Glug, glug, glug!
The water is gurgling as it slowly makes its way down the drain. If the problem is allowed to continue, eventually the water will stop flowing altogether.
What do you do in this situation?
Read on to learn how to unblock a slow-flowing or clogged drain.
Table of Contents
How to Unblock a Drain
You probably never think about the drains in your home — until they get clogged. Then all you can think about is how to clear up this nuisance.
The good news is there are a few ways to do it,
Caustic Pipe Cleaner
You can buy products at the store specifically designed to break up clogs and blockages in drainpipes. Unfortunately, they are usually caustic to the point that even breathing the fumes isn’t a good idea.
However, they can offer a quick solution to a stinky problem.
Natural Pipe Cleaner
To be a little gentler on the environment and yourself, you might try a natural cleaner first. Baking soda mixed with vinegar is usually a good choice. All that bubbling and fizzing can break up the clog and wash it away.
Plunger
A plunger is an excellent tool that most people have on hand. Place it over the drain opening, being sure to get a tight seal. Pull the handle up and down a few times to force air into the pipe. With any luck, it will also force the blockage to move. Flush with water to wash away any leftover tidbits.
DIY Drain Snake
This tip is perfect for hair in the shower drain. Make a drain snake out of a wire coat hanger, being sure to leave a hook on one end.
Insert the hook into the drain until you can catch the hairball. It won’t be pretty, but pulling out the drain snake should bring the hair with it (and anything else that’s stuck in there).
Hydro Jet
If the clog is too stubborn for these DIY methods, you might need to get more serious. A hydro jet is a handy tool that will send bursts of water into the pipe to blast away the clog and any other debris that’s in the way.
CCTV Camera
Working with pipe blockages is a pain because you can’t see what you’re doing, or can you?
You can hire a plumber that offers CCTV services to get an inside look at your pipes. A small camera is mounted on the end of a flexible cable that looks much like a drain snake and inserted into the offending drain.
Pipe Relining
In the case of damaged pipes, it isn’t always necessary to fully replace them. Once the blockage has been cleared, the pipe can be relined with resin and you can enjoy a less expensive way to fix it.
Clear, Odourless Drains
Drain blockages are such a pain to deal with. Thankfully, there are many simple tricks that can make it easier.
If you don’t have any luck, you can always call your friendly neighbourhood plumber!
