| One common plumbing problem that often
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| | is usually a plumbers auger (also called a
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| occurs at the most inconvenient of times
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| | snake). This is a long, flexible, spring
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| is a clogged drain. Many home owners are
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| | like contraption that is "snaked" down
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| tempted to reach for a bottle of their
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| | into the pipe. You can purchase a small,
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| favorite drain cleaner - they are easy to
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| | basic plumbers snake at any home
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| use, supposed to be quick, and you don't
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| | superstore or plumbing supply store and
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| have to get your hands dirty. The problem
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| | they are fairly inexpensive (another
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| with quick fixes - as with many things in
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| | example of a tool that pays for itself the
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| life - is that the quick fix may not be
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| | first time you can use it instead of
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| the best.Most drain cleaners these days
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| | calling a plumber).Push the auger into the
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| will not damage your plumbing when
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| | pipe until you encounter a blockage. If
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| properly used. The key is to make sure
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| | you are using a manual auger, you may need
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| that you use them properly. If your home
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| | to twist it (they usually have set screw
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| has a septic system, make sure that any
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| | and handle to help) to get around turns in
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| cleaner specifies it is safe for use in
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| | the pipe. Once it reaches the clog, you
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| septic systems. Different types of drain
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| | twist it to "auger into" the blocking
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| clog removers may target different types
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| | substance. If you have a fibrous clog, you
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| of problems and have different
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| | will pull the auger back along with a
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| instructions, make sure you follow them to
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| | portion of the clog - repeating as many
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| get the maximum effectiveness.Sometimes a
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| | times as necessary to remove it. For
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| liquid cleaner will not be enough to take
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| | softer clogs (like grease) you may just
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| care of the problem. A number of years ago
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| | force the auger through the clog and rely
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| we received a lesson in what not to put
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| | on water pressure later to help continue
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| down your food disposal - cantaloupe
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| | to remove the loosened clog.If you are
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| rinds. The disposal had no problem
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| | unsure that you have cleared the clog
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| grinding them up, but a few feet down the
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| | completely and you want to check before
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| drain they re-assembled into am impassable
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| | you re-assemble everything use a hose to
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| clog.The first attempt was the faithful
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| | run some water down the pipe. Run the
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| old plunger. A plunger works on the
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| | water SLOWLY - you don't want to find out
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| concept of hydraulic pressure (simply put,
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| | the hard way that the clog is still there.
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| you cannot compress a liquid) to move the
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| | Keep your bucket underneath the pipe while
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| blockage. The problem with this approach
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| | testing. If it is cleared, re-assemble
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| in a kitchen or bathroom sink is that the
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| | your sink/trap and run your water for a
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| drain may not be the only outlet - there
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| | while - make sure that your drain is
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| are often multiple drains and/or overflow
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| | working normally - if it is slow, you may
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| connections which make a plunger useless
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| | still have a partial blockage.One other
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| in these casesThe next step was to try and
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| | potential solution is the "as seen on tv"
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| remove the sink trap. Once you get to this
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| | water blaster variety of drain cleaners.
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| phase, you need to make sure you have a
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| | These gadgets are usually very inexpensive
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| bucket and a few towels handy. If you had
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| | and typically consist of a small rubber
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| previously attempted to clear the clog
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| | nozzle with a hose fitting on one end. The
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| using a chemical drain cleaner you need to
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| | concept is simple, you stick the nozzle
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| be careful here as there may still be
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| | into the drain, hook it up to a hose, and
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| residue in the sink, pipes, or trap.
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| | turn on the water. The water pressure
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| Before removing the trap, make sure to
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| | first makes the nozzle swell to fill the
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| drain as much of the sink water as you
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| | drain or pipe opening and seal/hold it in
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| can.Place the bucket under the trap and
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| | place. Then the nozzle forces water into
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| loosen the connection to the portion of
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| | the pipe hopefully clearing the block by
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| the pipe leading down from the sink to the
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| | building up pressure behind it. If you
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| trap. By opening the down facing segment
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| | listen, you will hear the clog clear and
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| of the pipe first you should be able to
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| | water flow rapidly down the pipes.A couple
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| confine the draining water to the bucket -
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| | problems to be aware of with these
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| if you remove the horizontal portion first
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| | systems: If you have PVC drain fittings
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| you are likely to make quite a mess as the
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| | (as many sinks do), you better make sure
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| water drains in that direction. If the
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| | you connections are good - if there are
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| remainder of the water drains from the
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| | any minor leaks or loose fittings you are
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| sink, you know your clog if further down
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| | likely to end up with a sprinkler system
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| the line. If the water does not drain,
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| | under your sink. From personal experience
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| then you need to check the segment between
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| | there is one other problem you may run
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| the trap and the sink for obstruction.
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| | into. When you turn off the hose, the
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| Usually a screwdriver or length of bent
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| | pressure that previously swelled the
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| clothes hanger is sufficient to check and
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| | nozzle to hold it in place is gone -
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| clear any blockages found.Next check to
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| | however there is still water and pressure
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| see if there are any obstructions in the
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| | in both the line and the nozzle. The
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| removed trap. Either take it to another
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| | results similar to shaking up a soda
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| sink and see if water flows through it
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| | bottle and removing the cap - it makes a
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| unobstructed or use a length of clothes
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| | great funny story to tell you friends in
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| hanger to probe for (and remove) any
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| | hindsight, but it's not quite so funny
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| blockage. If you found something blocking
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| | when you are mopping up the
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| the trap, you should be all set.
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| | kitchen.Finally, if none of the above have
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| Re-install the trap and run the water. If
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| | worked, it is time to call in the
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| you found no obstruction, it is time to
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| | professionals. As I have noted in previous
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| search further.So the sink and the trap
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| | articles, a good contractor is worth every
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| are clear, what next?This is where you may
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| | penny they charge you. Most will not only
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| need tools that you might not have handy
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| | help you out with your problem but will
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| but it is definitely a job for the correct
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| | also suggest how you can prevent it in the
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| tool. Don't try to explore the pipe with
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| | future and if necessary point out problems
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| anything that might potentially be
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| | that need to be addressed.Ray Breitenbach
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| dropped, break, or otherwise become lodged
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| | writes for Simple Home Repairs. Please
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| in your plumbing - the idea is to correct
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| | visit for more information on how to
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| the problem, not cause bigger problems.
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| | perform you own basic home repairs.
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| The correct tool for the job at this time
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