What is the Best Way to Clean Your Drains?

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It hits you as soon as you enter the room: that boiled egg, horrible sulfur smell that comes with a clogged drain. Or you find yourself playing shower roulette, scrubbing against time to finish up before your shower pan fills up.

While we can’t always avoid or prevent a clog, Four Seasons Plumbing can share tips with you so you can resolve a clogged drain in Hendersonville, NC, and lessen your anxiety about it.

Let’s go over a few methods for drain cleaning that our Hendersonville, NC, neighbors can use to DIY their own clogged drains. Whether you are in Asheville or a surrounding area, our team of professionals can fix your clogged drains.

FOUR SEASONS CLOG REMEDIES

Bathroom Clogs

Initial Method

Whether you have a slow-draining sink or tub or an outright clog, try filling the basin with hot water. Then release the stopper to force flush the clog through the pipes with the pressure from the water.

Specialty Tools

If the clog is near the opening of the drain, there are relatively inexpensive specialty tools that work great. They work a bit like fishing with the barbs angled in such a way that they “hook” the clog and pull it back up through the drain opening.

Plunge

A more stubborn clog requires a plunger. Use a bellows style plunger, center over the drain opening. Make a seal by applying pressure, then begin adding enough water to cover the drain, keeping the seal tight. Then give the plunger a few short pumps. Close the other sink drain if you have a double basin unit.

The Big Guns

For more intense drain cleaning in Hendersonville, NC, you may have to buy or rent a gas or water-powered cleaner that uses compressed air or pressurized water.

If you go the gas-powered route, check to ensure it fits – buy an adapter if needed. Ignoring this critical step could result in all of it blasting you right in the face instead of down the drain.

The drain cleaner that uses water pressure can be attached to your indoor faucet if you buy the correct attachment first.

Toilet Clogs

Here’s What Works

Anything besides the “Toilet Trinity,” which is #1, #2, and toilet tissue, has no business going down your toilet. There is no worse feeling than bringing down that flush handle and not hearing the flush sound.

We recommend plunging using a dedicated toilet plunger and not the one you would use for your sink or a snake if that doesn’t work.

Don’t Panic – We Can Help

If neither of these methods works, then your problem has gone professional. Four Seasons Plumbing is just a call or click away to bring the best drain cleaning in Hendersonville, NC right to your door! And since situations like this tend to occur at the most inconvenient times, we have emergency service!

Kitchen Drains

Hot Water and Dish Soap

Start by running hot water down the drain to loosen up the clog, followed by a grease-cutting dish product. If the clog still hasn’t pushed through, try plunging and then repeat the hot water/dish soap sequence.

Natural Ingredients

Sometimes a 1:1 mixture of vinegar and baking soda will naturally disperse a clog and leave your pipes intact.

The Deep Clog

If you’ve tried the other methods and it won’t drain through, it’s time to buy or rent a plumber’s snake, also called an auger. One with a 25ft. cable is apt for most residential uses.

Removing The Trap

You will need to remove the trap under your sink first (the pipe-shaped like a “j”). You may be able to do this without any tools, or you may need to use channel lock pliers or a wrench. Position your bucket directly under the trap to catch the water.

Guiding The Auger

Direct the snake a few inches down the pipe’s opening, simultaneously turning the handle and putting pressure to push the cable forward. It’s going to keep going until it meets the obstruction, and it’s normal to have to wiggle it through any sharp curves.

You’re basically trying to skewer the clog, so if it’s stopped and won’t turn anymore, give the handle a few more turns to imbed the tip into the clog. Then you’re going to rewind the handle backward so you can reel the clog back to you.

Test Your Work

Run water through to check for clearance. It’s possible you may need to repeat this process.

FOUR SEASONS PLUMBING IS YOUR DRAIN CLEANING EXPERT IN HENDERSONVILLE, NC

Whether your drain cleaning is incomplete or you aren’t confident in your DIY skills, Four Seasons Plumbing is ready with prompt, exceptional service for every clogged drain in Hendersonville, NC. Our level of knowledge and know-how extends to every one of your plumbing repairs, like drain cleaning, leaking pipes, faucet, and toilet repairs and installations, all while staying on budget. We also offer emergency services when your clog appears at an inconvenient time.

Call or click today so we can restore your pipes and your peace of mind!