Tools That Will Help You While Drain Cleaning

When drains get plugged, it’s no fun for anyone and drain cleaning will have to happen as soon as possible. This plumbing problem is a common one and could be avoided in some cases with a bit of forethought and preventative maintenance. Unfortunately, even the most diligent homeowner will run into a problem of this sort some time or another. Some of the common reasons for clogged drains include:

Inappropriate items flushed down toilets

Toilets get blocked in a variety of ways because the wrong products are flushed inadvertently. This may happen because of houseguests who just didn’t know, kids who weren’t well trained or an error in judgment on the part of one of the homeowners. The only items that should be flushed are human waste products and small amounts of toilet paper. Unfortunately, lots more gets flushed down such as paper towels, diapers, Q-tips, wipes, massive amounts of tissue and some feminine hygiene products.

Shower or tub clogs

The most common culprit regarding the shower or tub is hair. It’s natural for hair strands to fall out upon shampooing. Too many fallen hairs over time will cause a plug.

Veggie peels in the garbage disposal

Cooks who peel their zucchinis, cucumbers, potatoes and carrots into the garbage disposal will have a non-working appliance in no time. Disposals are created to grind up large chunks of food but tiny slivers will stop the mechanisms in short order. These peels should go into the trashcan.

Tree roots in main line

Planting a tree too close to the main sewer line will result in clogs and problems that will require a plumber or a chainsaw. It’s important to consider tree root growth when landscaping the yard.

If any of these clogs happen, there are plumbing tools that can come to the rescue. Here are some examples of devices that will help you when you need to do some drain cleaning:

Plunger

The classic plunger can fix many relatively minor problems. This is also called a “plumbers’ friend” and consists of a dowel with a suction cup on one end. The suction cup is placed over the clogged opening and repeatedly suctioned to push the plug through.

Auger

These devices have a cable and a hand crank to push clogs through. A person must be careful to not injure themselves or to break the pipes when using an auger.

Drain cleaner

Some commercial cleaners are available at the local hardware store. The idea is that the chemical breaks down the debris and allows flow to occur again upon breakdown of the problematic material.

Air burst

Some air burst devices blast right through the trouble and clear the pipes. This method won’t work in all situations.

Snakes

Some electric devices that are snake-like, hence the name, are available to spiral in and clear the obstruction.

Drain Cleaning isn’t fun but it will happen to everyone eventually. It’s helpful to take a few preventative steps including training kids not to flush inappropriate items, regularly clearing hair from the shower or tub, peeling veggies into the trashcan and planting trees far away from sewer lines. If all else fails, there are several tools that can clear the obstructions and trained plumbers are just a phone call away.