Ways to Avoid Calling the Plumber

By: Dwight Nga

Hey now, let's be honest: plumbers are not cheap. While there are definitely times when nothing short of a professional will do, there really are a lot of simple plumbing jobs that you can do without dishing out the serious money for a real plumber. So, if you find yourself staring back at a drain that simply will not drain, here are few simple ideas to keep in mind to help you get it flowing again.

Plumbing involves water and water can suddenly spew all over your house when you are fiddling with the plumbing. So verify that you know where the main shut off valve is located in case you spring a leak. Also figure out where the shut off valve is on the pipes you are currently working on.

For a stopped up kitchen drain, it is always possible that a grease build up is the cause of the problem. A simple way to fix this clog is to pour scalding hot grease down the drain. This will help dissolve the grease and flush the grease down. If this does not work, you are most likely dealing with a blockage of some kind.

Begin with the basics by examining the drain for minor blockages like food. Remove the sink stopper and strainer to give them a thorough cleaning. Check to see if quickly cleaning these materials fixes the problem. If not, you will need to work with stronger plumbing tools like snakes and plungers.

First try using a snake tool. It works quite well when trying to unblock a drain. A snake is made up of a long thin piece of corrugate pipe. It is inside of a device that fits in your hands. The snake extends and retracts the pipe so you remove just about anything blocking your drain.

You stick the end of the snake into the drain for a few inches and then start turning the handle. This moves the head of the snake around so that it can grab hold of anything that is blocking the drain. If you find nothing, then you extend the snake further into the drain and turn the handle some more. You repeat until you find the source of your clogged drain.

Sometimes a snake will fail to unclog your drain. When this happens you need to try a chemical drain cleaner. Make sure to first try a plunger before you use any chemical drain cleaner. You don't want to use a plunger after using chemical drain cleaner because the chemical drain cleaner might splash onto your face and eyes causing injury.

When plunging the drain it is vital to have water covering the drain. This will help you to have a sufficient seal to help with the plunging action. Make sure to place a cover or seal over any drain vents or other sink drains. Plung 15-20 times in a row before stopping and removing the plunger. If the sink still will not drain then repeat this process another 2-3 imes. Next use the chemical drain cleaner. If all of this fails then you will have to resort to calling your plumber for assistance.

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About the author: Dwight Nga writes exclusively for For Plumbing, there's a wealth of knowledge on the website, plus why not sign up for the free Plumbing newsletter. Read many more interesting articles on Plumbing at: www.forplumbing.com/articles
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