Indoor plumbing may be one of the modern world’s greatest conveniences, but along with the convenience comes an equally great aggravation: the clogged drain. Most clogs you can dislodge and clear up yourself. Two of the most common clogs you’ll experience are in your sink and toilet.
Sink Most sink clogs can be loosened using a common plunger, either a cup type or bellows type. Partially fill the sink with water, then place the plunger over the drain hole and work it up and down vigorously.
If the plunger doesn’t work, use a cable auger or plumber’s snake, a tool with a long section of flexible metal cable wound around a spool. The cable has a drill-like attachment on the end that physically cuts through the clog.
Remove the drain trap under the sink and insert the cable auger into the outgoing drainpipe. Crank the handle to unspool the cable for its entire length, then rewind it back onto the spool.
Toilet Toilet clogs can be messy and unpleasant, requiring urgent action to keep the situation from getting worse. Toilet clogs usually occur in the tight, curved section of pipe at the bottom of the toilet fixture itself, which is called a trap.
First, reach for your plunger and vigorously plunge the drain hole at the bottom of the bowl. Larger plungers, particularly bellows-type plungers, work better for cleaning toilets than smaller cup-type models.
If the plunger doesn’t work, use a closet auger, a tool similar to a cable auger except with the cable in a rigid hollow shaft. Crank the handle on the tool to work the cable into the toilet drainpipe, then reverse to retrieve it. Flush the toilet to see if the clog is gone; if it isn’t, auger the drain again.
Beyer Boys has more than 20 years of experience serving commercial and residential HVAC and plumbing customers in the San Antonio and South Texas Area. If everything you’ve tried hasn’t cleared out your clogged drain, contact us todayfor professional assistance. Our experienced plumbers can quickly clean your pipes and get your water flowing again.
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