Drains, it goes without saying, should drain. When they don’t, it’s a signal that something is going on, out of sight, in the pipes. But not every slow drain is the same. Take time to read the following and learn a few simple approaches that should get things flowing again. Read on to learn four tips for handling a slow drain in your home and when it might be time to call in a plumber or other professional.
Clean Out the Yuckiness
This tip should be a given, especially in the bathroom. More than water goes down your drains. Before taking any other measures, remove any drain stoppers or plugs and inspect them for hair, toothpaste, and so forth. Use a cloth or paper towel to pull away the blockage and throw the gunk away before replacing the stopper. Often, the sink will drain properly once more afterward.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
This one might take you back to grade school science class! Baking soda and vinegar can create a mini eruption of carbon dioxide, but it makes for a safe drain cleaner too. First, take out the stopper or plug. Wipe down the sink, then pour a half cup of baking soda down the drain and follow it with a half cup of vinegar. After 25 minutes, pour hot water down the drain. This chemical reaction can loosen and melt the muck in the pipe. Take care to watch for splashes from the hot water!
Employ a Drain-Cleaning Tool
Drain-cleaning tools come in an assortment of styles and brands, but they tend to work on the same principle. Usually made of firm but flexible plastic and equipped with jagged teeth, the tool can be sent down the drain and used to fish out any obstructions. Ensure you’re using a plastic tool since metal can damage the pipes. If that tool doesn’t work, use a sink plunger. This is different from a toilet plunger, which features a flange that fills the opening at the bottom of the toilet. It’s the more sanitary choice as well.
Check the P-Trap
One of the most basic bits of plumbing that almost anyone can do is remove a sink’s p-trap. That’s the curvy bit of pipe below your sink. It’s attached to the sink and wall pipe by two coupling nuts that you can remove and attach with a pipe wrench. Set up a bucket beneath the sink. Turn the coupling nuts with the wrench until they loosen up and slowly allow the p-trap to slide free. Afterward, turn over the p-trap and pour out whatever’s stuck in there.
Those are four tips for handling a slow drain in your home. If it still fails to drain, it’s time to call in a plumber since the obstruction may be further down or even in your sewer line. Call in a plumber at least twice a year to snake and possibly use hydro-line jetting services to clear the pipeline of roots and debris as well. It will pay off!
