Plumbing Tips: Three Simple Guidelines for Clearing Your Blocked Drains

If your residential drains are obstructed or clogged, you should clear the affected channels immediately. Ignoring the blockages can be highly detrimental to your home. In general, the affected drain will cause stagnation of dirty water in sinks, tubs and showers. The stagnant water will have a foul odour, and it could promote the development of dangerous microbes. In addition, if drains remain clogged for too long, they will experience strain, increasing the possibility of damage. Here are some core guidelines on clearing blocks efficiently.

Purchase Caustic Cleaner

Residential drain clogs are usually caused by the gradual build-up of common household wastes. For instance, bathroom drains are often caused by hair, and kitchen sink drainage issues develop due to the build-up of food particles. These accumulated wastes can be eliminated by using caustic compounds. These commercial caustic cleaners have chemicals which can dissolve the common materials in household drains. Also, the solutions are easy to use. However, it should be noted that solid objects cannot be dissolved by caustic cleaners. Additionally, these cleaning agents should be used with reserve because constant use can damage the drainage channels.

Clear Fats with Hot Water

It is not advisable to use chemicals constantly to clean out your drains. If you would like to prolong the life of your plumbing elements, you should choose non-caustic and non-corrosive solutions for clearing blockages. For instance, hot water is an ideal choice for clearing blocked kitchen drains. Therefore, you should try out this solution before proceeding to more invasive processes. Boiling water should dissolve common blockages caused by fats and general grime. You should note that excess heat can be damaging to plastic pipes. If you have PVC drains in your home, use hot as opposed to boiling water.

Use a Plunger or Snake

If you have a plunger in your house, you should be able to manage most clogging issues in your house. The plunger might not permanently eliminate the blockage issue. However, in a plumbing emergency, this household tool is invaluable. For instance, it can clear out stagnant water from the bathroom or shower in the morning. This will allow you to use the space comfortably for a period of time until you can handle the problem permanently. Drain snakes are more complicated, but they can chip away at solids in drains, restoring smooth wastewater flow.

If you cannot eliminate a drain clog using the abovementioned methods, consult your emergency plumbers for diagnosis and professional clearance of your compromised drains.