Plumbing problems are common at homes and one of the most common plumbing issue for any home owner is a clogged drain. Hiring a professional plumber can be costly. So, you can try out several options yourself before calling in a plumber.
You should always have a drain cleaner at home. These are chemical substances which if used regularly will avoid clogging of drains.
Apart from a drain cleaner, you should have some handy tools which you can use in an emergency situation. A common tool that can help you during a clogged drain is a plunger. You can get it from any hardware store near by your place. It works on the principle of suction and pressure to clear the clog.
Using a plunger is not a rocket science. Position it over the clogged drain. The sink should be filled with some water. Move the plunger up and down several times. When you notice that the water starts flowing easily out of the sink, this indicates that the drain has been cleared.
A drain cleaner is also a mandatory thing to be kept at home for such situations. You should be very careful while using these chemical substances as they can cause serious damage if not handled with care.. Make sure that you read the instructions before using it. Remove any standing water from the basin. Put in the mentioned quantity of the cleaner in the pipe and leave it for several hours. Then rinse it with hot water.
If using a plunger or a drain cleaner does not work, check the U-trap. U-trap is a part of the pipe which is located under the sink. There might be a blockage there also. You can unscrew it using a wrench. Clean the inside of the trap using a piece of wire and screw it tightly again.
Drain auger (or a snake) is another tool that can be used to unclog pipes and drains. Generally a ten feet auger is suitable for the homes and can be acquired from any hardware shop. These can go deep down the pipe and can catch the clog.
If all else fails, call the plumber. You may have a more serious problem that a plumber will be more qualified to handle.
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