Drain Clearance plan to head off blocked drainage
Drain Clearance plan to head off blocked drainage
How would you handle a clogged drain in your toilet? – Keep a plunger handy for such emergency situations. What’s involved to complete this drain clearance project is very clear, cover the drain with the plunger and push. But don’t just shove the plunger into the drainpipe and start pumping it violently, you could make matters much worse. Place the cup of the plunger exactly over the drainage and push it downwards and upwards with short sharp movements that generate suction within the drain and pipe. The suction created with the upward movement will pull back the clog that is stuck in the drain of your tub, sink or toilet. It should be noted here that some bath tubs and sinks have over spill outlets that must be plugged with a sponge or wet towel before using your plunger if this effective drain clearance approach is to work.
The other drain clearance alternative to using your drains plunger is to use a commercial product that uses chemicals to loosen the blockage, such as caustic soda. However this drain clearance option should be used only after you have used the plunger to unclog your drainpipe. The solutions should be left alone for sometime as they loosen up the blockage, then you should pour down hot water into the drain to clear the whole thing out. Because these chemicals can be corrosive or contain bleach you should only wear clothes that you are happy to be damaged. And since plunging can throw water in any direction you might want to consider eye-wear in order to protect you from any chemicals. To avoid unwarranted issues from creeping up, follow the manufacturers instructions ardently.
The next drain clearance thing you can attempt to use if your plunger is ineffective is to loosen the nuts holding the P-trap in place with pliers or a pipe wrench. This will create quite a mess so be ready with a towel and pail. If you don’t want to damage the chrome finish of your pipes and also to get a better grip on the pipe, you can wrap the jaws of your wrench with electrical tape. With the trap opened, insert gloved hands to remove any debris that may be blocking the bends. If you don’t see anything, the problem might unfortunately go far deeper and may be located between the trap and the drainage soil stack.
In case of a obstructed toilet, you can apply a toilet auger. If on the other hand you are attempting to unclog your tub or sink you may need to use a drainage snake. Drainpipe snakes are manufactured to be able to access the far side of your pipes as narrow as they may be. By twisting the adjustable handle to drill into the blockage, you then pull the obstruction up and out of your drain. After you have successfully removed the the blockage you should put the P-trap back into place and check if water can flow through freely. Finally, you should double check that everything is sealed properly, tightly screwed into place and make sure that the P-trap does not have any leaks.
If all these drain clearance methods fail then you need to call in a professional plumber. You will need to call a professional plumber or drainage service when the obstruction is in the sewer or soil track or when it is due to tree roots, or when the pipe has collapsed due to some reason.