Blocked Drains - Clearing the Problem

Blocked Drains

Clearing the Problem

By Al Villa

There are many different kinds of drains in a single household. From sinks and bathtubs to toilets and showers, you send water down a drain every day with your daily tasks. Unfortunately, these do not always remain in top working condition. When you experience blocked drains, there are a few things you can do about it. You can ignore it and allow it to worsen or you can take action and unclog the drain. Ignoring the problem will likely result in the need to hire an expensive plumber-once the problem has escalated enough that you can no longer ignore it. On the other hand, when you take care of the problem now, you can usually do it on your own with the right hardware and repair tools.

The most common cause of blocked drains in the kitchen is a buildup of food particles or grease. In the bathroom, the culprit is usually a mildew buildup inside the piping that then collects hair, blocking water from passing through the pipe quickly. If you see that your drain is backed up, there is no need to immediately call a plumber. The problem needs to be addressed quickly because of health concerns related to slow-draining or standing water in the home, but chances are you can fix the problem yourself if it is a fairly new development.

A plunger is a simple tool that often works to unclog blocked drains, especially toilets and kitchen sinks. A cable auger, or plumber's snake, is a flexible steel cable wound around a hand crank. One of about 25-30 feet in length is ideal for sinks, bathtubs and shower drains. High pressure water jets can sometimes act as the remedy for loosening buildup inside a pipe. Then, there are even drain unclogging solutions that eat away at pipe buildup without damaging the pipes themselves. Using a combination of these tools can be a great solution to your blocked drain problem. you can easily find them at your local hardware store or Loews or Home Depot.

Obviously, the best solution to blocked drains is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. Regular cleaning can do the trick. Also, placing waste traps or strainers on the mouth of the drain can prevent hair, food and garbage from getting into the drain. Once you have cleared the problematic drain of its block, it is wise to take these preventative steps to keep it from becoming a problem again in the future.

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