A blocked drain can be a very frustrating problem as they cannot always be fixed fast enough. If your home needs a drain unblocked, there are steps you can take to clear it yourself.
Luckily, it is very easy to clear that blockage yourself, as long as you know what to do. Some blockages will require professional drain cleaning, but if you’re confident you can resolve it yourself, then follow the steps or tips to clear blocked drain.
1. Use a Drain Strainer
A drain strainer can prevent nasty clogs in your sink, shower, or other plumbing fixture. It may seem kind of gross, but drain strainers are a must-have for anyone who’s serious about plumbing. Learn how to install one in this article.
2. Avoid Disposing of Cooking Grease in the Kitchen Sink
Not many people are aware of the dangers of disposing of cooking grease down the drain. Cooking grease can solidify and build up, causing costly blockages for many homeowners. If you’re one of the people who simply dumps your used cooking oil down the sink, or if you’re the one putting the grease in your garbage can rather than in a container, then read on as we explain the dangers of using cooking grease and what you can do to prevent it.
3. Run Cold Water While Using the Garbage Disposal
Running cold water while operating a garbage disposal will help keep the food particles from building up, thus keeping the drain clean. Letting cold water flow through while operating the garbage disposal will help keep food particles from building up, thus keeping the drain clean.
4. Pour Boiling Water Down the Kitchen Drains
Sometimes, your kitchen sink, dishwasher or washing machine won’t drain away the water. This could happen due to a variety of reasons such as the use of hard detergents or the fact that your sink is made too little or badly constructed. In any case, here is what you can do:
- Pour boiling water down the kitchen drains to get rid off the problem;
- If the blockage is severe, use a plumber’s snake to solve the issue.
5. Never Flush Non-Toilet Paper Products
Many people flush all sorts of bathroom waste down their toilets, including paper towels, sanitary napkins, and even tissues. As a general rule, you should flush only toilet paper and human waste down the toilet. Non-toilet paper products, including paper towels, napkins, tissues, and even tampons, can cause blockages in your drains. Not only can this be harmful to the environment, but it can lead to costly plumbing repairs as well. To prevent costly plumbing repairs, it’s very important never to flush anything other than toilet paper and human waste.
6. Have Regular Pipe Inspections
It’s easy to forget about your drains. As time goes on, they gradually get clogged up with hair, soap scum, toothpaste, and other debris. Eventually, this debris builds up to the extent that water can’t pass through it. When this happens, there’s usually nothing you can do except call a plumber such as blocked drain specialist in Sydney. This is why it’s important to have your drains inspected at least once a year. It’s much cheaper to fix minor problems now than it is to pay a plumber to come out later.
At Nutshell
If you’re having trouble clearing any blocked drains in your home, try these six tips. They might be just what you need to get things flowing again. In the meantime, if you have any other tips for clearing blocked drains, please comment down below. I’d love to hear them!
