How To Clobber Those Really Tough Drain Clogs
When Plungers Fail, Kick It Up a Notch!Nobody likes having a clogged sink, toilet or tub. For most people, drain clogs rank at or near the top of life's list of inconveniences. It’s probably a safe bet that you can work a plunger or have had to use an over-the-counter chemical drain cleaner to unclog a problem drain. And in most cases, these time honored drain cleaning tactics will do the job nicely. But when these traditional clog-busting methods don’t work or you’re dealing with a particularly nasty clog, what can you do? Time to pull out the big guns!
Get Physical to Clean the Drain
If you’re tried a plunger or chemical drain cleaner and the clog still hasn't been cleare, you may need to take a more physical approach. You can purchase a plumbing snake for around $20 at most home improvement or plumbing supply stores. These long, thin tubes go straight down the drain to catch and remove hair, debris and sludge that have caused the clog. If your sink is blocked, clean out the trap and feed the snake into the pipe that way. Try covering the overflow valve to build up pressure that can help blast the clog away.
A power auger is an even more powerful physical option to stubborn clogs. You should only use an auger if you have more than basic plumbing experience so you don’t risk damaging your plumbing. If you don’t feel up to the task yourself, it’s best to call in a professional plumber. The upside of hiring a pro is that he or she can do a whole system inspection to make sure you don’t have to deal with tough clogs again.
The Non-Chemical Approach to Drain Cleaning and Maintenance
Commercial chemical drain cleaners usually contain harsh chemical agents that cause nasty fumes, burn your skin and damage your clothing, floors and surfaces. They can also be quite expensive. For a cheaper, greener approach, a solution of plain old baking soda and vinegar or boiling water can do the trick on many clogs. The most common cause of drain clogs is accumulated hair, so adding a bit of hair removal cream to the drain can help break up the clog.
To maintain a clear drain, use an enzyme culture solution once a month to break down grease and debris; these all-natural, organic products can also eliminate odors from pipes and drains. You can find these products at most home and hardware stores.
If you do go the chemical route, don’t ever mix cleaners; the chemicals can react violently and cause serious damage to pipes or septic systems, not to mention produce harmful vapors.
When All Else Fails, Call The Pros!
If you’ve tried all the above methods to clear your clogged drain, then your problem is probably more serious than just a run-of-the mill clog. You could have significant accumulation of hair or grease...or a foreign object may have become lodged in the drain. Even worse, your could a broken or leaking pipe somewhere in your drain system. If left untreated too long, these issues can compound and lead to more serious problems that may require a total plumbing and drain system overhaul.
For super-stubborn clogs, call a professional drain cleaning contractor. If these is a good indication that the problem is more serious than a typical clog. Nationwide, the average cost of hiring a pro to unclog a drain is about $250. Though this sounds like a lot for a simple blocked drain, it's better to spend a little now to avoid more costly damage in the future. And if you call the drain cleaning pros at Horizon Services, you get one of the best drain cleaning deals available anywhere: Horizon will clean and clear any drain, any time, any size for the unbeatable price of $149. That's a small price to pay for instant gratification!
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Flush Away Toilet Clogs
Nobody wants to be the one to have to unclog the toilet. Not only is a malfunctioning commode extremely inconvenient, but removing the problem can be really unsanitary. It is possible, though, to safely and cleanly deal with toilet clogs. If you’ve flushed once without success, don’t try it again. This will only pump more water into the bowl from the toilet tank, raising the water level and causing a messy overflow. It may take a while, but the toilet will eventually drain on its own so avoid the urge to keep flushing until the clog moves.
This is definitely one of those jobs where you’ll want a pair of good quality rubber gloves. If you don’t have cleaning gloves, even a cheap pair of latex gloves will do in a pinch. It’s also a good idea to cover the bathroom floor if you can. Newspapers, old towels you don’t plan to use again, or rags are perfect because you can simply toss them in the trash later.
Hot water and liquid dish soap can help break up most clogs. Microwave or boil a few quarts of water; if you boil the water you’ll want to let it cool a bit before proceeding with this method, until it’s roughly the temperature of a cup of coffee. Add a squirt of dish soap to the toilet bowl and slowly pour in the hot water. If this doesn’t work the first time and the water in the bowl is not overflowing, try once more. If you live in an apartment, skip this method.
Enzymes are a good option as long as you have another toilet you can use while they do their work. These biological materials eat away at waste and are often used to maintain septic systems. You can find enzymes at most home improvement or hardware stores, but they’ll have to sit in the bowl at least overnight in order to dissolve a clog so you should only try this if you have another bathroom you can use in the meantime.
Plungers, while an old standby in many bathrooms, are not exactly the most sanitary method of clearing a clogged toilet, but if you’ve tried hot water and can’t wait for enzymes it may be a reasonable option. If you must use a plunger, invest in a large, good quality device. The bigger the plunger, the better it’ll work which means less splashing, less mess, and less time with your face down in the bowl.
If you’ve tried a plunger to no avail, a pipe snake or auger is the next logical step. Not quite as messy as a plunger, quicker than an enzyme treatment, and generally more effective than hot water and soap, a snake feeds a long tube down the toilet drain and into the pipes. The end of the tube pushes against the clog, clearing it from your pipes and letting the water flow freely again. You can buy a small pipe snake at most home improvement or hardware stores for less than $10. For larger jobs you can rent a bigger snake.
If these methods fail to clear your clogged toilet, STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING; chances are your efforts will just compound the problem and lead to more expensive repair work. Stubborn toilet clogs require professional drain cleaning services like those offered by Horizon Services. Our plumbing and drain cleaning technicians have the tools and training to quickly and safely unclog any toilet.
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