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Date Posted: 12/15/2007
Don’t get me wrong. A good professional plumber is worth his/her weight in gold
when you have a serious problem with your plumbing system. Over the years I’ve
had to make that call and I’ve been more than satisfied with the quick response
and competent work that has been done. The only thing that hurt a bit was the
bottom line when I wrote out the check.
It’s interesting that topics such as this are not a part of the typical high
school curriculum. As a former educator, I’ve always believed that the
education of our young people should include a number of levels of learning
including how to get along in the real world of home owning, etc. Granted, many
secondary schools offer a fine curriculum in areas such as auto mechanics,
woodworking, etc. but they really fall short in teaching about the everyday
problems people come face to face with as adults.
Enough of the soapbox lecture.
The purpose of this brief article is to cover some of the basics involved in
taking care of routine plumbing problems that eventually all of us will have to
face. Of all the systems in the home, I hate dealing with plumbing the most!
Many repairs need to be completed before your dry run (excuse the pun) can be
run to see if the problem is fixed. If it’s not, you usually have to start all
over again, which is frustrating to say the least.
One of the most common household plumbing problems is the stopped-up toilet. We
recently moved to a new home and were having a lot of problems with toilet
stoppage. We hadn’t changed our diet so we ruled that out as the cause and
tried figuring out what the real problem was. Well, with a little help from the
builder we found out that this newer toiled required you to hold the handle down
a little longer to get a complete flush. You would think that there would be
some kind of warning label or something that would clue you into this, but no.
The problem went away after we followed his advise. Easy fix.
Traditional plungers have been upgraded to configurations that will get the job
done quicker and easier. There is a plunger called “power plunger”. Ask for it
by name at your local hardware store or home center. Chances are that it may be
marketed under a different name. Make sure that the salesperson knows that the
item is, in fact, what is typically called a “power plunger”. This plunger is
effective in clearing clogs from toilets, sinks and bathtubs. If your kitchen
sink is clogged and is connected to a dishwasher, be sure to clamp-off the
dishwasher hose so that the plunger will work completely on the drainpipe
rather than having some of its pressure diverted (uselessly) to the dishwasher.
When the clog is cleared don’t forget to remove the clamp from the dishwasher
hose or you will have some unpleasant consequences when you do wash the next
load of dishes.
I’m not a big fan of liquid drain cleaners. I’ve found that they usually don’t
get the job done (although some people will beg to differ). If you elect to use
a chemical drain opener, be sure that it doesn’t have chemicals that may damage
your piping (read the label on the box or bottle). Also, most of these chemical
cleaners will wreak havoc if they touch exposed skin so, if you choose to try
them, be sure to wear protective gloves and a long sleeved shirt and wash your
hands thoroughly when your finished. If you don’t use the entire bottle, make
sure it’s stored in a safe place where children can’t get to it. Most of the
cleaners include chemicals that are so toxic that death may result if they’re
ingested. There are some liquid drain cleaners that are “earth friendly” and
are less hazardous to use. I’m not sure that they “pack the punch” that more
tradition liquid drain cleaners do but I’m not an expert by any means in this
area.
OK, you’ve tried a “power plunger” and even some liquid drain openers but the
drain remains clogged. What’s next? Your best bet is to buy a small hand auger.
Using the auger is simple. Push it into the drain until you reach resistance
and then close the thumbscrew auger lock with about a foot of the auger
extending from the drain opening. Turn the auger handle clockwise and you will
hopefully move it past the bend in the pipe (where the clog may be). If the
drain is still clogged, loosen the lock and repeat the process. Eventually, the
clog should be forced down the drainpipe and the problem will be solved. If you
suspect that there is an object that is clogging the drain, turn the auger
counterclockwise to remove it.
If all else fails and you have access to the plumbing beneath the clogged unit,
you can try to remove the trap, etc. to see if this helps locate the clog. Be
sure to use a cloth to protect the metal before you try to loosen the joint to
avoid damage.
No joy? Call a plumber.
The longer you live in your abode, the greater the chances that the seals under
the pop up stoppers in the sink and bathtub may begin to leak so that the water
drains before you’re ready for it to drain. A replacement stopper is your best
bet for the bathtub. The fresh seal should take care of the problem. The sink,
on the other hand can be easily fixed in just a few minutes. Inside the cabinet
there’s a rod that protrudes from the drainpipe. This is called a lift rod.
This rod passes through a horizontal piece of metal called the clevis strap and
is fixed in place with a spring clip. Sometimes the clip has become loose and
the lift rod is no longer running through the hole in the clevis strap. Make
sure to force the clamp downward to increase its holding power then run the
lift rod back through the clevis strap and slide the clip back on. If this
solves the problem, you’re finished. Sometimes the seal in the stopper has
become worn and needs a little more downward pressure to make a watertight
seal. Look at the top of the clevis strap for a thumbscrew and after loosing
it, move it upwards a bit (usually a half inch will suffice). Tighten the screw
and your problems should be over.
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