Steps To Take to Unblock a Drain
It happens. You’re not sure how or why, but a drain eventually gets so much in there that it starts to clog up, and water or whatever else is supposed to pass through can no longer do that.
You may want to DIY it and not involve a plumber, but general plumbing issues can be a precursor to much larger problems. Getting in that plumber to do a general inspection to handle everything from leak detection or checking to see if you need any type of sewer repairs or maintenance can help keep those drains unblocked more often.
Whether you attempt to handle everything with a plumber or try out some DIY ideas and solutions, don’t simply just stand around and wait to see if the drainage problem goes away on its own.
In most cases, it will start to build up and could drastically affect your entire drainage system, with the wrong types of piping pressure happening throughout and damaging your piping system in general.
For something that is truly an easy fix, make sure to take action with it.
Start with some DIY solutions
Before the need for a plumber, you can handle some attempts yourself. First, start off with the traditional method of placing boiling water down the target drain (only if your pipes are not PVC). This should help loosen congealed and hardened items and open the flow once again.
Get a wire hanger
If you notice that it’s a bit tougher, you can unbind a wire hanger and stick it through the piping, similar to a plumbing snake, to break up and ultimately push down the debris and get the flow of water moving properly again. Anything that is similar to an unwound wire hanger will also suffice.
Keep in mind to focus specifically on the middle area of the piping as you don’t want to accidentally scratch or tear the pipes if they’re made from PVC-type material. A few nicks are going to happen, but you just want to be careful and not end up poking a hole in your piping.
Utilise pipe cleaners
There’s a tendency to head to the shop and grab those corrosive cleaners at the bottom of the cleaning aisle. They will work well in most situations but, over time, can be extremely detrimental to your pipes and may eventually require excavation and pipe relining as one of the types of repairs.
That’s why you should always check what type of piping can handle these extremely tough cleaners that will start to corrode your piping with long-term or extensive usage of this.
Plus, these chemicals are meant to be so powerful that they end up destroying both organic and inorganic matter that has gotten stuck in the piping. As a result, the runoff isn’t good for the sewage and may eventually lead to the need for sewage repairs down the line.
Instead, you’re better off with the tried-and-true home remedy of baking soda combined with vinegar. This will naturally break up the organic material that has found its home in your pipes and unblock that drain in no time. You just need to be patient, and your piping will thank you for it in the long run, as these are natural solvents that will easily disperse as more drainage happens over time.
Plunger
Yes, you can use a plunger for your toilet or any drain, and this should help cause enough suction to pull out and break up the debris. This will help unblock your drain without using chemicals or a wire hanger that may damage the inside lining. This is actually the best initial DIY and go-to option because the natural suction will be able to handle most cases.
If it’s not enough, you may want to forego everything and start working immediately with a general plumbing company, as the DIY options could end up causing more harm than good if done incorrectly.
Get a professional plumber
You’ll want to call your local plumber if all else fails. They’ll be able to come in with the right tools and see how big of a problem it is. With services such as a CCTV drain camera inspection, they’ll look at your whole system and see if the blocked drain is endemic or just isolated to one specific area.
When working with a general plumbing company, they’ll sometimes simply take apart the pipe system, especially U-shaped piping that is a problematic area for drains to get clogged up easily. This helps eliminate any type of product or snaking that could mess up the pipes and just target the affected area directly with minimal impact on the overall general plumbing system.
Then it’s all about professional jet water blasting. This can be done by yourself, but the pressure of that water is so powerful that if you’re not properly using it, you can easily destroy the piping with it, especially PVC and similar piping materials.
You can find over-the-counter jet water blasting equipment, but this can not only be a danger to your piping system but also can harm others if the settings are turned on too high, and they’re accidentally pointed at others.
Work with the right partner
Having a clogged drain shouldn’t be a major issue, but if it seems tougher than you thought, you should consider reaching out to us at Rapid Response Plumbing and Electrical Group We’ll get to your place if you live in the greater Sydney area for both residential and commercial needs and get your pipes checked out and working properly in no time.
We’re also available in case of emergencies, where everything gets so backed up with a blocked drain that water starts to push back out and onto your floors. But, of course, you don’t want to deal with that dirty mess, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us, and we’ll work to get your drainage unblocked and your general plumbing working as it should.
