(Newswire.net — November 27, 2013) Vancouver, BC — A common irritant is when the shower or sink drain clogs up on us. It will usually be a ball of hair that built up by catching on the drains cross bars. These are easy to get rid of, just use a pair of needle nose pliers or one of those simple plastic drain cleaning tools with barbs you can find in a hardware store. The hair comes out and your drain works just fine.
The Level Two Blocked Drain
This type of clog is usually found in the kitchen and caused by pouring hot grease down the sink. They can be a little more stubborn but can also be cleared out using stuff you can buy at the grocer. Just use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar then chase it with boiling hot water.
Most articles written on this topic will tell you to pour a pot of boiling water down the sink first then dump in a 1/2 cup of baking soda. Let that sit a few minutes then chase it with a 1/2 cup of vinegar mixed with hot water 50/50. Cover that with a drain plug so the reaction will be forced to stay in the pipe and let it sit for about 10 minutes. One final flush with a second pot of boiling water should do the trick. A few well placed strokes with a good plunger will usually clear everything out.
Note: If your sink is made of porcelain do something to warm it up before pouring boiling water into it. Otherwise you run the risk of cracking the porcelain which would not be good.
Level Three Clogged Drain
These are the clogs that cause nightmares so buckle your seat belt Dorothy, this type of clogged drain calls for a professional. Old perimeter drains will get root invasion over time and need to be cleaned with a rotary power tool when that happens. Sewer lines get plugged with all kinds of stuff and need to be dug up and re-connected if it gets really bad. Toys, diapers, and excessive paper towels can clog the toilet, and the drain in the basement can clog with washing machine lint. The gutters can plug up causing rain water to spill onto the flower beds causing water pressure on the foundation. The list goes on and on.
The best thing you can do to avoid serious blocked drain problems like a cracked foundation or flooded basement is to understand how your drains work, where they are located and how often to power flush the drain tile for instance. Regular maintenance should be your best friend. Adopt that attitude and you’ll avoid the problems lazy people commonly pay for because of neglect.