Keeping your house well maintained is important to prevent serious damages and complicated situations. Also, changing our habits can be essential especially if we had previous draining problems because we throw large food particles and oils in the sink.
Blocked drains are among the most common domestic problems. They are also the biggest reason why we look for plumbers to help solve our problems.
Knowing how to approach the situation can be essential for quick results. In this article, we included a couple of things you should do in case your drains become blocked. Keep reading and learn useful life skills which you will surely use someday.
Do It Yourself
The first thing that anyone should try is to do the unclogging by themselves. However, if you don’t have enough knowledge, it is not advisable to mess with the pipes, and do only light work.
Try Unblocking With a Hook
Since the blocks are usually caused by food particles in the kitchen, and trapped hairs in the bath, try to remove them. This can be done by various methods, however, getting them mechanically removed is the first thing that needs to be done.
For that reason, you should use a hook-like tool to slowly insert it inside the drain hole, and try fishing the debris out. If you don’t have such a tool, you can use a regular metal hanger, with the difference that you make it narrower.
Be careful with your movements since you can cause damage to the pipes that will make the whole repair cost significantly more.
Consider Using Detergent
If the blockage is caused by oils or similar debris, adding up detergent to the hole can help in reducing the surface potential and let it down the drain. This can be one of the easiest solutions since it requires light work.
Just add up enough detergent inside the hole and top it with boiling water. Because of the blockage, the solution will stay long enough to act and help unravel. If you notice that the water starts to pass, you have done a great job. If not, consider using other unblocking mechanisms.
Combine Vinegar and Soda
In order to create a gurgling sensation and get all the debris to dissolve, you should consider using vinegar and soda. They create a reaction with bubbling that helps to adhere to the gunk better and remove it from the walls of the pipe.
To use this method, firstly apply the soda, and then the vinegar. Wait for at least fifteen minutes and then pour boiling water. This method usually gets the job done, especially in the kitchen because of the gunk’s nature.
There are various types of soda that you can use for better results. Do some research and see what solution works best in your situation.
Use a Plunger
Another obvious unblocking method is using a plunger. The tension that the plunger creates in the pipes helps in removing the debris and helps the water run free.
Using this tool is usually easy, all you need to do is center the plunger over the hole, and use repetitive strikes to create several vacuuming effects. This should loosen the trash and do the unblocking.
This tool is great for every part of the house since it does not matter what is the cause of the blockage, and it removes it anyway.
Be Careful With the Unblocking Chemicals
There are various powders and chemicals used to treat the drains. Although they are relatively effective, they might cause more harm to the pipes than good since they are highly corrosive materials. For that purpose, don’t do these things on your own because you may cause too much damage that you will regret.
Consider Calling Up a Professional
If you lack plumbing knowledge and you want to get rid of your Blocked Drains Adelaide plumber is the best choice for you. With many years of work and great experience, there is no blockage that these professionals cannot free up.
In addition, they have great tools that can make your pipes work like new. They determine the cause of the clogging and can assess the situation better. In case the problem lies in the sewage lines outside your property, their equipment will be a key to fixing your problem.
Finding a professional service for blocked drains should not be hard. Every city has various firms that you can choose from. Find the best deal and go for the firm that has been reviewed as the best. In case you live in the area of South Australia, lookup for blocked drains Adelaide services and choose the perfect company for yourself.
Prevent the Same Situation From Happening Again
When the situation gets sorted, you should ensure to prevent the same problem from happening again. If you have done the work by yourself, you know how hard the job is.
In case you did the move and used up professional service, you have a guarantee that the pipes will be clean for some time. However, this does not mean that you have to throw food again or leave hairs in the drain without picking them up.
Make sure to change your habits and keep your pipes debris free. If you are cooking a lot, and you use large quantities of oil, a grease trap may be the perfect item for you.
If you have the habit to throw food particles you should invest in the disposal unit or just collect the gunk and throw it in the bin.
Lastly, if you have a constant problem of getting the drains blocked because of hair, there are small items that go on top of the hole that traps the hairs. After every shower, you can simply lift off the item and throw the hair away.
All these tips will prevent you from having the same problem again, which significantly improves your living conditions and reduce similar stressful situations.