How to Clear a Drain

If you’ve got a clogged drain, you may wonder if it’s possible to clear the drain on your own or if you’re going to need to call a plumber. The answer to that question depends on several factors: How badly the drain is clogged, what material is causing the clogged drain, and how far down the pipe work the problem lies.

Clear The Drain With Hot Water

If you’ve got a clogged drain, you’ll want to try hot water first. Because you’re dealing with a clogged drain, you may not have much room for a lot of water, so heat water on the stove (in a kettle) until boiling, and then carefully pour the hot water into the drain (slowly). Watch for progress. Stop before you fill the drain with too much water.

Clear the Drain With a Plunger

If the hot water didn’t open things up sufficiently (sometimes the hot water will partially unclog the drain, making the problem a little easier to deal with), grab your handy plunger. You may only think plungers are good for unclogging toilets, but they work wonders on sink and bathtub drains, too. Use the plunger to see if you can dislodge whatever is stuck down the line.

Clear The Drain With A Plumber’s Snake

If the plunger doesn’t do the trick, try a snake. You’ll see there are electric snakes you can rent by the day, but truthfully, these can be misused easily can cause serious injury or damage to your pipes. Use a short snake (usually 5 foot in length) to see if you can’t figure out what is clogging the pipes and how to get it lose. Wear gloves and safety googles for protection.

What Not to Do When Clearing a Drain

• Never use chemical drain cleaners – They usually don’t work and can cause chemical burns as you use a plunger or snake later on
• Never use a professional plumber’s snake without proper training or supervision – You can really hurt yourself or cause permanent damage to your pipes, increasing the problem and the cost to fix your problem

Call ER Plumbing to Clear Your Drain

If you can’t clear the drain on your own with hot water, a plunger, or a short plumber’s snake, you’ve got a serious problem on your hands. This means the clog is too intense for these methods to get through or the clog is too far down the pipe for you to safely reach.

In many cases of clogged drains, the pipe is clogged way down deep where a tree root has cracked the pipe and clogged the pipe. This can be 25 feet away from the source of the drain, meaning there’s no way you can safely reach the source of the problem.

We’ll use cameras to determine the source of your problem and then will use hydro-jetting or power auger tools that will unclog the pipes without damaging your pipes. We’ll repair any cracked pipes, too.

ER Plumbing Services of Charlotte, NC are experts when it comes to clearing drains. Let us save you the headache of trying to do it yourself!

Need a Drain Cleared Charlotte?

Contact ER Plumbing if you Need a Drain Cleared Charlotte

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