Posted on April 26, 2017 at 12:40 AM
A blocked drain does not need to be a big deal. It’s a messy job but, if you’re not put off by a bit muck, then it’s time to get the rubber gloves out!
Blocked drains are an instantly recognisable problem. Your water either starts to drain away slower, or it stops altogether. This is then followed by that distinctive, unpleasant smell. As nasty as the job is, it’s always a good idea to have a go at it yourself first. If you’re lucky, you might be able to fix it in under an hour. If you’re not, it’s time to call a plumber.
Here’s our 11-step guide to drain unblocking DIY. All you need is the right constitution and a few easy-to-acquire tools.
- Put on some rubber gloves. Unless you want to make yourself extremely ill, you’ll need to take this precaution.
- Figure out what’s blocked. It might just be a sink, a toilet, or a bath. Or, it could be the whole bathroom. If it’s the former, it’s easy enough to find the pipe with the blockage. If it’s the latter, it might take a bit more sleuthing.
- If it’s the whole house that’s blocked, you’ll need to unblock the main pipe. This might well be outside (more on that later, though).
- Once you’ve identified the pipe, you can get to work tackling your blocked drain. Start with a simple plunger. They’re cheap to buy and easy to use.
- If the plunger doesn’t work, try using a sink unblocker kit. These chemical solutions can be bought from most supermarkets or hardware shops. Just follow the instructions and wait. If it works, you’ll know soon enough.
- If that doesn’t work, it’s time to take the pipe apart (if you can, that is. Don’t go sawing away at your pipes willy nilly!). If you have a blocked drain under your bath or sink, you’ll likely be able to detach the U-shaped bend in the pipe by unscrewing it from both ends. Be sure to put a bucket down first and use some common sense. For example, if the sink or the bathtub is full, unscrewing the pipe might mean that you empty all the contents of the bathtub or sink at once into your bucket. Bear that in mind!
- If your bath or sink is really full, grab a bucket and throw the contents of it out into the garden before you unscrew the pipes.
- If you’re still unable to locate the blockage, or if you’re still having problems, have a look at the drain cover or drain gate outside your home. If that looks blocked as well, then your blockage is going to be downstream of that particular drain. If that drain is not blocked, the blockage is likely to be somewhere between the easy-to-access parts of your drain and your drain cover. Either way, you’ll need drain rods to fix the problem at this stage.
- You can buy a pack of 12 on B&Q or Amazon easily enough.
- Once you have your rods, follow the instructions and start dislodging. You may have to disconnect your toilet in order to get to those hard-to-reach places.
- If none of that works, or if you’d rather just watch TV, then book a plumber from Fixington. They’ve seen it all and they don’t mind getting dirty.
If you have any questions about blocked drains, or if you want to book a plumber, Fixington is where you can find experts to do the job. You can call us or book one of our plumbers online in a matter of minutes.
At Fixington, we don’t shy away from blocked drains. All of our plumbers are rated and registered with a UK government competent person scheme. To flush your troubles away, book a plumber online with Fixington FAST.
