Ways to Avoid Calling the Plumber

Experience tells us that hiring a plumber is going to hit your check book in the gut. Sometimes you can't avoid the help of the plumber as the plumbing job is just too difficult to manage. Most of the time, though, you can fix the plumbing yourself if you are knowledgeable. Try these tips when your drain is clogged and you might not need to call the plumber.

Plumbing involves water and water can suddenly spew all over your house when you are fiddling with the plumbing. So verify that you know where the main shut off valve is located in case you spring a leak. Also figure out where the shut off valve is on the pipes you are currently working on.

Kitchen drains tend to clog up due to a buildup of grease from cooking and cleaning. Fix the issue by dumping hot grease down the drain. The hardened grease will try to liquify and move down the pipes. If pouring grease does not solve your problem then you might have something blocking the drain besides grease.

Begin with the basics by examining the drain for minor blockages like food. Remove the sink stopper and strainer to give them a thorough cleaning. Check to see if quickly cleaning these materials fixes the problem. If not, you will need to work with stronger plumbing tools like snakes and plungers.

In all honesty, a snake is generally the best way to deal with a blocked drain. A snake is little more than a long piece of thin corrugated pipe that is wound up inside of a hand-held device that extends and retracts the pipe.

You stick the end of the snake into the drain for a few inches and then start turning the handle. This moves the head of the snake around so that it can grab hold of anything that is blocking the drain. If you find nothing, then you extend the snake further into the drain and turn the handle some more. You repeat until you find the source of your clogged drain.

Sometimes a snake will fail to unclog your drain. When this happens you need to try a chemical drain cleaner. Make sure to first try a plunger before you use any chemical drain cleaner. You don't want to use a plunger after using chemical drain cleaner because the chemical drain cleaner might splash onto your face and eyes causing injury.

When plunging the drain it is crucial that water covers the drain. This will help you to have a good seal to aid with the plunging action. Make sure to place a cover or seal over any drain vents or other sink drains. Plung 15-20 times in a row before stopping and removing the plunger. If the sink still will not drain then repeat this process another 2-3 imes. Use the chemical drain cleaner next. If all of this doesn't work then you will have to get out your phone book and call a professional plumber.

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Dwight Nga is the chief writer for, and editor of For Plumbing, there's a wealth of knowledge on the website, plus while you're there sign up for the free newsletter. Want to read more Plumbing articles?, just go to: www.forplumbing.com/articles
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