subject: How To Clear Your Clogged Plumbing [print this page] If you are having difficulties with either sluggish or clogged plumbing, your first choice may be to just call a plumber. Everyone knows that cleaning plumbing clogs is a messy and smelly job. But if there was a way for you to do this yourself, without having to spend the money on a plumber, wouldn't you try it? The following simple methods can be a first step in keeping your pipes in optimal condition and keep some green in your pocket.
First of all, you need to prevent clogs from happening if at all possible. Keep watching for slow or sluggish draining of your sinks, tubs and toilets. It is a lot easier to clear a partially clogged drain or pipe that fully blocked pipe. To clear your partially clogged plumbing, pour some baking soda followed by vinegar and hot water down the drain. Baking soda and vinegar create a fizzing which loosens up whatever is clogging the drain. After about 30 minutes, pour some hot water down the drain to clean the soda and vinegar out. Following this with hot water will clean any gunk that is left in the pipe. Preventative measures you can take is to dump hot water down the drain at least once a month to keep them as clear as possible.
If the first method does not work for you and the problem is a clogged sink or toilet, it is okay to grab a plunger. Most people will do this first anyways. The key to making the plunger work at its optimum level is by keeping the plunger under about 2" of water before you start plunging. If there isn't that much water in the sink or toilet, dump more in. This allows for the best seal between the plunger and the drain and will give you more suction power.
Let's say you've tried both above methods and the drain still isn't clearing out. The next step to try would be using a plumbing snake. A snake is used to make its way through the pipes, and has the ability to be pushed through the clog to loosen and remove it. This makes the plumbing snake one of the most reliable forms of clearing out your clogged plumbing. Plumbing snakes can be used for toilets, sinks, and sewer lines to clear any clogged pipes you may have. Once you have loosened up the clog, you can then run hot water through the pipe to clear out any remaining debris.
After you have tried the methods listed, and there is still a problem with a clogged pipe, it is not time to call a plumber. Make sure you don't just call the first plumber listed in the phone book. Choose a plumber that has experience and knowledge for the best results. Remember, the cheapest is not always the best. Experience matters most!
