Err, it happened again, you are taking a shower or doing the dishes and the water just will not go down!  This can be very frustrating and annoying and can make you want to pull your hair out. What do you do?

Here are some steps that you can take to help rid whatever is clogging your drains!

1. First, remove everything that is located from under your sink.  This will help you gain better access to the pipes and keeps things a little less frustrating!  This also helps to protect the items in case of a leak.

2. Make sure you cut off the water!  This is very important to remember.  Located the water shut off, usually at the back of the wall.  It will be a silver knob and you need to turn it clockwise to close off the supply.  If there is standing water in the sink you should remember to plug it before you remove the pipes.

3. You can place a towel or a small pan under the sink to catch any leaking water and then remove the pipes.

4. Newer homes that use PVC pipes will not require any tools to remove them but older homes may need a large pipe wrench.  Remove the pipe at the elbow and try to find the clog.

5. Once the clog is found you can now place the pipes back on.  Be sure to tighten them gently but firmly to assure there are no leaks.  You may want to test the water slowly with a bucket underneath to make sure that the pipes are screwed on properly. 

It can be very annoying when your sink is clogged and it can seem like a difficult thing to fix.  However, it is fairly simple and does not usually require the help of a plumber.  Doing it yourself could save you time and money!

Clean floor drain strainers. Some tubs and showers have strainers that are screwed into the drain opening of the tub. Remove the strainers with a screwdriver and reach down into the drain with a vent wire to clear out accumulated hair. Make sure to scrub the strainer clean before putting it back in place.

Clean pop-up stoppers. Clean pop-up stoppers in the bathroom sink and tub frequently. Lift out and rinse the sink pop-ups at least once a week. This will also remove hair that is attached to the pop-up and will stop the hair from accumulating down within the pipe.

Clean out spring or rocker arm. Every few months remove the pop-up assembly to reach the spring or rocker arm. Remove the buildup of hair and rinse well with warm water to flush away any soap buildup.

If you find you have a hair clog within your drain you can use a plumbers snake or chemical drain cleaners to clear out the hair clogged drain.

Leaking or Broken Pipe:

• Turn off the house’s main shutoff valve to avoid water damage or further plumbing problems.
• Make temporary repairs to stop the leak; the pipe will have to be replaced as soon as it is suitable to do so.

Overflowing Toilet:

• Reach within the toilet tank, press the tank stopper down into the valve seat, and hold it there.
• Turn off the water at the fixture shutoff valve under the toilet. If theirs is no valve, turn off the house’s main shutoff valve.
• Unclog the toilet with a funnel-cup plunger or closet auger.

Clogged Sink:

• Shut off any faucet or appliance, such as a dishwasher, that drains into the sink.
• Unclog the sink using a plunger or snake. Don’t use a chemical drain cleaner if the blockage is entirety clogged.
• It is a good idea to keep a plumbing snake to fix numerous common pluming problems.

Faucet That Won’t Shut Off:

• Right away turn off the water at the fixture valve beneath the sink. If there’s no valve, turn off the house’s main shutoff valve.
• Repair or if necessary replace the faucet to stop any further pluming problems.

Steaming Hot-Water Faucet:

• Open every hot water faucets to relieve the overheated hot-water heater.
• Turn off the electric or gas supply to the heater.
• Let the faucet run until cold water flows from it. This a sign that the water in the heater is no longer overheated, then you can close them.
• Call in a professional to make any needed repairs to the heater.

To unclog the toilet, first dump out or add water so that the bowl is half full. Then use a funnel-cup plunger, this is specifically designed to fit the bowl’s trap. If the plunger does not clear the clog, use a closet auger. The closet augers curved tip reaches more deep-set clogs and its protective cover won’t scratch the bowl.

Funnel-Cup: Use a funnel-cup plunger to free a clog in the toilet trap. Swiftly pump the plunger a dozen times or more to push the clogged obstruction through the toilet trap.

Closet Auger: Use a closet auger to break up a deep-set clog in the toilet trap. Maneuver the auger while simultaneously pushing it and turning the handle to push out the clogged trap.

Quick Fix-Up:

Preventing an Overflow: If a toilet is about to overflow, swiftly reach into the tank; push the tank stopper down into the valve seat and hold it as you turn off the water valve.

Do not feed your garbage disposal like it's a hungry trash can. Over time food particles will build up and it will clog at THE MOST INCONVENIENT TIME.

Kitchen Sinks

1. Proper removal of kitchen waste WILL keep sink drain clogs to a minimum.
2. Do not pour grease down the kitchen sink.
3. Do not pour coffee grounds down the sink.
4. Do not feed your sink food – it doesn’t get hungry.

It’s a common misconception that because a sink has a garbage disposal, that you can put most anything down it and the garbage disposal will take care of it.  The garbage disposal is there to help break down food particles that slip down the sink accidentally.  If food items like potato peels, carrot peels, strawberry stems, etc. are consistently fed down the sink, these ground up particles will slowly build up and and clog the pipe.  The garbage disposal won’t be able to save you now.

Bathroom Sinks and Bath Tubs

Clean the drain strainers.  Some showers and tubs have strainers that are screwed into the drain opening.  Unscrew these strainers and use a wire to clear out built up debris – and it does build up, you just can’t always see it.  This is why it should be a part of at least a quarterly maintenance schedule.  Be sure to scour the strainer before replacing it.

Same thing goes for the sink pop-up stoppers.  These should be lifted out and rinsed weekly.  When hair and soap accumulates, it will quickly slip down into the pipes.

A Note About Chemical Cleaners

Use chemical cleaners sparingly, especially if your pipes and traps are steel, cast-iron, or brass.  Some chemicals will severely corrode metal pipes.  Plastic pipes are more impervious to chemicals.  You should be safe if chemical cleaners containing sodium hydroxide or sodium nitrate, are used no more that once every few months.

Always follow the safety instructions on the manufacture’s package.  You should let the cleaner sit in the bend of the trap for a short period of time to ensure effectiveness.

CAUTION

Do not splash yourself with the cleaner.  If you get cleaner on your skin, douse the area with water thoroughly until the cleaner is completely removed.  It will burn if not rinsed.

REMEMBER

You can prevent drain clogs.  Take care of your drains and they will do what they are supposed to do – remove water.