What to Do If the Drain Is Clogged?

A pipe congestion is annoying but with some manual skill you can solve it yourself. For a massive sewer congestion, on the other hand, professionals are necessary who ensure that the water flows off correctly again. But how can you tell if only one pipe is clogged or if the sewer is clogged? And which possibilities are there for the layman to solve a pipe congestion?

Recognize the Difference Between Pipe and Sewer Clogging

Before you can think of a solution to the congestion, you have to find out where it is located. This is important because pipe cleaning is much easier than sewer cleaning. Fortunately, in most cases it is very easy to find out whether pipe or sewer cleaning is necessary. If the water is only blocked in a toilet, or in a washbasin, then probably only one pipe is clogged. If, on the other hand, the water is blocked in the toilets and washbasins of an entire floor or even the entire house, it must be assumed that the sewer is clogged. Here then clearly more complex work is necessary, which you let best a specialized company accomplish.

Fast Solution of a Pipe Congestion

If the congestion is confined to a pipe, simple remedies can often help. Even simple household remedies can help with a light pipe congestion. If the washbasin, bathtub or shower is clogged, baking soda and vinegar can help. Put two to three tablespoons of baking soda into the drain and pour a glass of conventional vinegar over it. Once the mixture has stopped foaming, rinse with plenty of hot water. Another way to help prevent clogs is to buy one of the best flushing toilets on the market.

A rubber pusher is a device that used to be in almost every household. Today, it can also be bought in household appliances stores. It works on the basis of the pressure that is created by pumping and pushes out the blockage. Before using it, the area around the drain should be lubricated with an oily substance, e.g. Vaseline, place the pusher on the drain, press down and then let the water out to the level above the rubber base. The drain protecting against water overflow should also be blocked, e.g. with the other hand. Finally, pump with a pusher several times, creating pressure that should push the blockage through.

More complex, but at the same time more efficient is a pusher working on the principle of a pump, which pushes water into the pipes under pressure.

Most garbage that gets into the drain stops in the siphon. Therefore, it is worth checking the patency of the siphon. The treatment is not complicated, does not entail costs and takes only a few minutes. Place a bowl under the siphon so that the water does not flood the floor, and then unscrew the siphon and hand in a glove or with pliers remove the dirt collected there.

Another popular method of removing blockages is the use of chemical preparations that dissolve dirt accumulated in the drain. The preparation in the form of granules, powder, liquid or gel should be poured or poured into the drain, waited for the time specified in the instructions for use on the package, and then rinsed with hot water. However, we should not reach for corrosive detergents too often because of their harmfulness for the environment, and thus for ourselves. We always use them only with rubber gloves and avoid breathing vapours.

Sewer Congestion Is a Case for Professionals

The congestion of a sewer can have many causes. For example, too little rain can be the reason why the sewer no longer washes away the rubbish. Specially equipped trucks are used to pump water into the sewer at high pressure. So that the water does not flood into the toilet or other drains, these must be sealed beforehand. This work can then no longer be carried out by the user. If the water in the house accumulates in several places, a pipe cleaning emergency service should be consulted in each case – point out specialists from Rohrreinigungsnotdienst.