In your day-to-day life, you might not worry too often about how to unblock a drain. But it’s a lot more common than you might admit, so it’s well worth taking a few easy minutes out of your life to consider what you’ll do if and when it happens.
As we run the taps, have a shower and flush the toilet, we most certainly take healthy drains for granted – each and every day. What causes blocked drains? You know you shouldn’t stuff big objects down there or empty that can of paint down your precious drain. But apart from that, you should know a little more about drains are a vital function of your home.
Why? Because if you ignore the health of your drains for too long, you’ll eventually run into a frustrating, stinky, costly and perhaps even dangerous and damaging problem.
But fear not! We’ve put together an easy-to-follow infographic that will have you successfully clearing a blocked drain in no time. It’s as easy as counting to six, so let’s learn how to clear blocked drain dilemmas straight away!
If, after following these steps, you need professional help with blocked drains in Melbourne, get in touch with the experts at Ezy-Plumb.
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How To Unblock A Drain In 6 Easy Steps (Infographic Transcription)
You may not think about how to fix blocked drain problems too often, but trust us – whether it’s a minor issue or a severe plumbing problem, you need to know some basic DIY. Without clearing a blocked drain properly, you could eventually be facing leaks, burst pipes, and even health and hygiene hazards.
So follow along with our six easy steps to learn how to clear a blocked drain so that when the inevitable happens, you’ll know exactly what to do.
1. Boil The Kettle
Start by boiling the kettle if you need to know how to unblock a drain.
No: it’s not an invitation to have a nice cup of coffee. For a simple drain blockage, pouring boiling water down the drain can be all it takes to loosen all the gunk built up there.
The best thing about it? It’s chemical-free and kind to the environment!
2. Baking Soda
Did that kettle of boiling water not do the trick? Don’t despair: when it comes to knowing how to clear blocked drain problems, you can step it up a notch with half a cup of baking soda. After the boiling water goes down, add the baking soda. To spice up the recipe, try putting a cup of vinegar down a couple of minutes later.
And do you know what you can do while you wait the 5-10 minutes for the all-natural blocked drain recipe to do its work? Boil the kettle once again – for a nice cup of coffee!
3. Use A Plunger
There’s a very good reason why you bought that cheap plunger from the hardware store all those years ago – it’s perfect for clearing a blocked drain or toilet. A good plunge can be all it takes if the blockage is solid.
Just make sure the plunger head is big enough to cover the entire drain opening and that you feel strong and energetic for a decent little workout!
4. Drain Snake
Is that blockage STILL holding firm? Don’t worry: your hardware store will be stocking an excellent tool for clearing a blocked drain in a jiffy. It’s called a drain snake, and this coiled beauty is a bit like a plunger – in reverse! Instead of sucking, the drain snake is pushed down into the blockage, and you then use your elbow grease to crank it up and break that blockage down.
Run those taps at full pressure when your arms are tired to flush down the blockage debris. Voila!
5. The U-Bend
Is none of these stops working? Seriously! Again, stop panicking and try this fifth easy step – learning how to fix blocked drain problems is not brain surgery!
Do you know that pipe lurking beneath your sink – the one with the ‘U’ shape? Welcome to your U-bend! It will be able to be unscrewed, but ensure you’ve put a bucket down there first to catch the watery waste that is sure to come out. Clean the U-bend, re-attach it, and celebrate yet another tried-and-tested method for clearing a blocked drain.
6. Call Your Plumber!
If you’ve made it to Step 6, we’re sorry – learning how to unblock a drain has been a nuisance for you! What you’ve got on your hands is a severe drain blockage, so it may be time to call out the professionals for blocked stormwater drains, blocked sink drains and everything in between!
A great local plumber will have specialist drain-clearing equipment in their vans, including jet blasters, CCTV cameras and (of course) years of knowledge and experience.
And don’t forget, if you’re not confident with DIY, unsure what home plumbing is allowed, or don’t have time, it’s always a good time to call your favourite friendly plumber for help.
And if your plumbing problem is in Melbourne, we have some excellent news. The guys at Ezy-Plumb are standing by to help right now!
