Quick And Easy Ways To Fix A Stopped Up Drain
Every home has drains in them, and every drain has the potential to become clogged. Even if you have traps and screens and pay close attention to what's going down them, a drain can still become clogged and leave you annoyed and frustrated. In the article below, you will read about a few quick and easy tips to help you unclog those stubborn drains.
One of the best things you can do is to make a homemade plumber's snake. Now, with a plumber's snake, you have a long, flimsy piece of wire that can actually grapple material and pull it out. You can get most of this functionality by using a simple wire clothes hanger. Bend the wire until it's completely straight, and then create a small hook (like a fish hook) at the end using pliers. Carefully "snake" your drain to pull out any clogs.
One of the best methods out there to naturally unclog your drain is to create a drain-cleaning solution using household products. You don't always want to use that over-the-counter stuff, so some simple hot water and bleach can make a very potent drain cleaner. Just use equal parts of hot water and bleach and make sure the room is ventilated before you pour it down the drain.
Taking a rubber mallet and banging on the side of the pipes or the P-trap may be a great way to initially get rid of clogs, but you're doing long-term damage that will quickly catch up with you. When you bang the pipes, you're knocking the debris off the sides and it can easily accumulate and become permanently clogged in the pipes. This will require a professional to fix.
When you purchase over-the-counter chemicals to use to unclog your drain, you're playing roulette with your pipes. Sure, it might work the first time to unclog your drains, which will lead you to keep using it. But these harsh chemicals are actually eating away at the inside of your drain. This is creating a lot of weaknesses in the pipes and the joints. Try to avoid the harsh stuff and use natural methods.
Per the snake example with real plumbers, you want to try to pull out the blockage rather than pushing it through. The trouble with pushing the blockage through is that you don't really know if you're creating more of a blockage until it's too late. So it's very important that you attempt to pull the gunk out rather than pushing it down into the pipes further. It might take a little longer to actually pull the blockage out, but it will pay off in the long run by keeping you from suffering severe blockages.
Like the old adage goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat. You would do well to remember this the next time you're thinking about banging on the side of your pipes or before you pour chemicals down your drain. Try to use the natural methods listed above to assist you.
