Practically every owner of his own house or apartment faced such an unpleasant phenomenon as clogging of sewer communications. This happens for various reasons. There are many effective ways to clean the sink or sink, achieving a quick drain of water. How to clear blockages correctly will be discussed in detail later.
Causes of blockages
How to clear blockage at home? To answer this question, you need to know a few features of a similar problem. The blockage can be different. In accordance with this, a method for eliminating pollution is also chosen. There are 3 types of blockages. They can be mechanical, operational, or caused by incorrect pipe angle
In the first case, the reason for the poor flow of water into the sewer is the ingress of foreign objects into the system. This can be hair, animal hair, rags, food waste, etc. If there is no special filter in the siphon, such blockagesappear frequently. Therefore, the siphon needs to be replaced.
Considering how to clear a blockage in the kitchen, in the bathroom, you should pay attention to a different type of their formation. The gradual accumulation of debris in the pipes can lead to such problems. Small particles of dust, dirt, fats are gradually deposited on the walls of the system. Most often, this situation is typical for cast-iron communications. Because of this, the diameter of the pipe gradually decreases. The water gets worse over time. This process, unlike the previous type of blockage, develops slowly.
Incorrect bending of the pipe can lead to such problems. The installation was not done correctly. As a result, heavy substances contained in the pipe, as well as grease and other contaminants, settle in the bend. As a result, a blockage is formed in this place. In this case, it is necessary to resolve the issue of changing the angle of the pipe slope. Otherwise, the problem will appear frequently.
Cleaning Approaches
To clear the blockage in the sink at home, you need to determine the cause of such a nuisance. You should also determine exactly where dirt and debris accumulate in the pipe. To do this, check the stock. Most often, blockages occur in the drain of the sink in the kitchen, in the area from the kitchen to the bathroom. Also, sometimes there are blockages in the place where the toilet is drained, as well as at the junction of the pipe from the toilet with the main riser.
There are different ways to get rid of blockages. They can be divided into:
- mechanical;
- thermal;
- chemical;
- hydrodynamic.
When choosing a cleaning method, you need to take into account where the blockage appeared, its strength. It is also worth paying attention to what material the pipes are made of. Plastic communications are clogged less often. However, in the event of the formation of plugs in them and build-up of contaminants on the walls, not all of the above methods can be used to solve the problem.
Many varieties of plastic pipes do not tolerate overheating. Therefore, thermal cleaning is not suitable. If communications are thin-walled, they do not tolerate mechanical stress. As a result, holes may appear in the pipe. It is best to use special chemical compositions for such pipes.
If a blockage appears near the water drain point, a number of folk cleaning methods can be used. It will be possible to resume the work of the drain quickly. If the plug has formed far from the drain, mechanical methods or strong chemicals must be used. In this case, folk recipes will be ineffective.
Mechanical cleaning
When considering how to clear a blockage in a kitchen sink, attention should be paid to mechanical techniques. They require the use of special equipment. These can be brushes, plungers, cables, etc. The choice depends on the type of blockage.
If the plug appeared near the drain hole, it is quite possible to get by with such a device as a plunger. When choosing this tool, you need to pay attention to the diameter of the rubber bowl. It should completely cover the drain. If inkitchen sink 2 holes, one of them needs to be tightly closed.
Next, the plunger is installed on the open drain. The sole of the tool is pressed tightly to the surface, releasing air from under it. Next, water is drawn into the sink or bath. Its level should be at least 3 cm. Next, the plunger must be vigorously moved. However, such actions should not be done very quickly.
Press the tool sharply. After that, you need to wait until the rubber sole takes its original shape. Such actions increase the pressure in the system. It tears off the layers from the walls of communications. After the described manipulations, the drain is washed with hot water.
Also, if the drain hole allows, you can use a brush to clean it. This tool is suitable if the blockage is close to the sink. In other cases, other, more effective devices are used.
Rope
How to clear a blockage in a sewer pipe if the plug is formed far from the drain? In this case, you will need to use a special cable. This fixture can be purchased at any plumbing store. If you don't have a rope handy, a strong wire will do.
If the owners decide to purchase a plumbing cable, you need to consider that the length of such devices may be different. When choosing, take into account the length of the sewer communications, as well as the location of the blockage. Experts recommend purchasing a cable, at the end of which there is a brush. It is more efficient than regular wire.
Clear blockagein the sink at home with the help of such a device, almost everyone can. The technology of using the cable is simple. One end of it must be pushed into the sewer pipe through the drain. In this case, you need to perform rotational movements. This is necessary so that the end of the cable can overcome areas with bends and blockages. Rotation allows you to push the fixture further.
If the cable gets stuck in the pipe with serious resistance, you need to act correctly. The cable is rotated in this case only clockwise. Otherwise, the product may begin to unwind. The procedure may require a lot of effort and time if the cork is large. However, over time, the cable will be able to overcome the obstacle on the way.
It is worth noting that when passing turns, you need to make rotations in the direction where the corner is directed. If the turn is to the left, the cable is rotated counterclockwise. If the pipe is predominantly straight, you can fix the tool in the chuck of a screwdriver or drill. In this case, even a difficult blockage can be quickly defeated.
Other mechanical methods
There are a number of other methods for clearing a blockage in the sink at home. If a blockage has formed in the area of \u200b\u200bthe siphon, it must be dismantled. This will require a wrench. A bucket is placed under the siphon. Using a wrench, you need to unscrew the manhole cover or remove the sump altogether. Fat stagnant in the siphon should be carefully scraped off with an oblong object (for example, a screwdriver).
After such mechanical cleaning, the siphoncollected in reverse order. Next, water is drawn into the sink and the system is checked. If there is a leak, you need to treat the siphon with sanitary sealant.
Sometimes such actions do not give the desired result. In this case, you can resort to radical methods. To do this, you need a vacuum cleaner with a reverse thrust function. You should also prepare a plunger. Remove the handle from it. A hole is made in the rubber nozzle. It should correspond to the diameter of the vacuum cleaner hose. It should be firmly seated in the rubber nozzle. If this was not achieved, the system is clamped with clamps.
Next, the rubber nozzle is pressed tightly against the drain hole. Next, the vacuum cleaner is set to the reverse thrust position and plugged into the network. It must operate at full capacity. Purge the pipe for several minutes. Next, the rubber nozzle is removed from the drain. The system needs to be checked. Water is drawn into the sink and the rate of descent of water is estimated. If necessary, repeat the procedure or consider other options for eliminating the blockage.
Using chemistry
How to clean the blockage in the pipes? There are many methods that allow you to quickly deal with various plugs and contaminants in pipes. There are a wide variety of cleaning products on the market. They are available in the form of powder, gel, liquid. It is not worth saving on the quality of such a tool. Only professional chemistry from well-known brands helps to cope with the problem. This, for example, can be a cleaner from Ravak. One of the popular cheap remedies is the Mole composition.
Often, high-quality pipe cleaners are produced by well-known companies that produce plumbing. In order for the product to work correctly and not harm the sewer system, you need to carefully study the manufacturer's instructions. It indicates which pipes the composition is suitable for, how to prepare it and apply it to clear blockages.
On sale are ready-made products and powders that require pre-cooking. If the product is liquid, most likely, you just need to pour it into the pipe. Next, you need to withstand the time indicated by the manufacturer, and rinse the system with hot water. Powdered, granular formulations are in most cases diluted with hot water before use. It is necessary to adhere to the proportions indicated in the instructions.
When using chemicals, you need to remember the safety rules. You need to work with protective gloves. If the product gets on the mucous membranes, it is washed off with plenty of water. Next, you need to see a doctor. It is worth remembering that mixing compositions of different brands is prohibited. This may reduce the effect of both agents. Acid and alkali can neutralize each other.
Thermal effect
Considering ways to clear a sewer blockage, a few words should be said about the thermal effect. If the cause of the blockage is fatty deposits (which often happens in the kitchen), you can flush the system with boiling water. This simple method is quite effective.
We need to boil water in the kettle. Furthergradually hot liquid is poured into the drain hole. Previously, before this, you can pour dishwashing detergent or cleaning the stove from grease here. The chemical composition must be in the pipe for several minutes. Then it is washed off with boiling water.
When the water begins to drain gradually, the amount of hot water is increased. Fat layers will gradually warm up and be carried away into the sewer. This method can be combined with the use of a plunger. This will enhance the positive effect.
It should be noted that when using this method, you need to make sure the heat resistance of the pipes. The type of plastic should be determined. Some varieties are only for warm water. In this case, boiling water should not be used. In other cases, the use of boiling water gives good results. If hair, wool or threads and rags that got into the system became the cause of the blockage, this method will not help. Here you will need to clean the sewers mechanically or chemically.
Soda and vinegar
Many owners of apartments and houses ask how to clean the blockage with soda. This is one of the simple yet effective ways. It is based on the chemical reaction of these two components. This method is suitable if the blockage is located near the drain, for example, in a siphon.
You need to pour 100 g of soda into the pipe. Next, the same amount of vinegar is poured here. The drain hole is closed. What follows is a violent reaction. This allows you to quickly remove the plug or dirt deposits on the pipes. When the hissing stops,again clean the blockage with vinegar. Another 0.5 cup of this substance is poured into the sewer. The hole in the sink is closed again and the contents are left in the system for half an hour. Then the system is washed with boiling water.
Soda and s alt
You can also clean blockages with other improvised means. So, a chemical reaction occurs after mixing soda, s alt and water. You need to mix 100 g of s alt and the same amount of soda.
Dry matter is poured into the drain hole. They leave him here for 15 minutes. It is necessary at this time to boil 4 liters of water. After the specified period, boiling water is poured into the drain hole. After that, you need to quickly close the hole with a stopper. The reaction will go down the pipe. Medium blockages can be cleared with this technique.
Prevention
To clear the blockages was not required in the next few years, you need to carry out a simple preventive maintenance. After washing greasy dishes, turn on the hot water for a few minutes.
Also, do not drain water with solid food residues into the sink. In the bathroom, you need to install a special strainer that will trap hair and other contaminants. It needs to be removed and cleaned periodically. This will prevent various foreign objects from entering the sewer and accumulating inside the pipes.
By looking at different techniques that allow you to effectively clear blockages, you can quickly resume draining and get rid of the problem.
