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Why DIY Is Never a Great Idea When It Comes to Plumbing Problems | Plumber in Carolina Forest, SC
What is the first thing you do when you find out that the garbage disposal in your kitchen is blocked and refusing to clear?
You probably bend down, open the kitchen sink cabinet and pick one of the drain cleaners kept in there, right? Well, if you keep doing this every time you encounter a blocked drain pipe, then you won’t have a pipe left to begin with. Even a plumber in Carolina Forest, SC will have a hard time fixing this mess.
Sometimes when you open the bathtub’s faucet, instead of water draining down the hole, it starts backing up. Yes, drain cleaner commercials are very convincing and it’s alright to you use this chemical in a situation when you are in a hurry but when this becomes a regular occurrence, things start to get messy.
Why Not Drain Cleaners?
As we just mentioned, drain cleaners contain numerous cleaners, some of which can be very harmful to the pipes. Even if the bottle claims “safe on wipes” … it’s not! This is the same as when toilet wipes claim “flushable” and that sucker clogs the toilet faster than anything else. If you read carefully, the back of the bottle also says that if you accidently touch the cleaner with bare hands, then you should go see a doctor immediately. So why would you want to take such a big risk? The best solution to this problem is to call for drain cleaning in Carolina Forest, SC.
Let’s assume that you had a party at your house. When you wake up the next morning to clean the mess and wash the dishes, you find out that the sink is blocked. For a situation like this, keep a natural enzymatic cleaner in the cabinet. This clean contains natural enzymes that break bacteria and organic material clogging your pipe. The cleaner will do the work temporarily. For the nastier clogs and such as those created by bones and grease, you need to call a plumber in Carolina Forest, SC. You can use the enzymatic cleaner for monthly drain maintenance.
DIY Drain Maintenance
Plumbing Protocol 101says that whenever you come across a plumbing problem, instead of using DIY tricks to fix the mess, it is better to call plumber in Carolina Forest, SC. However, when it comes to maintenance, you can use the following DIY remedies:
Hot Water
There’s nothing that hot water can’t clean (but not boiling hot water). Simply heat a large pot of hot water and slowly pour it down the drain. Wait a few minutes for the water to loosen the gunk and then pour another pot of cold water, all at once down the drain. This will flush down the gunk right away. This is one of the most inexpensive and non-corrosive way of clearing a blocked sink. Plus, you can try this trick twice a month and it affects the pipes.
Vinegar and Baking Soda
Pack your kitchen’s drain hole with half cup of baking powder or soda and then immediately pour over half cup of vinegar. Use a plug to cover the hole and let the vinegar and soda sit in the pipe overnight. Follow with the hot water trick and it’s done. This trick will not only clear out the gunk but also get rid of the smell which permeates the kitchen when the sink is blocked. While the hot water drink can be done twice a month, use vinegar and baking soda only once.
Tools for Clearing Out Tough Clogs
So you tried the hot water and, vinegar and baking soda technique but both of them cleared out the clog temporarily. The sink was blocked the next morning. Before calling for professional plumbing in Carolina Forest, SC, use a drain snake and a cup plunger.
Snake: A snake is one of the most common tools that help you break up a clog. If you don’t have one in your house, then you can make one with a hanger. Simply straighten out the hanger and bend one end of it in the shape of hook. Slowly insert the hook-end first through the drain hole and when you feel a block, start turning the wire. This will wrap up the gunk around the hook and then you can pull out the mess. A commercial snake drain has a similar mechanism but with power. When the snake drain is inserted, with the push of a button, the auger starts spinning and catches the mess. If you feel that the clog didn’t clear out completely, then call a plumber in Carolina Forest, SC.
Cup Plunger: This tool is best for clearing small clogs. Simply place the plunger over the drain hole, secure it for proper suction, turn on the faucet to fill just one inch of the sink and then start plunging. You will feel the air lighter and the plunger moving easily when the clog clears. This trick requires some elbow grease ad if you feel you won’t be able to do it, then call a plumber in Carolina Forest, SC.
Avoid Putting These Items Down the Drain
The plumbers in Carolina Forest, SC warn against throwing the following items down the garbage disposal:
· Oil, fats and grease: when cold water runs over oil, it solidifies and causes a blockage
· Eggshells
· Potatoes, rice and pasta (starchy things leave behind a residue, which can contribute to the blockage)
· Bones
· Fibrous and stringy food
· Coffee grounds
Avoid throwing the following items down the toilet:
· Feminine products (tampons, sanitary napkins, etc.)
· Paper towels and tissue
· Flushable wipes
*Install a strainer over the shower drain, so that hair does not cause a blockage.
If all this fails to clear the blockage, then call a plumber for drain cleaning in Carolina Forest, SC. The best thing about these DIY tricks is that you have all the items available in your house. Now that you also know what tools to use to clear the blockage, you can buy them from the nearest Home Depot.
If you are looking for professional plumbers in Carolina Forest, SC, then visit Benjamin Franklin. They offer various plumbing services from fixing drainage systems to small bathroom repairs, bathroom designs, sink tub replacement, water heaters, water filtration system, faucet repair and more. To know more about their services, call at 843-213-6611.