Clogged drains are a common occurrence in any household, and it is useful to know when and how to unclog the drain yourself, and when it is best to call the plumber. By following the steps suggested in this article you will be able to determine if the drain can be unclogged with techniques available to a typical householder, or whether the problem requires the services of a plumber. If only one drain is involved, then obviously that drain is clogged. If more than one drain is clogged, then the blockage is in the pipe system or in the sewer line. In either case, you will most likely need plumbing assistance.
2) If the problem is localized at one drain, then you should remove the drain stopper, to access and clean away any clinging build-up, including hair, food, sediment and grime. If not done regularly, a drain stopper can accumulate enough debris to completely clog a drain.
3) Next, if you are so inclined you might try some household remedies. Start by putting some dish soap, such as Dawn down the drain, and follow it with some hot water. If this doesn’t help, you can try the next step.
4) Many people would prefer using backing powder, vinegar and salt strictly for cooking, but there are those who claim they make a good household drain cleaner. To use correctly you must pour a cup of baking soda into the drain followed by heated vinegar. Wait 5 minutes and flush with 2 quarts of water, or repeat the whole procedure again with one cup of salt, wait overnight and then flush with water. If baking soda doesn’t work than try the following remedy, recommended by a plumbing company in California. for sinks blocked by hair, Take some Nair, (the leg hair remover), if you have some laying around the house, and pour a bottle down your drain. Let it sit for about a half an hour, then flush the drain with hot water. It will clean out and keep working on the gunk and hair further down the line as it continues to move down the pipes and drains.
5) A toilet plunger can be used to clean sinks. Best to clean it thoroughly, or reserve a plunger specifically for your sink Bear in mind that the success of this maneuver is dependant on a proper plunger motion. You need to plunge hard with the shaft of the plunger aimed at the center of the drain as you press down.
6) If the plunger doesn’t work, you can try some drain cleaner. There are many good types of drain cleaner. If you are not sure which one works best, ask your plumber.

Before taking the following steps keep in mind that unless you’re confident in your abilities to dismantle and successfully re-mantle the plumbing system attached to your sink or bath, avoid tinkering with the pipes and possibly making the problem worse.
7) The next step is to clean the drain trap. If your sink stopper is connected to a stopper pull, you will have to disconnect it under the sink. This can be done by removing a nut from the stopper pull under the basin. A bath tub stopper must be removed at the overflow plate. Most overflow plates are attached by one simple screw. The overflow plate will be attached to an assembly that is linked to the stopper. After removing the screw and the overplate, gently move the assembly until it comes off. Once you have opened the drain trap you need to clean out all the hair and other debris that has lodged in there. You may have to do it by hand.
If the above steps haven’t helped than you probably should call a plumber, unless you feel totally confident in your ability to take the sink drain apart and remove the trap for cleaning. Most sink traps are connected by chrome or plastic
9) If removing the sink drain didn’t help, you have only two more options before you must call a plumber. You can try running water from a hose through the drain pipe, if you can get at it.
10) Finally, if all these steps didn’t work than the blockage is surely further downstream and your only option is to buy a drain cleaning snake from the local hardware or plumbing store and try to run it down the drain. This step won’t work if the pipes are crooked, or if the blockage is out of reach of the non-professional drain cleaning snake.
11) If nothing has helped, or if you’re like many people who want a plumber exclusively to treat plumbing problems, then you must call a professional plumber. Keep in mind, that there are many causes of clogged drains, such as roots growing into sewage pipes, that only a plumber can fix.
A-1 Plumbing of Baltimore is a licensed plumbing company, with over 30 years of experience in cleaning unclogging Clogged drains clogged pipes clogged bathtubs, clogged sinks drains If you live in the Baltimore, Maryland are or in Baltimore, ann Arundel or Harford County, give us a call, and we will immediately dispatch a licensed plumber with expertise in cleaning %KEYWORD2 .

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