Drains are the last things on a homeowners mind until they become clogged. There are some things you can do for yourself, and others that require you to hire a quality drain unclogging service. First, we’ll cover some things you can do for yourself.
1. Avoid clogs in the first place
We’ll discuss tree roots later, but the number one thing you can do is to avoid putting the wrong thing down your drains. How to Prevent Clogs in Your Drains is the number one preventive method is to avoid putting coffee grounds, cooking grease, hair, and soap scum are the most popular culprits. Not mentioned, but a close fifth in the bathtub is children’s toys. Throw away your coffee grinds in the trash, collect grease in a coffee can to be disposed of, and get traps for your sinks and drains.
2. Retrieve hair with a bent clothes hanger
Clogged hair is frequently the biggest problems with your bathtub and shower drains.
As we’ve alluded to, a drain screen is frequently the best solution, but barring that, take a clothes hanger, and bend it straight, and try to create a small hook on the end.
Put the hanger into the drain and dig for matted hair. If that doesn’t work, try:
a) boiling water from a kettle (be careful you don’t burn yourself.
b) pour a cup of baking soda down the drain. Wait for several minutes, then follow this up with a cup of vinegar. It may take a few hours, but this environmentally safe solution often works wonders.
c) use a plumbers snake. They are fairly cheap, and often this works best.
d) As a last resort, use a bit of chemical such as Draino. (Be careful not to use too much, and wear safety goggles when using them.
3. Unhook the joint on your sinks
For both kitchen and bathroom sinks, frequently the clog is in u shaped joint underneath the sink. Get a bucket to and a plumbers wrench, shut off the water, and open up the u-shaped joint (the trap) underneath the sink, then use a wire hanger and hot water to completely clean out the clog. It’s a simple procedure and may save you a hundred bucks calling a plumber.
4. Unclog your toilet with dish detergent and a plunger
Moar people are familiar with the plunger method, but did you know that adding a bit of dish soap first can “lubricate” the clog below? About a quarter cup will do. Follow this with some boiling hot water, and you increase your plunging efficiency enormously.
5. Add gravity to the mix
Still having trouble getting that shower drain clear? Besides adding baking soda and vinegar, consider covering the drain with a stopper for 45 minutes. Then fill the tub full of hot water. Finally, open the stopper. The effect of a bathtub of water rushing down the drain will clear the most stubborn clogs.
What if none of those methods works?
Call a hi-tech plumber like The Relining Company for relining to come out and have a look. The professionals will run a miniature camera, deep within your drain to discover if it’s an ordinary blockage, or more often than not, a dreaded blockage by tree roots breaking through the clay pipe.
Such expert technicians can create a new lining within your old pipe and stop the disaster of the tree roots overcoming the entire system. Contact such relining companies today and get your drains unblocked with the help of professionals.
