Every homeowner or tenant has encountered clogged drains. While you might do everything you can to prevent them, there are times you’re going to end up with a clog, especially if you have a busy kitchen or a large family sharing bathrooms. However, unclogging a drain doesn’t have to mean an emergency phone call to your plumber in every case. Use this guide to help you unclog your drain and get the water moving again until the plumber arrives.
- Try flushing your faucet with boiling water. Clogs that aren’t too bad can sometimes be broken down with just boiling water from the teakettle.
- Use a regular plunger to help loosen clogs. When using a plunger, make sure you form a tight seal. You can do this by cleaning the stopper first and then putting a rag or sponge over the drain. It may take 10 to 15 minutes to deal with tough clogs in this manner.
- Pour 1/2 cup of standard baking soda down your drain followed by 1/2 cup of distilled vinegar. This mixture helps to break down fats and hair. After letting that mixture sit for a few minutes, flush the drain with boiling water.
- Get a drain auger – commonly known as a snake – and try to unclog the drain. Drain augers are available at most hardware stores, and using one only requires you to feed the coil down the drain and then move it in a push-pull motion to help loosen any sort of clog. This method can be combined with the baking soda, vinegar and boiling water method for stubborn clogs as well.
- Call your plumber if the above methods don’t work. You likely have a serious clog that will need expert repair by a skilled professional. Avoid using caustic chemicals in the drain while waiting on the plumber to arrive.
Please contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing for more information about unclogging a drain in your home. We proudly serve the great Indianapolis area and look forward to working with you and your family.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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