Doing a DIY project is often safer, easier, and less costly than having a professional do it. It can, therefore, be highly hazardous if you are unskilled or unsure of what you have been doing. A clogged drain could result in water damage to your home, and there is no guarantee that you will fix the problem yourself. Here are some tips to help you avoid a clogged drain when you try to unclog it yourself.
1. Flush the drain with boiling water.
There are many different ways to unclog a drain, but the most common involves pouring boiling water down the drain. There are two reasons why you would want to use boiling water to get rid of clogs. First, it will soften the material. Second, if the clog is in the form of a rock or something similar, it will break apart when heated. If it is just a bunch of hair or fluff, boiling water will simply blow the clog away.
2. To the water, put a little drops of washing cleanser.
A bit of dish soap can also help cut through grease. This is typically only recommended for sinks and tubs, since the hot water can damage items like faucets and fixtures.
3. Add the bleach.
Bleach is another simple way to unclog a drain. The best way to use bleach is to pour a cup or two of liquid bleach down the drain. Make sure that you don’t let the bleach come into contact with your hands, and wear gloves if you have them available. After that, let the bleach sit for a few minutes, and then use a plunger, or a sink snake, or boiling water, or some other method, to remove any remaining debris.
4. Pour in baking soda.
Baking soda is another solution that can help loosen things up in your drain. Just pour in a small amount of baking soda, and then use a drain snake to clean out the rest of the drain. Once you’ve removed all of the clogs, you can pour boiling water down the drain to rinse out the baking soda. If you have a clog in the form of a rock, you may need to repeat the process a few times.
5. Use a “Sewer Snake”
It might sound complicated, but a sewer snake is basically just a long piece of plastic pipe with a hole on one end and a rubber gasket on the other end. A typical “sink” snake will be around 10 feet long and will have a large hole on the end that you push into the drain. Once in place, the rubber gasket seals the drain. You simply hold onto the top of the snake and move it back and forth to loosen whatever is stuck inside the drain.
6. Make use of a plunger
A plunger is a simple tool that is used to clear clogs. It works by forcing whatever is blocking the drain to open up. The best way to use a plunger is to put a dab of soap on the end of the plunger, and then push the head of the plunger down into the drain. Then, give it a quick upward motion to remove the blockage.
For instance, if you have a large amount of debris or a pipe plug, you may need to use a combination of a plunger and a “sink snake” to completely unblock the drain.
7. Purchase a clog-removal kit.
You can find a clog-removal kit at most hardware stores for a fairly inexpensive price. You simply push the clog out of the drain, and then flush the clog from the drain by pouring boiling water down the drain.
For example, if you have a 3-inch diameter drain, you would use a 3-inch drain snake and then a 3-inch plunger. After that, pour boiling water down the drain, and then use a plastic baggie or a cup to capture the debris (and any additional water) that comes out of the drain.
8. Make use of an auger
A drill bit seems like an auger, but it has relatively long handle. Meanwhile, the “head” of the auger is designed to be screwed into the drain. When you turn the handle, the head of the auger spins around, digging into the debris in the drain. Once the debris is loosened, you can remove it, and then continue to use a drain snake, or plungers, or boiling water, or some other method. It’s necessary that you’ll ought to repeat this process multiple times until your drainage is entirely unblocked. Keep in mind that if a clogged drain isn’t cleaned instantly, it might cause water leakage.
9. Run water through the drain again to kill any remaining germs.
Once your drain has been completely cleared, you can run some hot water down the drain to kill any remaining germs. If you don’t, you could risk spreading bacteria around your home.
10. Hire an experienced plumber if everything else fails.
Once you’ve tested several alternative solutions, this might be time to contact an experienced plumber instantly. A clogged drain can cause serious water damage to your home and even lead to mould and mildew. Don’t delay unless your home is ruined and the damage is irreversible. By browsing internet for “plumbers near me,” you might discover a local plumber. You might also find any professional plumber online. For example if you are living somewhere in Toronto just Google it like “best Toronto Plumber near me” or “the best plumber in Toronto”. They are well-experienced and provide efficient plumbing services to their customers.
Conclusion
Hopefully, the steps listed above will solve your clogged drain problem. If they don’t, or if you have a recurring clog problem, call a professional plumber. Don’t attempt to unclog your drain forcefully by yourself. You may eventually wind up incurring bigger damages than you did when the drain was clogged over the first time.
