There’s nothing more frustrating than having a blocked drain that you can’t deal with yourself – so when no number of plungers, snakes, baking powder, and vinegar will work their magic, it’s probably time to call out the drain experts…
Blocked drains happen, and no matter how much effort you make in avoiding certain body products in the shower, or ensuring you never pour oil down the sink, clogging will happen at some time, to all of us.
So, if you are spending half the day waiting for water to disappear down the kitchen sink plughole, then the chances are, you have a blocked drain.
Try and work out the cause before you panic and rush to ring the professionals – there may be a number of reasons your pipes or drains are blocked – fats, grease, and wipes can cause blockages, through no fault of yours.
But, sometimes it could even be a tree root or a damaged pipe that’s the reason for the blockage – if it’s severe gunk and waterflood back-up job, then it’s time to call on the blockbusters for the real experts’ help!
You might be able to de-clog that drain yourself and avoid the awful ‘pong’ that can accompany the water flooding the sink, so it’s a good idea to have a look for the cause of the blocked drain.
So, if you’ve cleared the waste pipe of a sink or basin and the waster still doesn’t run or if the loo again won’t flush and there’s a funny smell outside, then your drains might be blocked.
A blockage can also happen when debris and leaves clog up an open gully at the bottom of an outside pipe – this is usually easy to clear by lifting the grate and giving it a clean with a stick.
DIY – have a go yourself…
If you discover a clogged-up drain, there are several things you can try before you call the pros…
You can always take the plunge:
- Make sure you use the plunger effectively by plugging the overflow opening with a cloth and by making sure the sink has enough water to cover the plunger cup.
- Then cover the rim of the cup with petroleum jelly and place it directly over the plughole.
- Keeping the seal over the plughole, pump up and down, then release the plunger quickly.
- If the blockage is released, then try using a drain auger.
Then there’s the natural, organic way which includes raiding the kitchen cupboards:
- The baking powder route entails pouring roughly 130g of baking powder down your dry drain.
- Now pour down double the amount of boiling water and wait.
- Add another 130g of baking powder and a large amount of white wine vinegar.
- Put the plug in the drain and let it sizzle!
If you’re still out of luck after trying everything yourself, then it’s time to call in the experts.
We will be more than happy to help.
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