Clogs in drains are usual plumbing issues households in Summer Hill experience from time to time. Hair and soap in bathroom areas are the common culprits for clogs in drains. Meanwhile, grease, leftover food, small toys and ground coffee are the usual cause of clogs in kitchen sink drains.
However, drain clogs can be easily remedied, if attended at an earlier stage. Regular drain cleaning centerville oh and conscious effort on what goes down your drains lessen the risks of developing clogs in your home. Blocked drains Summer Hill plumbers can give you great advice on how you can take good care of your drains and sewer pipes.
As a homeowner, you should be aware of the basic DIY tools and techniques that you can do to resolve clogs and blocks in your home, especially the minor ones.
Here are the top 4 plumbing tools and cleaning gears every home should have.
Plunger
The plunger is one of the staple drain cleaning tools that you should have at home. Interestingly, a few homes still forget to have one in their DIY repair gear. The conventional plunger can be bought in any plumbing or hardware store. For small clogs and blocks, it is the preferred DIY tool of choice. Simply place the plunger over the drain and then pump your pipes with air to force the block to flush down the drain. The key factor that makes this effective is not the air pressure. The clogs are forced down the drain with the force produced by the continuous plunging motion created. As you build your rhythm, the clogs will eventually be removed.
Wrench, Pliers and Files
Every Handy Manny has a wrench, file and plier in his DIY repair kit. These tools are used to loosen screws, remove the drain traps as well as to loosen one pipe connection to the other. Among the basic types of working tools that you should have should include a hacksaw, pipe cutters, basin and pipe wrenches, pliers, metal files and tubing cutters. These tools are available and can be easily bought in your local hardware store.
Acidic Soda Cleaners
Although it is ideal not to use chemical cleaners for your drains, it is also a preferred choice, especially for homes that are familiar with the materials their pipes are made of. These cleaners are poured down the drain, allowed to sit and then flushed with water. For some, hot water is the preferred option rather than acidic drain cleaners.
The water and vinegar combination is a natural acidic soda cleaner homeowners are used to using when dealing with clogged drains. Some even add baking soda, a popular DIY cleaning material, to the mixture, to break down small blocks and clogs. Similar to acidic soda cleaners, they are allowed to sit for a few minutes before they are flushed with water.
Drain Snakes of Augers
For fishing out hair, small toys or pushing down grease and soft build-up along the internal lining of your pipes, a drain snake or auger is your best bet. It is a home tool that is made out of metal, elongated and can be effectively used to pick the insides of your drains. Although it is limited to a certain length in terms of coverage, it is still a useful tool for manually removing stubborn clogs in your drains.
Drain snakes and augers come in two types. One is the standard type while the other is referred to as a professional drain snake that is a common staple in a professional plumber’s tools.
Not all plumbing issues are emergencies or require the expertise of a professional plumber. Clogged drains can be resolved with DIY tools and methods, with a little patience, even with no experience.
