k - my sink has been slow for awhile, it now takes upward of 2 hours to drain a sink full? I know, I know Draino would HELP, but what is the next step - besides plumber. Don’t want to call plumber cause of cost... could anyone tell me what that would run, if that is the best route?
HELP
2007-09-25 04:45:59 · 8 answers · asked by kub2 4 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
Don't start with Drano. If you have a disposal it will kill that and if the drain needs to be worked on after you pour it in that is a toxic mess that will come pouring out.
Look under the sink and you should find the drain pipe with a big screwed-in plug at its bottom. Put a pan under that plug, put on rubber gloves, and get a large wrench to twist it open (turn counterclockwise to open). That bottom is the most likely place for the clog to be. Hopefully when you take off the plug a big messy glop will fall out into the pan for you to throw away. If you still have a problem buy a small sink auger and poke it into the pipe though that open plug-hole to try to catch anything else there and pull it out into the pan.
Put the plug back in and try running water now.
2007-09-25 05:21:33 · answer #1 · answered by Rich Z 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The thing about Draino is that it sometimes takes a long time to work - if the gunk inside doesn't dissolve quickly, that is. Sometimes if you let the draino work longer (or liquid plumber or whatever), you get better results - as long as you don't wait so long that your pipes get eaten through. If the clog is pretty severe, it may take more time to saturate the gunk inside with the stuff that dissolves it. A small percentage of things are resistant to being dissolved that way, so the next step before calling the plumber is shutting off your water and taking off the P-trap (that's the U shaped thingie of pipe under your sink) - and seeing what's in there, if anything, and pulling it all out.
If you don't want to pay for a union plumber, an apartment repair tech might do some freelance for cheaper - but don't expect a warranty or anything.
2007-09-25 05:27:33 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The mechanical methods actually work MUCH better than chemicals. Go to your local home store and find either some sort of snake to digout the clog or they actually sell kits that either use compressed air or the water pressure from your tap to force the clog down the drain. There is something called the Drain King VIP that Consumer Reports rates the very highest of all drain clog removers. It uses water pressure from your tap. I think it's about 20 bucks. Can't go wrong with that!
2007-09-25 05:51:51 · answer #3 · answered by Louis G 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No no no and NO! Use a toilet plunger! Seriously! And stop putting all that crap down your sink!! I *used* to think you could put darn near anything down the disposal. That is until a left over roast and potato mess flooded my recently remodeled basement!! Argh! Now I scrape leftover food into the trash, or feed them to my dogs (they work waaay better than the garbage disposal and are only too glad to be of service). I only put miniscule amounts of gunk down there now.
Try the plunger. It works for me.
2007-09-25 05:06:56 · answer #4 · answered by bijou 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just go to the store and buy some Professional strength un-clogger. The MAX gel works good, you might need to buy two bottles and let it work about 30 minutes, but this should work. I had the same problem
2007-09-25 04:54:06 · answer #5 · answered by Yellowtulips 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Dude, do what I did and unsrew your pipes! That's what I did and the cost was free!
Or you can stick a wire hanger down there and try pulling the gunk out.
2007-09-25 04:50:28 · answer #6 · answered by JMC 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
DIY...Remove "P" trap first, check for clog; replace; test; and then possiby snake. No real offense but so many run straight for the TOXIC stuff???
2007-09-25 04:55:14 · answer #7 · answered by DIY Doc 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
RENT A SNAKE AT A RENTAL SHOP...
2007-09-25 04:51:33 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋