Advices Luxembourg Déboucheur. What there is to know :

Consequences of a clogged pipe

Several inconveniences are generated instantly or gradually during a clog in your sink, drain, shower, toilet or bath. Here are 3:

• Your plumbing may become non-functional. Have you ever had to go to the neighbor to find a working toilet? For many, this alternative is not viable in the long term so it becomes extremely disturbing in your daily life.
• A clogged pipe prevents liquid from passing through, which can logically lead to water damage (clean or waste). In these cases, the bill can swell quickly: ruined carpets, warped furniture and walls, cleaning costs, etc.
• When a pipe is clogged with rotting items (like food), a foul odor can quickly be released into the building.

Additionally, if it’s the foundation drain that’s clogged, it can also lead to water damage due to seepage through your basement foundation, as well as the appearance of rot or mold, or even possible health problems for you and your loved ones.

Unclogging a foundation pipe in brief

Whether by ferrous ocher (sandy ground) or tree roots that have infiltrated and taken advantage of the point of completely blocking the pipe and fracturing it, the breaks will have to be located as precisely as possible in order to replace the affected portion or repair if the damage is less serious. To unblock foundation drains blocked by roots, plumbers use a device that cuts, shreds and extracts the rootlets of trees (example: Rotor 5000). As for ferrous ocher, it can be dislodged by a jet of water under high pressure.

The time when it was necessary to search randomly to circumscribe the problem of obstruction is over. Today, thanks to different types of specialized cameras, plumbers are well equipped to check the condition of all types of drains and make the necessary correction… including drains that are part of your home’s plumbing system.

Pipe Unclogging Products

Obviously, the goal here is not to make an exhaustive list of grandmother’s solutions. However, now that we have already talked about foundation drains, here are some of the most common products used to unclog the pipes inside your home.

Cleaning fluids:

When the clog is in the trap or in the elbow under the sink (that is, often), the liquid unblocker can be a solution of choice. This dissolves the clogs. There are several kinds:

• Destop with soda
• Bleach
• Les enzymes (généralement utilisés dans les fosses septiques, ils mangent les déchets ; toutefois, ça prend plusieurs heures)
• And more…

Also, be sure to follow the manufacturers’ instructions before using them in your drain, toilet, shower, sink or other.

Most of these products are chemical, but some plumbers use products that are less harmful to the environment. Find out from them.

How to unclog a shower or bath drain?

Your bathroom is the room in your home that is most at risk for water damage, because in addition to including a shower, a bath, a sink and a toilet, it also probably includes a bath. and your washing machine.

The risk is increased if it is a bathroom or a simple powder room located in the basement. A sewer backup can then cause wastewater to rise through the toilet drain, the shower drain or the floor drain.

Water damage creates problems with mold and bacteria. You must therefore ensure that the way is clear and that your plumbing system does not need an unclog.

Indeed, over time the clumps of hair, soap scum and grease can clog the drain of your bath, shower, sink, washbasin… and cause your sanitary fixtures to overflow.

The metal clothes hanger

To unclog a shower, bath or sink drain, a metal coat hanger is a particularly effective household tool. If you use plastic clothes hangers instead, you can find metal hangers at a cleaner near you or at one of their dealerships.

Just make the hanger as straight as possible, form a hook with the curved end, slide it into the clogged drain and then remove the hair and other residue.

If you don’t have access to a metal hanger, a hose clamp cut to length can also be used to unclog a clogged drain or a stiff wire at the end of which you have inserted slightly bent metal paperclips .

However, care must be taken not to push the residue deeper that clogs the drain of the bath, the shower… In the event that the plumbing clog is more serious, do not hesitate to contact your plumber. The costs will certainly be lower than calling a residential cleaning and decontamination company.

Pipe cleaners

This tool is made of a metal wire in the shape of a long spring that you have to turn with a crank once it touches the cork in question. It will normally have the effect of undoing it. The drain cleaners are of different sizes, depending on the different types of pipes.

When the plug is out of reach, you must (using an adjustable wrench) open a manhole plug located in the pipes in your floors or walls to insert the drain cleaner or a liquid unblocker again. Without the expertise of a plumber, you could be looking for the clog for a long time.

The rotary plunger (the “fish”)

You can also « pass the fish » down the clogged bath or shower drain.

The cable of the manual rotary plunger, ferret advances by turning on itself and easily slips through all the meanders of the drains of showers, baths and sinks.

The twists it performs dislodge the clumps, which contributes to the unclogging of the drain. An 8m long rotary plunger will penetrate to a sufficient depth to clear the clogged pipe.

There are also electric rotary plungers, but since the cable is longer and its diameter is larger, these are mainly used by plumbers to remove clogs that have lodged in the sewer pipe and caused a sewer backup.

The suction cup

Most people are very familiar with the bell-shaped plunger used to unclog the toilet.

However, there is also a cup-shaped plunger to unclog the drain of a bath, shower, sink or basin. It should be remembered that in order to unclog a drain, the water pressure in the clogged pipe must be reduced.

This is the reason why any secondary opening must be plugged with a cloth. For example: the second basin of a double sink, the overflow outlet of the bath or sink…

Baking soda and vinegar

• Simply mix ½ cup baking soda with ½ cup white vinegar (and salt if desired),
• immediately pour in the vinegar slowly, while it fizzes and, 15-20 minutes later, add hot water before leaving the mixture to act for at least a few hours.

This recipe is effective in preventing clogged shower drains or bath drains if used on a regular (weekly) basis. On the other hand, if the residue clog is more serious, this method of unclogging drains will not have the necessary dissolving capacity. It would then be recommended to use the service of your plumber.

The Drano

Of course, chemical liquids to unclog pipes such as Drano are more concentrated and therefore more effective in unclogging a more clogged drain.

It should be remembered that Drano is a highly harmful chemical for humans. If it causes serious burns to the skin (by contact), imagine what such a product could cause to the digestive tract of a child who would have access to it if it were stored in an inappropriate place. And what about the harmful effects and permanent consequences of a splash received in the eyes (risk of blindness)?

Moreover, if such a chemical liquid is used for unclogging the toilet, the porcelain of the bowl could be damaged. There is even a risk that the pipes will burst since used too frequently, these corrosive products eat away at metal plumbing pipes or seriously damage plastic (ABS) pipes.

You will then need to call a plumber urgently.

A non-emergency service call to a plumber to unclog a drain costs a hundred dollars and neither you nor your loved ones are in any danger whatsoever.