How to Unclog a Drain

Clogged drains are very common, and of course very irritating house hold problems. If left unattended, it can turn into a serious complication. A sluggish drain can be a home to number of insects, bacteria, and terrible odors. If the problem is small enough, then average home owners can unclog the drain themselves. But for best solution, you can call drain repair services in Westchester.

Here are some simple DIY methods to unclog the drain:

·         You can prepare a homemade drain cleaner. Mix ½ cup of baking soda and ½ cup vinegar. Pour it into the drain and it will fizz immediately. The fizzing action will help to remove the gunk, hair, and grime that has built up in the pipe. Let it sit for one hour, or even overnight if you can. Flush with hot water.

·         If you want to unclog a greasy drain, then pour in ½ cup of salt and ½ cup of baking soda followed by a teakettle of boiling water. Allow to sit overnight.

·         Use a straightened wire with a bend at the other end as a small hook to fish out the object causing the clogging. This trick is simple but effective, and in case of clogging due to hair and other natural gunk- also ideal. Remember, you always want to be pulling gunk out, not pushing it further. When you've got as much out as you can, run the hot water, and it should clear things up nicely.

·         Pour hot boiling water slowly down the drain in two to three stages, allowing the hot water to work for  several seconds in between each pour. This is usually the easiest and quickest way to unclog a drain.

·         A dry & wet shop vacuum is one of the best tools to unclog a drain. Use a plunger head around the vacuum pipe to create a strong seal around the mouth of the drain, cover the vents on the vacuum to avoid a mess, set it to vacuum liquids, turn the vacuum setting to the highest, and suck the viscous clog out of the drain and into the bag utilized by the vacuum.

·         Bathroom sink clogs usually congregate around the stopper, so remove this piece first, usually by twisting and lifting.

·         If the clog remains after you clean the stopper, try a cup plunger. Seal any overflow outlets with duct tape, and fill the sink with 4 to 6 inches of water. Position the cup over the drain for a good seal and thrust three or four times.

·         To discourage the growth of roots, fill the pipe half way with copper sulfate crystals, and pour in hot water. The water will dissolve the copper sulphate, and seep down into the ground around the sewer. To stop roots from growing, repeat this step every four months.

Santucci Construction Corp.: For over 30 years, Dom Santucci and Santucci Construction Corp. have been serving the communities in Westchester and Putnam as a premier septic, excavation, and building contractor. For all of your septic, excavation and building needs, call at (914) 930-4968 or fax at (914) 737-1334 or you can fill up an online form which is available at www.santucciconstruction.com  so that we can contact you. You can also send mails at info@santucciconstruction.com.  Office is located at 2064 East Main Street, Cortlandt Manor, New York 10567.