Clean out those plugged sewers quickly
Clean out those plugged sewers quickly
How would you handle a plugged drain in your toilet? – Keep a plunger handy for such emergency situations. Using a drains plunger is relatively simple to do. Obviously you shouldn’t move the plunger up and down forcefully as this will be ineffective and could make the blockage worse. To achieve the desired effect, the drain should be totally covered with the head of the plunger and then the bell-shaped rubber must be pressed down slowly; next the handle should be pulled up fast and with good enough force to produce an effective suction. In theory the suction created by pulling up quickly will dislodge the material that is clogging your bathtub, toilet or sink. 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.
You can also use chemical cleaners you can buy in the shops to unclog your drainage, these uses certain chemicals to open up the blockage in the drain pipe. But it would only be recommended to resort to using chemicals after you have tried fixing the problem with a drains plunger. Run the chemical into the drain and allow it to work for about 30 minutes before flushing the drain pipe with hot water. Wear proper clothes while dealing with chemicals, remember the strong chemicals can spill on your clothes and spoil them so be careful with that. After chemical flushing, you may try the plunger again – this can cause the chemical/water mix to splash back on you – eye guards are highly advisable here. Also remember to read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully so that you do not create new issues.
You can use a pipe wrench or pliers to unscrew the P-trap if you are unable to remove the clog with the plunger, this will give you access to the pipe. Removing the drainpipe 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. If you dont want to destroy the chrome finish of your pipes, then wrap the jaws of the pipe wrench with the electric tape; this will also help you to get a better grip. Once you have removed the P-trap you can inspect the trap thoroughly for any blockage. If you dont find anything on the P-trap, then it means that the problem lies deeper somewhere between the trap and soil stack.
A toilet auger can be used for unclogging the toilet. However a plumbers drain snake is more suitable for bath tub or kitchen sink waste pipes. Because of their size and length, drainage snakes are well designed for getting at obstructions in small spaces in difficult to reach places. Once you have pushed deep enough, rotate the handle to screw and hook into the blockage and slowly draw it out, this should pull the blockage with it. Once, you have taken out the obstruction, re-fix the P-trap and rinse the drainage with hot water to make sure that the entire blockage has been removed. Make sure that everything is tight and sealed properly and test the P-trap for leaks.
If the drain is still plugged after all these measures, or if the problem reoccurs chronically, employ a competent plumber or drains pipes contractor to fix it. If the clog is stuck in the soil stack or the sewer service pipe has broken either due to age or because of natural causes, then you can do nothing much expect for relying on the professional waste pipes company to solve your problem.