Every homeowner experiences a blocked pipe or sink every once in a while. But while they can be troublesome, fixing a slow or stopped up sink or troublesome drain pipe is generally not a tricky procedure. Nearly all common situations will not require a plumber's help.

What usually takes place is material starts collecting in the turn of a pipe or section of a drain and this material expands in volume over the course of months. As the material gets larger, the volume of waste water that can move around it gets smaller. In some cases the size of the foreign material will become so sizable that any movement of water is held back from passing through. All too often, kitchen sink blockages show up during situations of heavy use, especially around holidays when individuals are cooking and preparing meals and typically too much food waste and grease are placed into the kitchen drains.

Most clogs appear in drain pipes of showers, toilets, laundry sinks, tubs, kitchen sinks and bathroom sinks. The main cause of plugs in the kitchen sink are grease and food. The major cause in bathroom pipes is hair and soap scum that will combine together to bring about a disgusting mess.

There are a couple of tools every homeowner should own to clear your drains. The first tool you need to have is a flexible plastic tool that is about 20 inches long and looks similar to a desk ruler. The edges of this tool have teeth similar to a hand saw. You work this tool carefully all the way down into your drain and then back up again. The teeth reel in hair and debris and bring them back up into the sink, tub or shower. They work really quick. Most home stores sell them and they are only a couple of dollars.

You can also use the common household plunger in most sinks, tubs and toilets. Occasionally the contour of the bathroom sink makes it hard to use a plunger. The key to effectively using a plunger is to get a secure seal between the fixture and the plunger. By alternating pushing down and pulling up, the plunger will push and then suck back up the contents of the pipe. You ought to be able to work the blockage enough so that it passes the area in the pipe where it is trapped.

A plumbers snake may be used for blockages that you can not otherwise reach. A plumbers snake is a stiff but flexible wire that uncoils and moves around in the pipe as you thrust it deeper and deeper into the plumbing. Plumbers own expensive styles, but a plain model that you dial by hand is all you will need.

There is rarely any time you will want to use chemicals to clear your drain pipes. The chemical products you can buy at your local hardware store will be too tough on both your plumbing and your septic system or your city sewer system. You may be enticed to get these cleaners because they are simple to use, but they are really poisonous and their fumes could be unsafe. In addition, they usually don't work anyway.

To reduce future blockages, just find a way to prevent stuff from going down your drains. Don't allow hair to enter the drains. If you can use a fine mesh or other sort of strainer to stop those hairs from heading down the drain, you typically will never have a problem with clogging. And to keep the insides of the pipes from a acquire of bad stuff, try putting boiling water into your drains every once in a while.

If these suggestions don't help you out and you continue to have a plumbing related issue, make sure you check out a reputable plumber that should be able to fix your plumbing problem.

categories: plumbing,kitchen,bathroom,houses,homes,remodeling,home repair