Here at Carolina Plumbing & Repair, we know that your home is important to you, and we want to help you keep it as comfortable and functional as possible. When you have a plumbing problem, the best thing to do is of course to call a plumber, but in some cases, it may be possible to deal with the problem without immediate professional assistance. One example of a problem you can likely fix, at least temporarily, without professional help is a clogged drain. In this article, we’ll go over three ways you may be able to deal with a clogged drain–if you try all of these methods to no avail, you should definitely call us.
- Plunger- You can use a plunger to deal with any clog, not just a clogged toilet. To effectively use a plunger to fix your clogged drain, first use a rag to block the overflow opening, if there is one. Then seal the plunger firmly over the drain and cover the plunger cup with water. Use firm up-and-down motions to work at the clog–if you break the seal and the water drains, you’ve accomplished your goal.
- Auger- You can also use an auger, or plumber’s snake, to deal with a clogged drain. Carefully feed the snake into the drain and down the pipe until you hit the blockage. Once you hit it, crank the snake and work it around gently to break up the clumps, then pull the snake back out.
- Hot Water- For minor clogs, you may be able to clear the blockage with hot water alone. Bring a pot of water to a boil (an electrical kettle is handy for this purpose, but the stove also works), then pour the hot water carefully down the drain. The heat should melt the scum clogging the pipe and allow the blockage to flush fully down and out.