The Unclog Blog - HELP Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Electric

Dealing with Industrial-Sized Clogs

What do you do when you’re dealing with a clogged drain or sewer line that’s been accruing heavy-duty residue like grease, soap, silt, sand and other debris for years? Conventional methods more than likely won’t work, so you can forget about dumping Drain-O down the drain and for that matter, using a snake. Big league clogs require big league solutions: this is where hydro-jetting comes into play.

Hydro-jetting isn’t something you can do yourself. It requires a machine that acts as the King Kong of drain cleaning mechanisms. A hydro-jet drain cleaning machine is a water powered drain cleaner that the operator inserts into the drain to literally blow the problem away. These machines are capable of pushing out 1500 to 4000 pounds of water pressure, meaning anything that’s blocking the drain will be history, and fast. Not only is a hydro-jet machine the most effective tool for blowing out clogs, it’s also the longest lasting because the powerful stream scours drains clean, leaving them like new.

As a homeowner, you probably won’t need a hydro-jet cleaning machine for your sinks, tubs or toilets, but you may need professional assistance for stubborn clogs. In that case, contact Thompson Plumbing Heating & Cooling for red carpet service and Green Screened Certified Plumbers. 

 

Poll: What’s the Most Effective Solution for Unclogging Your Drains?

We’ve dedicated a few posts recently to discussing alternative means for unclogging drains. Grocery stores are filled with solutions like Drain-O that many of us turn to when clogs get bad. After all, how many of us keep a snake handy?

There are many ways to unclog a drain. We’re curious to find out more about how our customers solve their minor plumbing predicaments.

We ask you: What’s the most effective solution you’ve used to unclog your drains?

Store-bought chemicals (Drain-O, etc.)

Plunger

Snake

Boiling Water

Vinegar

Cola

Other

 

Four Ways to Unclog Your Drains Naturally

You should never have to resort to dumping Drano-O or similar toxic chemicals down your drains to rid yourself of clogs. Harmful chemicals that go down our drains wind up mixing with our water supply, where they have to be sorted out, processed and eliminated.

Instead of resorting to powerful, toxic chemicals, try these safer home remedies:

1. Denture tablets and vinegar – Okay, maybe you don’t have denture tablets lying around, but if you do, they work wonderfully for eliminating clogs when combined with vinegar. Just drop three to four tablets down the drain and immediately follow it up with one cup of vinegar. The bubbling action is a powerful and safe way to eliminate clogs.
2. Boiling Water – You can’t get any more green than good old-fashioned boiling water. Boiling water alone can work surprisingly well, so before you try anything else, try this.
3. Cola – Well, Cola (if you really think about it) is a pretty nasty chemical that you shouldn’t have in your house or your stomach. But most of us are suckers for its fizziness and refreshing taste. If you need a reminder of how unhealthy cola is, think about this: its high acid content helps break down even the toughest clogs. Pour it down your drains, let it sit overnight and then rinse with hot water. Voila!
4. Plunger – Invest in a small, drain size plunger (not a toilet plunger) and take advantage of the power of suction. You may not need to dump anything down your drains at all!

 

Some History on the Plunger

As much as I’d like to give the inventor of the plunger a pat on the back for a job well done, she or he departed a long time ago in complete obscurity. The plunger is one of those little conveniences that we can all greatly appreciate for a variance of applications. Although we don’t know who you are, you definitely wore your thinking cap and have saved countless people from some potentially terrible binds.

Educated guesses place the origins of the plunger between 1850 and 1900, when the use of wood and synthetic rubber was becoming common practice. Supporting this theory is the invention of the suction cup during the 1850s.

There are two basic types of plungers. Plungers either have a flat suction cup or a cup with a protruding funnel, more commonly known as sink plungers. Traditionally, plungers were offered in either black or red. These days, as bathrooms have evolved from utility only to more elaborate extensions of our interior design schemes. Plungers are now offered in a bevy of options to match our décor.

FYI:

Did you know that jazz musicians used to take the suction cups from plungers and use them as mutes to modify the sounds of their instruments, particularly trombones and trumpets? Put that in your horn and blow it!