When more people take showers in the summer, clogged drains become a common household plumbing issue. Most of the time, hair in the gutter is to blame, but that’s not always true. According to Plumbing Solutions in Concord, CA, provides the best solution for clean plumbing clogs. You may save a lot of money by learning how to unclog a drain rather than paying a professional plumber to fix it.
Clogged pipes
When anything becomes stuck in a pipe and prevents water or trash from flowing freely, we call it a plumbing clog. This is a systemic issue that may manifest in any component, such as the plumbing, the toilet, or the fixtures. Buildups of waste like hair, food particles, grease, and foreign items flushed down the toilet inadvertently, or tree roots creeping into underground pipes are common reasons for blockages.
As drains get clogged, water backs up and may create flooding, standing water, or even sewage overflow. If not addressed, clogs may damage plumbing fixtures and pipelines and lead to pipe bursts and floods. To prevent costly repairs and plumbing failures, you should deal with blockages as quickly as possible when they are discovered.
The best ways to clear a plumbing clog
The drain stopper has to be examined. Removing the drain stopper, cleaning it of any hair or other debris, and replacing it is the proper course of action.
Put the plunger to good use.
To use a plunger, you place its bell over the drain, ensuring its edges seal, and then plunge it in and out to send water rushing up and down the pipes. If the sink is clogged, fill it with water to a depth of at least two inches before using the plunger.
Put in a plumbing snake.
If a plumbing snake is required after a plunger fails to clear a blocked drain, the drain is likely to be located in a bathroom or kitchen (also called a drill). You’ll need to push the snake and twist it as you go to get it down the drain. The snake’s corkscrew point catches hair and other obstructions, allowing you to pull them out quickly.
Recognize your P-trap.
You can unscrew the U-shaped pipe under your sinks in the bathroom and kitchen to inspect for blockages. It would help to put a bucket beneath the trap to catch any water or debris that may fall in. Plunging or snaking via the tub drain is preferable to trying to access the P-trap below the tub, which is more difficult to reach. You may take off the overflow plate and the drain stopper as an additional measure for unclogging a bathtub. Cover the overflow plate with a moist sponge and plastic to ensure a tight seal. Then, stop the drain with a plunger. Snake the drain by inserting it through the overflow plate and working it down beyond the P-trap if plunging doesn’t work. Taking out the P-trap in the bathtub is a drastic measure.
Unclogging the shower drain may be done using an item from your closet. Remove the drain plug and use a wire coat hanger with a bent end to capture the hair. Using a plunger, you may either dislodge the obstruction entirely or bring it to a more easily accessible level. In case plunging doesn’t work, the snake technique could. An all-natural solution for unclogging the shower drain of hair and other biological debris is worth considering. One cup of baking soda followed by one cup of vinegar down the drain should do the trick. Wait to touch the combination for at least a couple of hours. If the drain is still clogged after following these steps, try them again.
Preventing Future Blockages: Advice
Avoid improper disposal:Â It’s important to know what can and cannot be processed by your trash disposal to avoid clogging the drain. Green advises his readers to refrain from flushing fibrous foods like celery, asparagus, giant bones, potato peels, coffee grounds, fat, and grease.
Get yourself a good screen trap: Covering your shower or sink drain with a cheap screen will help prevent hair and other debris from going down the pipe. Having a Shower in my bathroom has been a godsend for preventing hair from being lost in the drain. Everything other than human waste, water, and toilet paper should be thrown away rather than flushed down. Even “flushable wipes,” according to Green America, may clog pipes.
Use an enzymatic cleanser, such as Green Gobbler; although it is not very successful at eliminating blockages, it is typically beneficial for pipe maintenance. These chemicals are suitable for septic systems and break down the organic matter inside your pipes.
We need to call in the experts: Call a plumber if you have recurring blockages and need to figure out why. They may look at your home’s plumbing system and determine the root of the problem.
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