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Electricians- SA and PlumbersSooner or later every business or home owner will find themselves with a sticky situation… a blocked drain!
There are ways to maintain your drains and keep your drains clear of materials that will cause them to clog up – and we will discuss this further on. Outside drains become blocked due a variety of reasons. They can be blocked by a build-up of various waste products or materials such as plant matter, hair, grease, small stones, sanitary products and other objects that someone thought could be flushed down the toilet or poured down the drain.
Fortunately we have being unblocking clogged drains for a good number of years, and can assist you quickly and professionally. We can assure you of the highest standard of service due to our experience and knowledge. Our work meets all regulatory requirements – giving you peace of mind and the assurance that the job will be done right the first time!
We make sure that our clients are fully aware of our procedures and the options available before we start any work. We also inspect the blocked drain beforehand to ensure that we have the right tools available for each type of job. We make sure that we clean up after every job to ensure the complete satisfaction of all our valued customers. We pride ourselves in the highest quality of work from start to finish.
Our services include identifying and removing blockages in sewer lines and unblocking showers, toilets, baths, sinks and basins.
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A blocked drain quickly becomes a major problem! It may start as a slow running drain and end up being a huge headache. Drains should be maintained and when it starts becoming blocked, it needs to be sorted out quickly.
The most common cause of your drains flowing slowly is a clog caused by soap, fat and grease used everyday in our homes. When you first notice drain problems, such as slow running drains, it may seem like a minor issue that can be sorted out at another time, but remember that even a small obstruction is the beginning of a blockage. Slow drainage is caused by a restriction that will grow inside the pipes and prevent the flow of water and waste. Soon enough, if not seen to, you will experience sewerage backups.
Your home’s plumbing systems are essential for a healthy environment. Smooth running, clog-free drains prevent harmful bacteria and germs from building up inside your lines so any problems need to be fixed as soon as possible. If left unchecked, the health of every person is at risk!
Remember to schedule drain inspections with your plumbing company to clean the lines before any small issues get totally out of hand and cause a plumbing emergency that will cost you money that you may not have had to spend if proper maintenace had been done.
You can clear a slow drain or clogged drain yourself – such as a slow draining sink or bathtub – by following these simple steps:
DON'T:
We do not recommend using ANY harsh chemicals in your drains as they are harmful to your environment and to the people who reside there. Harsh chemicals can also damage your pipes and thus cause even bigger plumbing problems. Unneccessary and complex repairs that could have been prevented are even more costly.
DO:
Use a combination of vinegar, boiling water, and baking soda to unclog a drain.
This combination is not likely to damage your pipes. If you add too much of this combination or if the clog is close to the top of the drain it can be a little messy, so be cautious.
Vinegar is an acid and baking soda is a base, mixing the two will cause a chemical reaction that will create pressure and possibly dislodge the clog.
Use a sink plunger (cup plunger) – not a toilet plunger for unblocking drains and sinks.
• Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain.
• Then pour 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar down the drain.
• Plug the drain and let sit for about 1 hour.
• Vinegar can be replaced with lemon juice for as nice smell.
• After the hour use the hot water tap to clean the pipes.
WARNING: DO NOT pour boiling water down PVC pipes. It may damage the pipes and make the situation even worse!
• Remove all standing water in the sink.
• Be careful not to splash hot water on yourself.
• Boiling water may unclog a drain without the use of the baking soda and vinegar method.
• Hot water is a good final touch when using other methods to unblock your drain.
• see Tip #6 below
• Remove any standing water from the sink
• Insert the plastic zip-tie or zip-it tool down the drain as far down as it goes and simply pull up again. This may help dislodge any debris or food.
• Where to get one?
• What is a zip-it tool?
• Use a pair of pliers and bend the wire coat hanger straight.
• Then bend the end at a 90 degree angle to create a hook.
• Carefully insert the hanger into the drain and try to dislodge the obstruction.
• If there is no obstruction, then the issue may be grease build-up. Use the hanger to scrape the edges upwards.
If you don’t have baking soda and vinegar on hand, use Borax household cleaner (sodium tetraborate).
• Pour 1/2 cup of Borax directly down the drain
• Pour 2 cups of scalding hot water down the drain.
• Let sit for 15 minutes/
• Turn on tap and wash down.
• Because of the phosphoric acid, dissolving agents, and other chemicals in cola (Coca-Cola or Pepsi) it is sometimes strong enough to break down grease, limescale and debris that has built up inside the pipe.
• Pour an entire 2 liter bottle down the drain – room temperature (not refrigerated).
• Let it sit for about 2 hours
• Run the water again.
• Mix the following powders:
Mix 2 cups of baking soda, 1/8 cup of cream or tartar (tartaric acid), and 1/2 cup of salt and set the mixture aside.
• Pour a generous amount of boiling water down the drain followed by the mixture.
• Remove the drain plug and all water from the sink.
• Insert the nozzle of the wet/dry vac into the drain.
• close off any gaps between the nozzle and drain hole with rags or dish towels to make the connection airtight.
• Turn the vacuum to EXHAUST MODE to get warmed up.
– Note any changes in sound as the clog may become loose and get sucked up.
• Turn the vacuum to SUCTION MODE and quickly back to EXHAUST MODE.
– This creates an effect similar to a plunger.
WARNING: Be prepared for a messy job!
• If you have a sink with 2 drains, the problem may be sitting in the P-TRAP (The p-trap is the small curved pipe at the bottom of your kitchen sink where a lot of debris collects.)
• Get a bucket and place underneath the p-trap pipe. It is already filled with water and debris.
• Slowly loosen the top nut or bottom cleanout plug.
• The water should trickle out, followed by slimy debris.
• Once drained, use a paper towel to clean inside the p-trap.
As you know prevention is better than cure! Likewise, preventing your drains from clogging is better than having to repair a blocked or clogged drain. Most times a plumber who comes out to fix and unblock a blocked drain will find that objects have been put down the drain that really do not belong there.
Please refrain from disposing of these items either down drains or down the toilet:
