If you do not take good care of the things that you drain down the pipe, one day you will end up experiencing a blocked drain. Most people are unaware of what step to take at that moment and wait till the plumbers arrive at the location. However, there are some easy techniques that you can use to clear the blocked bathroom drains in your home. Mentioned below are some of the easy ways that you can use.
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| Blocked Bathroom Drains |
The simplest…hot water
Hair, soap, oily material and particulate matter wash down the drain along with dirty water. In time the materials adhere together and stick to the inside of the pipe, narrowing down the passage and eventually block the opening. Start with the simplest method when you face an obstinate drain. Heat plenty of water and pour the water and let it stand overnight. In most cases this should work.
Take it a step further
Murphy’s Law always strikes. Nothing is as easy as it seems. Hot water alone may not resolve the problem of blocked bathroom drain. It is time to escalate it a bit further. You can add acetic acid (vinegar) to the hot water and let it stand to see if it works. If it does not, then try with using washing soda. This should usually work to loosen up the particles that have caused the clog. You can also use caustic soda but be careful because it can be corrosive.
Brute force
Should your drain remain unresponsive you can roll up your sleeves and resort to physical measures. If at first you do not succeed, try again so take a plunger (after you have soaked the drain with hot water and soda) and pump up and down. The force should dislodge material and you can see the water now flowing down and out. If this still does not work you can try using a “snake:” bought from your local hardware store. This contraption can be pushed inside the drain and then wiggled round and round to let it burrow deeper and scrape away whatever material causes the block. You can just as well use a coiled spring wire of the kind used to hang curtains or the steel wire cables used in two wheelers as clutch and accelerator wires. Bend the front into a hook and keep pushing. It takes patience to push the “snake” deeper and farther down the pipe but it should work.
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| Blocked Bathroom Drains |
Other options:
- Try compressed air. Use an air compressor (your car air compressor should work fine). Attach a length of hose to it and insert the hose down the drain. Switch it on and keep pushing the hose as far as it will go.
- Use a water pump or a jet pump and attach a hose with a narrow nozzle. Water force can dislodge all blockages. Wriggle the nozzle inside the pipe and switch on the motor otherwise your bathroom could be sprayed with water and debris.
If all these methods still do not work, then there is a serious issue. A tree root may be causing the obstruction or there is a solid obstruction that will require other methods. It is time to call in an expert plumber to tackle this problem pronto.
Now that your problem has been taken care of, be considerate of your drains. Clean the drains at least once a week by pouring hot water mixed with soda down the drain. Put a wire net strainer over the drain to catch debris and prevent them from becoming possible drain blockers. Blocked drains are not conducive to happiness.
December 16, 2016
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