Fast relief for your homes clogged drains pipes
Fast relief for your homes clogged drains pipes
What comes to mind quickly when faced with obstructed drainage in your bathroom? The simplest one is to use the good old plunger. The process is pretty straightforward to apply. But you should avoid applying unnecessarily too much force to the plunger when pulsating it up and down. Place the cup of the plunger exactly over the drain and push it downwards and upwards with short sharp movements that generate suction within the drainage and pipe. The suction created when the plunger is pulled up will hopefully dislodge the material clogging the toilet, tub or sink in your bathroom. It should be noted here that some bath tubs and sinks have overspill outlets that must be plugged with a sponge or wet towel before using your plunger if this approach is to work.
Chemical unblocking agents can also be used to dislodge or dissolve blocked matter. The chemicals are normally applied only after an unsuccessful attempt to remove the clog using a plunger. The chemicals must sit for a while as it eats away at the blockage, then you must run hot water down the drain to flush it out. Just to be careful, you must put on clothes that you wouldn’t care about if they get spoiled by dirt or harmful chemicals. If you plan to use the plunger after the application of chemical to remove the remaining debris, then eye protection is essential because the chemical laden water may back-splash on you and burn. To avoid unwarranted problems from creeping up, follow the manufacturers instructions ardently.
If both the plunger and chemicals fail to alleviate the clogging problem you have, then you can try unscrewing the nuts on the P-trap with pliers or a pipe wrench to gain access to the pipe. Keep a bucket and towel to deal with the mess that will follow. By covering the jaws of your wrench with electrical tape you will avoid damaging the chrome on your pipes and it will also allow you to get a better purchase of them. Once the P-trap is removed, check the trap for any solid materials obstructing the pipe opening. If the plunger, the chemical or trap removal does not help, then the blockage could be much deeper in the pipework.
In case of a obstructed toilet, you can apply a toilet auger. If the problem lies in your tub or sink, a plumbers drain pipe snake will come in handy. The flexible snake wire can be inserted deep into pipework of smaller diameter. By twisting the adjustable handle to drill into the clog, you then pull the obstruction up and out of your drain pipe. 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 clog has been removed. Make sure that all the connections are properly fitted and sealed, and also check the P-trap for leakages.
If all these methods fail then you need to call in a professional plumber. You will need to call a professional plumber or drainage service when the clog is in the sewer or soil track or when it is due to tree roots, or when the pipe has collapsed due to some reason.