Do you have a clogged drain? We’re so sorry—we know how frustrating that is. If you’re looking for a good solution, we’ve got a few different options that can get that drain unclogged, and you might not even need a plumber.
Don’t Use Liquid Drain Cleaner
Before we tell you about the things you should try, we need to make sure you know what NOT to do. Although it’s tempting to get a bottle of chemical drain cleaner and pour it down your drain, we strongly recommend against that. Here’s why. First, the chemicals in that bottle are extremely caustic, higher on the pH scale than bleach or oven cleaner. Caustic means that they burn organic material—you know, the stuff that you’re made of. If it gets on your skin, it can do a lot of damage. Even the fumes are toxic and can cause respiratory and eye irritation.
With all that risk, you’d expect them to do a fantastic job with your drain, wouldn’t you? But they don’t. For one thing, they corrode the inside of your pipes, roughening the surface so it’s easier for clogs to form in the future. And for another, you can see from the bottle that they can’t dissolve plastic. You’d be surprised how often a drain clog has formed around a piece of plastic that was accidentally washed down the drain, and that chemical solution won’t do anything about it.
Try Safe Home Remedies
There are two inexpensive tools that are readily available at hardware stores that might be able to resolve your drain clog. The first is a plunger. (Don’t put the toilet plunger in the sink! Get a new, small, clean one.) With water around the drain, seal the plunger down firmly and give it several hard vertical thrusts. Your blockage might be knocked loose. The second is a drain snake, either the disposable plastic variety with lots of little legs for grasping (which can be perfect for shower-drain hair clogs) or a hand-cranked metal auger. Try to pull out or break up whatever is blocking the drain.
Professional Plumbing Help
If you can’t resolve your own clogged drain in Levelland, TX, it’s time for a plumber. Not only do qualified plumbers have a ton of experience with this problem, they also have unique tools you can’t get at the hardware store. A motorized drain auger is just like the hand-cranked variety, but bigger and more powerful. And if that’s still not enough, a hydro jetting machine can blast high-pressure water through your drain, forcing out the clog and washing away all buildup.
In some situations, there’s a larger problem at play. You should call a plumber promptly if you notice that multiple drains in your house are prone to clogging, or that drain clogs happen very frequently, or if you have foul odors from your drains that you can’t get rid of with a bubbly baking-soda-and-vinegar wash. These can be signs of an issue with your sewer pipe or sewer vent which should be taken seriously so as not to risk health problems.
JD’s Prompt Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning serves the Lubbock area. Contact us for prompt and thorough help with your drains.