- Repeat the procedure several times if needed.
- You can pull out the clog or just break it inside the drainpipe.
- To check whether the clog has been removed completely, pour water into the pipe.
7. A PROFESSIONAL CLOGGED DRAINS EXPERT CAN ALSO HELP MUCH
If all the methods described above have been used and nothing has helped sufficiently, or if the problem in your drainage system is likely to be more serious than a simple clog, you should address this issue to a professional plumber. Maybe the use of CCTV cameras is needed to detect the right issue and its causes. Moreover, the expert plumber knows well the specific rules and regulations that are usually related to the functioning of the drainage system and that will help him work more effectively.
The true expert in clogged drains understands how to do away with any type of blockage and which methods to use for a better result. He will cope with any causes of blockage, be they tree roots, soap scum, hair, or some more serious build-ups. The experienced plumbers will cope with all of them properly.
Unclogging a Sink Drain in the Bathroom
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The First Aid Is Always Boiling Water
Though using boiling water is a method that is most widely used for unclogging clogged drains, when you do it for your bathroom sink, try to follow certain rules. Never apply the extremely hot water to the sink made of porcelain but pour it immediately down the drain. Avoid using boiling water for plastic (PVC) pipes because if the temperature is higher than 175 degrees F, the water can cause damage to certain kinds of PVC pipe. If you have drain pipes made of plastic, it is always recommended to use a plunger instead. So, here is the method of using hot water for unclogging the pipes in the bathroom.
- Use a big pot or kettle to boil the water on the stove.
- Be very careful while carrying the bowl of water to your bathroom sink.
- Try to pour hot water directly into the drain (but never onto the porcelain covering of the sink), and watch whether the clog is removed. If it fails, you need to utilize a plunger. though.
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Some Tips on Using Drain Plungers
- Pick out a smaller plunger for this job.
- Dismount the top cover of the sink and, if possible, a stopper. Removing a stopper is a quite easy thing – just pull it up or you may need to unscrew it going to the left. The stopper should be put aside somewhere near the sink.
- Pour some water into the sink. It should cover the drain for an inch or so but no more. Don’t fill in the sink completely to the edges.
- Place the plunger at the center of the drain hole and try to push it by force. You need to make up a seal with the surface of it. Now, push and pull the plumber several times. It may take you about 15 seconds or more.
- Take away the plunger. You will see how fast the water is draining down the pipe. To check whether the clog remains in the pipe, you can utilize a flashlight. If it is still there, you are likely to see it.
- Finally, check the drain by pouring more water into it. You may have to plunge it again if the clog is very stubborn and hasn’t been removed yet.
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Steady Clogs Need a Sink Auger (Drum Auger) to Be Removed
- To start, dismount the stopper if it is available.
- Push the cable of the auger into the pipe. You will feel some resistance soon meaning that it has reached the clog. Pull out another 12 inches of the cable and fasten the set screw of the canister.
- Move the auger’s crank handle clockwise with some pressure. The end of the cable can bend in the pipe or get stuck in the clog. When you continue turning the cable round, it will be breaking the clog while unbending.
- You can also try to push down some more cable if it is needed to let it go through the clog. It is useful when the clog is stuck in the trap.
- Now, you can take the cable out of the drain and coil it back in the canister. The cable can catch a big clog made of hair and you will see it when pulling the cable out of the pipe. Clear it away.
- You may need to repeat the procedure when the clog is still in the drain.
- When you see that the pipe flows down, flush some hot water from the tap to make sure that the clog has been cleared out.
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Use the Auger to Clear Out the Branch Drain by Dismounting the Drain Trap
- Before you start dismounting the trap, place the bowl or bucket under the sink to catch the excess water if any.
- Utilize the tongue-and-groove pliers to turn out the screws on both sides of the trap. These slip nuts can also be loosen with a pipe wrench. Pay attention to the position of the slip washers on the pipe. They are made of nylon and you should be very careful while reassembling the appliance after cleaning.
- Use the bucket under the sink to catch all the water from the trap and from the pipe ends while dismounting the trap.
- Push the auger cable down into the horizontal part of the pipe and fasten the screws. Rotate the cable as it was described before. The cable can get stuck in the bends of the pipe. Continue rotating the auger and use some force to do that. The slight pressure will help the cable pass through the bend.
- Continue rotating the cable down into the pipe until you feel that it has reached the clog and gone through it. If you believe that the clog has been removed, take the cable out.
- Finally, you should reassemble the appliance remounting the drain trap. Then, flush the hot water from the faucet through the drain to remove all the remaining parts of the clog and make sure that all the debris has gone away.
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