| If someone asks me what is the easiest way to save | | | | Clogged kitchen drains are handled pretty much the |
| money on plumbing repairs I always tell them to learn | | | | same way as bathroom sinks except if you have to |
| how to clear clogged drains.Clogs of one kind or | | | | plunge one side you may need to block the other side |
| another are one of the most common plumbing | | | | with a wet cloth. This will prevent the plunger from just |
| problems.They are so common, in fact, that some | | | | pushing water from one side to the other. If the plunger |
| entire companies specialize in drain cleaning. Since | | | | doesn't do it be very careful before you remove the |
| most drains will eventually get clogged you can save a | | | | trap and piping under the sink. Clogged kitchen drains |
| bundle by learning to fix clogged drains, including | | | | can involve fairly large amounts of water. Get a big |
| clogged tub drains, clogged kitchen drains and other | | | | bowl this time, just barely loosen one of the |
| clogged sink drains with no special tools and a little | | | | connections to allow things to slowly drain and re- |
| know how. | | | | tighten it when the bowl is full. Repeat this process until |
| Clogged Tub Drains | | | | it stops draining. Now you can safely remove the |
| Let's start with something fairly simple, clogged tub | | | | p-trap and see if it just needs cleaning out. |
| drains. If your tub isn't draining well it's very likely the | | | | How To Unclog A Garbage Disposal |
| result of hair around the stopper. Plunging probably | | | | If you have a garbage disposal clogged it is usually |
| won't help this. You will need to remove the stopper | | | | also jammed and not turning. Most garbage disposals |
| and clear the hair out. | | | | have a reset button on bottom that you can push to |
| There are two common types of tub stoppers, the | | | | reset the motor. Most of then also can be manually |
| "trip lever" type and the "lift and turn" or "tip toe" type. | | | | turned with an "Allen" or hex key by inserting the key |
| The "trip lever" ones have been in use for at least 50 | | | | into the shaft on bottom of the disposal. After manually |
| years, the others are a little more recent. They both | | | | turning the shaft a couple of times back and forth, |
| accomplish the same thing but do so very differently. | | | | remove the key and try the switch. |
| Trip Lever Drains | | | | This will usually do the job. If it is still jammed, turn off |
| The "trip lever" has a lever on the overflow plate near | | | | the breaker, get a flashlight and see if you can see |
| the top of the tub. There is a linkage rod inside the | | | | anything inside that doesn't belong. If you can, try to |
| overflow pipe which connects to the stopper. Some | | | | remove it with your trusty needle nose pliers. |
| styles have the actual stopper inside the piping and | | | | If none of these things work, you know the drill by now. |
| other styles just use the linkage to operate the stopper | | | | At least you gave it your best shot. When the |
| in the tub. | | | | plumbers get there be sure and tell them what you |
| The first thing to check is the drain in the bottom of the | | | | have already tried. |
| tub. Removing any hair or debris with a pair of needle | | | | Whole House Clogged |
| nose pliers may solve your problem. If not you need to | | | | Having one slow draining or stopped up fixture is bad |
| go a little further. Remove the overflow plate and pull | | | | enough. When your whole house won't drain it is a real |
| the linkage and stopper out through the hole (or | | | | emergency! While you may not be equipped to fix the |
| remove it from the drain in the tub). Remove any hair | | | | problem yourself, there are some things you can do |
| or debris that comes out with the stopper, make sure | | | | save yourself some serious money if you have to call |
| the tub drains now and put everything back together.. | | | | a plumber. |
| Lift and Turn Drains | | | | The first thing you need to know, if you don't already, is |
| The "lift and turn" and "tip toe" type are very similar | | | | whether you are connected to the public sewer |
| and use a stopper that is connected at the tub drain | | | | system or have a septic tank. If you don't already |
| itself. These have to be unscrewed from the tub drain | | | | know this there are several ways to find out. Your |
| to clean them out. There's a trick to unscrewing a lift | | | | water bill will usually have a sewer charge if you are |
| and turn type stopper. If you open it all the way and | | | | connected. Ask your neighbors if they know, usually |
| try to unscrew it it will just turn forever. You have to | | | | you'll have whatever they do. Check your street for |
| barely lift it up and hold it in that position while you | | | | manholes, a sign of a sewer system. |
| unscrew it. A pair of needle nose pliers is very helpful | | | | Something else you should do before you have a |
| for removing the hair that is usually clogging the drain. | | | | problem is look around outside your home for a clean |
| If your tub drains now pat yourself on the back and go | | | | out. This is a pipe with a plug that can be unscrewed |
| to dinner and a movie with the money you just saved. | | | | to access your sewer pipe. Clean outs are usually |
| If things are still clogged the next step is to auger, or | | | | close to the house and may be buried in a flower bed. |
| snake, the drain. This is done with a small cable snake | | | | If you are connected to a sewer you probably have a |
| through the overflow opening. Depending on your skill | | | | clean out so poke around and find it. |
| or confidence level this may be a job for the pros. | | | | If you know where your clean out is and your house is |
| Clogged Sink Drains | | | | stopped up you can remove the cap and, if the |
| The first thing to try with clogged sink drains in the | | | | blockage is in the yard, you can prevent your house |
| bathroom (technically these are called lavatories, not | | | | being flooded with sewage. Just take a big pair of |
| sinks) is a plunger. Be sure you have a sink plunger, not | | | | channel lock pliers and SLOWLY remove the clean |
| a toilet plunger. It should look like a rubber bowl on a | | | | out plug. If the line is full it might spray out of the cap as |
| stick. If your lavatory has an overflow you will need to | | | | you unscrew the last few turns. |
| plug it with a wet washcloth, fill the bowl and then | | | | If you get the clean out cap off and the line is full of |
| plunge away. Be careful if you have plastic piping | | | | waste water that means that the blockage is |
| underneath. If the connections are not tight enough the | | | | downstream of the clean out. It also relieves some of |
| plunging could cause them to come apart. | | | | the urgency of the situation as you can now usually |
| If plunging doesn't work the next step is to remove the | | | | use your plumbing sparingly and it will drain into your |
| trip lever (this is connected to the little rod you pull to | | | | yard. While not great it's better than in your house. |
| operate the stopper), the stopper and the p-trap to | | | | You will probably need to call a plumber to correct this |
| make sure they are all clear. Put a medium size bowl | | | | but now you can wait until regular hours and avoid |
| under the p-trap to catch the water. If you have metal | | | | those high after hours rates. You may have also |
| traps be very careful, these traps get brittle with age. If | | | | prevented a lot of costly (and disgusting) damages. |
| yours are plastic you should have no worries. | | | | You can still pat yourself on the back but you may |
| This should solve most slow drainage problems in the | | | | want to wash your hands first. |
| bathroom. If not, you are once again faced with the | | | | Hopefully this article has shown you that anyone can |
| decision of whether or not now is the time to call a | | | | learn how to clear clogged drains without calling a |
| Licensed Plumber. If you do decide to call a pro at | | | | plumber (at least most of the time). With most |
| least you know you won't be paying them to do | | | | plumbers charging well over $100 per hour, this one |
| something you could easily do yourself. | | | | simple skill could save you a bundle. |
| Clogged Kitchen Drains | | | | |