Clogged Drains

Clogged Drains

Preventive maintenance is the best course to follow to keep your drains free-flowing:

• Do not put anything but waste water down the drain. Keep grease, coffee grounds, hair, lint, and all other unflushables out of the drain.
• Add a small amount of chemical drain cleaner every month or so, but remember that the chemicals are poison. Handle with care.

Even with care, drains occasionally become clogged. The first step is generally to try a "plumber's friend": Stuff a cloth into a sink's overflow opening, remove the drain plug, and put a little petroleum jelly on the rubber rim of the plunger for a tight seal. Pump the plunger up and down. If the drain does not open in a short time, try another method.

The next step is usually a chemical cleaner, but follow manufacturer's directions carefully.

CAUTION: Never use a plunger after you have poured a chemical cleaner into a clogged drain.

Never put chemical cleaners into a garbage disposal, regardless of manufacturer's instructions. The bottom of the disposal is made of pot metal and is not strong enough to withstand the caustic materials in chemical cleaners.

Next, try cleaning the trap. The trap is the U-shaped section of pipe under the sink. Place a container under the pipes to catch the water, then unscrew and remove the cleanout plug. The clogging material may come out this hole. If so, run water into the sink to help flush out the remaining clog.

If there is not a cleanout plug, remove the trap, and clean it and the adjoining pipes.

A drain auger or "snake" is a good investment and moderate in cost. Push the auger through the cleanout plug or, after removing the trap door, directly into the clogged pipe. When the auger stops, work it back and forth, but do not force it.

Some drainage problems may be severe enough to call in a professional plumber.