From standing water in the kitchen sink to showers pooling water at your feet, clogged drains can become a nightmare. Tree roots, grease buildup, damage to pipes, and anything else that blocks the drain area have given rise to these terrors. Several solutions help clear clogs, from simple do-it-yourself methods all the way to professional services.
At Rooter Man Plumbing, we are experts in the performance of clogged drain line repair, along with offering various solutions to clean the drains. In this article, we will look at five common ways one can deal with drain blockages either residentially or commercially.
1. Baking Soda & Vinegar
The baking soda and vinegar mixture is the alternative that is non-artificial and chemical-free. For grease, soap scum, or hair buildup in the drain, this will work effectively. This mixture will create a fizzy reaction that will help dislodge the blockage.
Steps:
Step 1: Pour baking soda down the drain.
Step 2: Gradually add vinegar into the mix.
Step 3: Allow sitting for 30 minutes up to one hour.
Step 4: Run hot water in the drain to clear all the loosened debris.
2. Plunging
Plunging is one of the common and very effective ways to clear clogs that are made from soft materials such as toilet paper, hair, and remains of food. This is accomplished by producing air pressure that serves to dislodge the blockage.
Steps to follow:
Step 1: Add sufficient water to cover the plunger cup.
Step 2: Set the plunger over the opening of the drain to create a seal.
Step 3: Forcefully push the plunger handle a few times down.
Step 4: Yank up the plunger to break the vacuum and suck out the clog.
Step 5: Repeat if necessary
3. Drain Snaking
Snaking is more aggressive than plunging and is usually used to clear deeper clogs in the drain caused by hair or any fibrous materials. A drain snake normally consists of a long, flexible cable that contains an auger on its end, which would be fed into the drain to break up clogs.
Steps to follow:
Step 1: Feed the auger end of the snake into the drain and push the cable while turning the handle.
Step 2: If some resistance is met, the handle is turned clockwise to rotate the drill and hence break up the blockage.
Step 3: Continuous feeding of the cable along with turning the handle until the blockage is cleared.
Step 4: The snake is pulled out very slowly, and hot water is passed through to clear any remnants of debris.
Snaking drains requires some physical effort and technique so that no pipe gets damaged. One can always seek professional help if this seems daunting.
4. Hydro-Jetting
Hydro-jetting propels a high-pressure stream of water through blockages to blast them away. This is extremely good at clearing grease, debris, and tree roots inside the pipes. Hydro-jetting is more complicated and should be done professionally, as some risks are involved, such as damaging the pipes.
Need Professional Drain Cleaning? Contact Rooter Man Plumbing Today
Because serious or persistent clogs often require professional assistance, Rooter Man Plumbing provides professional drain cleaning and repair services using the latest in hydro-jetters and drain snakes. Call us today if you have been experiencing any ongoing clogging issues or damaged piping, and let us come up with a solution to get the water flowing once again.