We are always happy to make a service call to our customers when they need us. Having said that, we’re also willing to help customers avoid a service call if there is something they can do to fix a plumbing issue on their own. Case in point: the slow or clogged drain. So, we're going to give you some do-it-yourself suggestions that you can use to unclog your own drain, if you're so inclined:
Sink plunger. This one is not made for the commode. Make sure the rim is covered with water.
Put the Heat on It
One of the things which happens is that soap scum, grease, hair, shaving cream, and other plumbing cholesterol begins to clog the drain. When this happens, we beg you not to go for the commercial drain cleaner. Harsh chemicals are the nuclear bomb of plumbing.
Hot water melts soap. And old shaving cream. And grease
When your sink gets slow, squeeze a big squirt of Dawn (or other grease-cutting dish soap) down your slow sink. Then, pour a huge kettle of boiling water down the sink, as well. You may need to repeat the water flush two or three times. Be careful! Boiling water is dangerous. But, the hot water combines with the dish soap and softens the soap scum and grease, which then clears away.
A Coke and a Smile!
Sometimes, a big (2 liter) bottle of Coke, full of phosphoric acid, is just what your drain needs. Simply chug the entire thing down the drain (at room temperature), and follow it with a chaser of bioling kettle water about an hour later. The acid in the coke eats grease.
Kitchen Basics
Take one cup of baking soda, dump it down the sink. Follow with a ½-1 C vinegar chaser. The magic is in the foam. Here is a video of a guy who uses the foam and boiling water method.
Take the Plunge
Do you know the difference between your plungers? A flange plunger is made for a toilet. A standard plunger is made for the others--sinks, the bathtub, etc. And the primary force of a plunger is water, so make sure there is enough in the sink or tube to be able to force it down the drain. The pressure of the water is what dislodges the clog. Make sure the drain is completely covered by the water. Push, pull in a pumping action. If you lose some of your water, fill it up again. If you lose a lot, you’ve got it!
Snake the Lake
If you have a snake and you don’t mind using it, attach it to the drill and fire it up. If you don’t have one/don’t want one/did that and it didn’t work, it’s time to call in the pros. If you got this far, you’ve done yeoman service, and it’s probably a tree root or something way down the line. We’ve got the heavy-duty equipment, the plumbing line spy camera, and we’d be proud to follow you in the quest to get your drain back in order.
