Your Orlando, Florida, home is filled with things you enjoy and that make life easier. Therefore, you don’t want clogged pipes and drains gumming up your lifestyle. While calling in a pro is always your best bet for major clogs, there are also some things you can do that help keep your drains and pipes clear of obstructions.
The Hot Water Trick
If the drain is unusually slow, the hot water trick may be enough to keep pipes open. Before you get the hot water, shine a flashlight down the drain to see if the clog is visible. If it is, pull it out with pliers or a hooked piece of wire. Check to see if your pipes are metal or PVC. For PVC pipes, slowly pour the hottest tap water possible down the drain. For metal pipes, pour boiling water into the drain to break up the clog.
Grab Your Plunger
If the hot water trick doesn’t work, grab your plunger. Make sure all other openings are covered, then position the plunger so the bell fits snugly over the drain. Create a vacuum by working the plunger up and down, and then pull back sharply to pull the clog back to the drain opening. If you try to force the clog forward, it may become more severely lodged in the pipe.
Run a Snake Down the Drain
Running a plumber’s snake down the drain is a way to find the clog and break it apart. Work the snake down the drain and then agitate it to get the end past the clog. Run hot water down the drain to remove bits of the broken-up clog after the drain starts to flow again. If this doesn’t work, you should ideally bring in a professional plumber.
Call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® of Orlando at (407) 584-1042 to schedule a consultation with one of our professional plumbers. We’ll keep the drains and pipes in your home flowing freely so you don’t have to tackle problems with extremely clogged drains on your own.