What could be so bothersome than a clogged drain!.
What could be so bothersome than a clogged drain!.
This has happened to all of us – the water fast submerging our feet while are taking a shower. Yuck! A plugged drain pipe. And it’s not confined to the bath and shower, you could be brushing your teeth getting ready for bed only to be confronted with the sink filling up rapidly. The prospect of sorting choked drainage out is not a happy one; it can be messy and time consuming. However it is something that every household has to deal with, sooner or later. But there are ways to unblock bathroom drains easily and can make this unenviable job a lot easier.
What causes a stopped drain pipe?.
They get plugged when dust, hair and other particles get entrapped between the pipes inside the bathroom drain pipe. Residue from daily use of shampoo, conditioner, soap, cleaners and other products tends to further aggravate the sticky build up. Finally the accumulation becomes too thick to allow any water to pass through and it is then that the drainage get completely stopped. If water builds up quickly in your sink or tub when it should flow smoothly out of your drain, you may already have a plumbing blockage on your hands.
How do you unblock your drains?.
If you’re facing a clogged bathroom sink or bathtub drain pipe problem, there are a couple of different things you can do to get things flowing smoothly again. Of course, in either the sink or the bath, the first thing you should do is remove the plug. You can easily remove the plug by pulling it off from the bathroom sink, however if it’s fixed under the sink then you need to unscrew the nuts. With respect to the bathtub, the screws have to be loosened to remove the stopper or the overflow plate has to be dismantled.
The removal of the plug may allow you to spot the cause for the blockage. Those greasy lumps of entangled hair and residue can be seen sticking to the sides and corners of the drain. Try to pull it out, as much as you can. If it is difficult to reach the area where the blockage is located, or difficult to grasp the mass, simply use a bent wire clothes hanger to help you do the job. Your drain is likely to get unclogged if you remove the soap scum, hair and other particles from it that you can see.
If, after exposing the drain, you observe that the blockage is not close enough for removal with the wire you have, then you will need to find another way. The most practical way to clean such deep-seated clogs is a drain pipe plunger. To use the plunger the overflow drain pipe pipe should be covered first with the help of a wet cloth, this will make the suction stronger and make it harder for air to enter the pipes. Then, put the plunger over the drain and push up and down half a dozen times. If you are successful, any water, if trapped, will be immediately drained when the plunger is released.
However, if this method also fails to have any affect you might have to use some sort of chemical cleaner. Chemical Substances should be applied only after all else fails because they are risky and can damage your bathroom hardware.
Bring in the Pros for a professional drainage solution.
If you are unable to unclog the drains even after trying all the methods, it is only advisable to call a professional plumber who has experience of drains work. Plumbers have special equipment to clean the blocked drains speedily and effortlessly such as a drains snake, drainage contractors also employ water jetting to clear blockages and cctv drains cameras to view inside the drain pipe. Although availing plumber services can be a high-priced proposition it gives you the much needed peace of mind as the water starts flowing and the mess is cleaned up.