Clogged Drains

Plumbers get more calls to open clogged drains than for any other service. Many such calls could be prevented by greater care in the use of drains. The most-used drain is the one in the kitchen sink and that is the drain most often clogged.

Preventing this situation can be done by carefully watching what is emptied into the sink drain and by the regular use of a safe biodegradable waste digester. Your plumber can give you more information on these products.

· Sink stoppages are usually caused by liquid fats, emulsified by warm dishwater and carried through the pipes.

· The water cools as it proceeds to the main sewer and leaves the fatty deposits along the way.

· Coffee grounds and bits of food add to this accumulation layer until the pipe becomes impassible.

Pour excess grease into a tin can and throw it out with the garbage, not down the sink drain. When using a food disposer, always let sufficient cold water run to carry the particles down and into the main line to prevent buildup in the smaller waste lines.

In the event of a stoppage, you should have a "plumber's friend," or plunger - a large rubber suction cup with a wooden handle.

· If it is a double drain sink, make sure you seal the other drain, so water will not splash out into the other bowl or on you.

· Removing the J-bend on the trap below the fixture can also be done to help clean drain piping.

· First place adhesive tape around the packing nut or wrap the wrench jaws with cloth to prevent scratching the metal surface.

· If plastic piping is in place, do not grip the nuts too tightly with the wrench, as they can crack easily.

· Place a bucket directly under the pipe to catch any dripping from the open pipe.

· Pull out the clogging material with a piece of wire or small hand-turned cable.

· If you take the trap off, have some new gaskets ready to slip into the joints.

Before trying any drain-clearing methods on a plugged drain, check that the tub's pop-up stopper is opening fully and is free of hair and debris. If the stopper isn't the problem, then the drainpipe is probably clogged. First, try a plunger or chemical drain cleaner.

If these fail to do the job, you'll have to clear the trap with a snake.

· Most tubs have a P trap in the drain. In some homes, the tub may have a drum trap in the floor near the tub instead (it will have a removable metal cover and a rubber gasket).

· Using a snake in a tub P trap is much like snaking out a sink trap. If you have a drum trap, first try snaking it clear through the tub overflow.

· If that doesn't work, bailout all the standing water from the tub.

· Then, using an adjustable-end wrench, unscrew the floor trap cover slowly.

· Have rags ready for any water that wells up.

· Remove the cover, bail out and clean the trap.

· If, after this, water does not well up, snake toward he tub; if water does well up, snake toward he main drain.

· If you can't reach the clog from the trap, it's probably deeper in the main drain.

Clog Prevention

Place a strainer over kitchen and bathroom drains if they do not already have one; this will prevent hair, pieces of soap, and other debris from clogging drains. Clean the strainer as needed.

Unclog a drain mechanically rather than chemically when possible.

· Use chemical drain cleaners sparingly, especially if your pipes or traps are brass, steel, or cast-iron; some chemicals may corrode metal pipes. Try this instead: pour a cup of baking soda followed by a cup of vinegar down your drain every month.

· The drains in showers and in bathroom sinks typically need extra care; pour two or three gallons of boiling water down each bathroom drain about once a month to clear out hair and greasy particles.

· Every week or two remove sink and tub pop-up stoppers and rinse them off.

· Every three or four months remove the overflow plate on the tub.

· Clean floor drain strainers. Some tubs, showers, and basement floor drains have strainers that are screwed into the drain opening. You can easily remove these strainers and reach down into the drain with a bent wire to clear out accumulated debris. And be sure to scrub the strainer.

· Keep the sewer pipes from the house free of tree roots that may invade them. If roots are a particular problem in your yard, you may need to call in professionals once a year or so to clear the pipes. They'll use an electric auger to cut out the roots.

· Flush the drain-waste and vent systems whenever you go up onto your house roof to clean out downspouts or gutters. Run water from a garden hose into all vents, giving them a minute or two of full flow

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Kitchen Drains