Plumbing Tips - Clogged Drain

 

Nothing ruins a day faster than a clogged drain. The good news however, is clogged drains are simple to repair in most cases. A slow draining tub, for example, will sometimes be clogged with hair. The hair can often be removed without special tools. If you can see the hair and get it between your fingers, pull it gently and it may all come up in one slimy bunch thus fixing the issue.

 

A slow draining sink may be fixed in the same way. Often times hair will get stuck in the drain, if this happens just get a good grip on it and pull gently. With a sink, the pop-up stopper may need to removed. If so, you can just as easily take apart the entire drain assembly and clean it. It's very simple. Just pay attention to how it comes apart and put it back together the same way. You will likely find hair, hair-pins, toothpaste caps and other odds and ends in the assembly.

 

In older houses, the plumbing may have a build up in the pipes. In a three or four inch pipe, the build-up may be so thick that the water only has a one inch channel to flow through. In cases like this it's best to call a plumber. Plumbers have special tools to deal with drain problems like these.

 

If your house is over twenty years old and experiencing slow drains, a sewer snake may be needed to clean the pipes of the build-up that comes with years of use. A sewer snake is a cable that is pushed through the pipes manually or mechanically. The cables come in different sizes for different pipes. At the very front of the cable, is a "tip". Some tips are used to cut through roots. Some are used to bore through grime and severe blockages.

There is also a method that uses water to clean pipes. A flexible water pipe shoots a powerful stream of water in front of it to break up and clear the clogs and build-up, while at the same time it is propelled forward by water shooting backwards from the tip acting as a jet.

 

If you are plagued with slow drains, your lines may have a massive build-up. If so, plumber will know how to deal with the problem and which tool to use. It's important to have experience with cables and jets. Misuse can cause expensive damage to your pipes. Contact us today G Plumbing Inc to handle any of your chronically slow drains.