Clean out those plugged drains pipes quickly
Clean out those plugged drains pipes quickly
What can you do if you are stuck with a blocked drain pipe? Well the easiest way to unblock your bathroom drainage is to use a waste pipes plunger. What’s involved is very clear, cover the drain with the plunger and push. What you don’t want to do however is to vigorously pump up and down like a jack hammer. For the best results you should place the head of the plunger over the drainage, smoothly push down and bring up again quickly creating and even suction in the drains pipes pipe. The suction created when the plunger is pulled up will hopefully dislodge the material clogging the toilet, tub or sink in your bathroom. Some tubs and sinks have an overflow outlet; remember to plug this outlet with the help of a wet towel or sponge before using the plunger.
Instead of using your plunger you can apply commercial products containing chemicals that can dissolve the clog, for instance concentrated waste pipes cleaner. These products should be used only when the plunger has failed to clean out your bathroom drain. Let the chemicals stay in the drain for some time and then wash them out with hot water, do this slowly to ensure that the water is flowing away. During the cleaning operation, chemicals and dirt may spill over your clothes, therefore as a precaution wear old clothes. 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. The chemical product comes with specific manufacturer’s instructions; it is important to read and follow them carefully.
The next thing you can attempt to use if your plunger is unproductive is to loosen the nuts holding the P-trap in place with pliers or a pipe wrench. Removing the drainage trap can release a sudden rush of waste water, so keep a mop and pail handy, put a bucket underneath the p-trap before you disconnect it. Use an electrical tape to encircle the jaws of your wrench so that you can get a better grip on the pipes and also maintain their chrome finish without scratching them. After you have removed the P-trap, clean it thoroughly to eradicate any solid material that may be blocking the pipe opening. Unfortunately if you can’t find anything, the problem probably runs a lot deeper and could be anywhere between the trap and the soil stack.
A toilet auger can be used for unclogging the toilet. A drain snake should be used if you are trying to unclog your sink or tub. drain snakes are designed to reach deep down into the far reaches of your narrow pipes. Once the snake has reached the blockage you can twist the adjustable handle which will drill into the obstruction so you can then pull the material out. The P-trap should be reconnected once the obstruction is cleared, slowly flush the drainage with hot water to confirm that there is no obstruction and that there are no leaks. 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. If the blockage is stuck in the soil stack or the sewer service pipe has cracked either due to age or because of natural causes, then you can do nothing much expect for relying on the professional drainage company to solve your problem.