Tips for Managing a Clogged Drain Before the Plumber Arrives

Sooner or later, you are likely to experience a clogged drain in your kitchen or bathroom. Clogged drains in toilets, sinks, or tubs can be messy and unpleasant, and at their worst they can cause water or sewage overflows. When your drains are not letting water and waste escape like they should, try the following steps. You may be able to clear the drain yourself before needing to call for a plumber.

• Apply a plunger. Simple, standard plungers are the first and best tool you should use to try to clear a clogged drain. Larger plungers are usually used on toilets and smaller ones on sink drains. Cup- and bellows-style plungers are very common. Plungers produce pressure that pushes against clogs and helps break them loose. If there is no water in the sink, tub, or toilet, add some before plunging; the water in the drain will help put pressure against the clog. Apply the plunger to the drain opening and make sure it has a good seal. Work the plunger up and down several times. If the first application doesn’t work, try several more times. It often takes a few tries to loosen a clog with a plunger.
• Use a drain auger. Drain augers are flexible lengths of wire or pipe that are fed into the drain. The end of the auger contains a wire head that will physically cut into and break up the clog. Most residential augers are a few feet long, with the longest ones usually around 50 feet. Carefully work the auger into the drain, turning it as you go to let the cutting head work into the clog.
• Pour in drain cleaners. A third option is to pour chemical drain cleaners into the drain. These substances dissolve and break up clogs.

Heating, cooling, and plumbing customers in San Antonio and the nearby Texas communities can rely on Beyer Boys for fast, professional service. Contact us today for more information on what to do about a clogged drain and for techniques that might save you a call to your professional plumber.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the greater San Antonio, Texas area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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