How to un-clog a blocked drain yourself and when to call a plumber
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This article explains simple methods used to un-block a clogged drain. This is a section of CLOGGED DRAIN DIAGNOSIS, our complete article that explains explains how to investigate slow or blocked drains and septic system backups to distinguish between a probable septic system failure versus a probable blocked building drain.
When a building drain is clogged or slow, or when there is a septic system backup, it's important
to determine where the problem lies, since the repair steps can be quite different and costs can vary widely.
Our photo (above) shows a toilet plunger that will work equally well clearing a sink or tub trap blockage. We like this particular model of toilet plunger because its shape pushes a larger volume of air and water per "plunge" than some simpler versions.
Guide to Easy Step by Step Methods to Clear a Clogged Building Drain
How to clear a blocked sink trap: before messing with snakes, wires, plungers, and plumbers, if the blockage is at a single sink or tub trap look into the trap with a flashlight.
If you see that the fixture drain is blocked by hair, use a wire with its end bent into a hook or even needle nosed pliers to see if you can carefully pull out and remove the clog of hair and crud yourself.
While you're there under the sink, if the fixture trap is corroded, leaky, or damaged, put a bucket under it to catch water, disassemble it, and take the parts to your local hardware store to simply buy a replacement.
Be careful to avoid bending or damaging the sink tailpiece or the horizontal connecting pipe at the building wall or you'll end up having to replace those as well.
Should I use a drain cleaning chemical on my blocked or slow drain? We have mixed advice. Sometimes drain cleaners work very well, and these chemicals have the "magic bullet" appeal: pour some goop into your slow or clogged sink or tub and wait (longer is better) for the goop to dissolve the blockage. Often these products work, and they are especially suited for certain types of clogs such as hair or grease clogging a hard-to-get-at sink or tub trap.
But watch out: if you are going to end up having to use a toilet plunger or plumbing snake, or you're going to disassemble and remove the plumbing trap, and if you've already poured a drain cleaner into the fixture, you may have a difficult situation as many drain cleaning products are toxic or caustic and can cause burns or poisoning. So you might want to try using a toilet plunger before using the drain cleaner. If the plunger works (instructions are just below) you've avoided having to pour chemicals into your drains, building, and maybe your septic system.
How to use a toilet plunger to clear a simple blocked drain: be sure that the rubber cup of the plunger fully covers the sink, tub, or toilet drain.
Be sure that there is plenty of water in the sink, toilet, or tub around the plunger (run water into the fixture) and that the blocked drain is filled with water - if your drain is slow but not blocked, plunging to clear it is more difficult unless you can get a solid column of water to push on the blockage as you work the plunger at the fixture.
If your drain is slow but not totally blocked, you may be able to get enough water into the drain trap and pipe for the plunger to do its work if you put a volume of water in the sink or tub (or toilet), then let it out into the slow drain while you operate the plunger.
Our photo (left) shows that we also left the water running in this slow drain to make sure we had plenty of water in the drain pipe during the plunging operation.
Of course if your sink or tub or toilet is draining very slowly or is totally blocked you won't need to add water or run water during the drain clearing operation.
If the sink or tub has an overflow vent (most do) try holding a wet cloth over that opening to assure that the pressure your plunger applies to the column of water in the drainpipe pushes on the obstruction rather than just backing up through the vent as you operate the plunger.
Don't give up too soon. Often we've had to push the plunger up and down for several minutes to successfully dislodge a remote blockage in a drain pipe.
The toilet plunger approach may not work if the blockage is only partial and you can't keep enough water in the drainpipe for the plunger's action to actually press on and dislodge the obstruction. It won't work at all if the cause of slow drain is an actual constriction on the drain line due to rust or mineral buildup or due to a broken or collapsed drain line.
How to use a plumbing snake to clear a blocked drain: a plumbing snake is a flexible wire or coiled wire that is gently forced down through a drain (and in some models rotated by hand or by a machine) to attempt to clear the drain. Plumbing snakes and wires are available ranging from tiny models that can clear a sink or tub trap to large two-person machine-operated rotating power snakes used by professionals to clear sewer lines.
If you are tempted to try a rented power-snake be very careful as serious personal injury and also drain line damage can occur if you don't know how to feed and control the power snake as it moves into and out of the drain line. If you are uncertain leave this approach to a professional.
Be careful: we once paid a plumber who charged "by the foot" of wire to run a "wire" into a drain line supposedly to clear it. The drain continued to be slow until we disassembled the building piping to see that the drain interior was nearly totally blocked by corrosion and mineral build-up in galvanized piping. Replacing the drain piping was required - a diagnosis missed by our first plumber and his wire.
Guide to Using a Kinetic Water Ram™ to Open Blocked Building Drains
How to use a kinetic water ram to clear a blocked drain: a kinetic water ram can be effective in clearing blocked drains and can be rented from your local "rent-all" store.
A "kinetic water ram" pump uses compressed air to clear clogged building drains is also available. After renting a kinetic water ram drain cleaning tool to clear clogged drains several times we bought one and used it for many years.
We were impressed with the quality and strength of our kinetic water ram drain cleaner. A simple mechanical pump compresses air in a cylinder. A rubber fitting is attached to an outlet end of the cylinder and held in place over a clogged drain. When the pump's trigger is pulled the ram releases its air in a bang that tries to blow loose obstructions in drain pipes.
The kinetic water ram drain clearing device can unblock some types of clogged drains even when the clog is distant provided you can assure that the drainpipe is full of water when the equipment is used.
We rented and eventually purchased this sine-qua-non of mechanical drain openers, the Kinetic Water Ram™ - a pump device that will usually blow-out clogs, even remote clogs, in building drains. The Kinetic Water Ram includes a stainless steel air pump and rubber fittings that match the business end of the ram to a building sink, tub, toilet, or other drain. Our kit came in a steel orange box that included a collection of rubber fittings to let us use the tool with almost any drain opening size or shape.
Pump up the water ram, hold it over the drain opening, pull the trigger. Wham! a blast of air impacts the column of water in the slow or clogged drain, pushing free an obstruction in as few as one shot. Recently when we called our plumber to un-clog a building drain he arrived with just this same tool in hand. For building drains he no longer uses a wire or plumbing snake.
You can rent this device at many consumer rental centers. To use the Kinetic Water Ram effectively you may need to
use a wet rag to plug up nearby sink and tub overflow vents
run water to fill up the drain pipe if the drain is slow rather than totally blocked (the water ram is less effective or not effective at all if there is too much air in the drain pipe, as it is relying on pushing a column of water against the drain obstruction).
Keep in mind that the Kinetic Water Ram, nor any other product, plumbing snake, etc. is going to be effective is your drain is slow or blocked because mineral or other hard build-up has lined the drain pipe interior.
But be careful not to pump to a pressure higher than necessary. You can get quite a splash in the face when you fire off the ram if you're not careful. Worse, in our dentist's office where a chronic clogged drain was later traced to mineral and rust-blocked galvanized drain piping, not only was the kinetic water ram drain clearer useless, in our enthusiasm we blew the trap right off of her bathroom sink. An elated moment of "we fixed the blockage" was followed by an "Oh S***" as the sink full of nasty water flowed out of the vanity base and across the floor of the dental office bathroom.
A Quick Summary of Better Ways to Unclog Slow or Clogged Building or Fixture Drains
Strainers & Stoppers: Try removing the sink strainer and stopper to see if you can pull out clogs of hair or debris from above
Traps: If the sink or tub trap is accessible and in good condition you may be able to disassemble it over a bucket (to catch water and debris) and clean and reinstall the trap. If the trap is corroded or flimsy you may want to leave this task to a professional plumber.
Toilet Plungers: Try a toilet plunger, and don't be afraid to use it repeatedly for five or ten minutes. We've had great success with this simple tool.
Try a Kinetic Water Ram (photo and discussion of the Kinetic Water Ram is just above)
Drain Snakes: We have given up on using little do-it-yourself wires and snakes and augers in drains, but sometimes these work just fine, and of course the purchase price of a little drain snake is less than the Kinetic Water Ram.
Hire a Plumber: If there is a clog in a main building drain between a building and sewer or septic system, it may be necessary to rent or have your plumber use a power snake - a rotary auger that can dig out roots and other clogs. But beware: if roots are clogging your drain pipe this is only a temporary fix as they will reappear in months to a year.
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Kinetic Water Ram™ is made in the U.S. by General Pipe Cleaners, division of General Wire Spring Company,McKees Rocks, PA. See http://www.waterram.com/ for purchase information, how-to videos on using the Kinetic Water Ram to un-block drains, and other consumer help. The Kinetic Water Ram device retails for about $250. You can contact the company directly at 800-245-6200 or 412-771-6300. In Canada, call toll-free 877-273-7246
Fax: 412-771-2771
Kinetic water rams are also described and demonstrated at waterram.com/faq.php
Carson Dunlop, Associates, 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2Toronto. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education including the ASHI-adopted Home Inspection Training Program (home study course), publications such as the Home Reference Book, report writing materials including the Horizon report writer, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
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How to clear a blocked sink trap: before messing with snakes, wires, plungers, and plumbers, if the blockage is at a single sink or tub trap look into the trap with a flashlight. 
How to use a plumbing snake to clear a blocked drain: a plumbing snake is a flexible wire or coiled wire that is gently forced down through a drain (and in some models rotated by hand or by a machine) to attempt to clear the drain. Plumbing snakes and wires are available ranging from tiny models that can clear a sink or tub trap to large two-person machine-operated rotating power snakes used by professionals to clear sewer lines. 
How to use a kinetic water ram to clear a blocked drain: a kinetic water ram can be effective in clearing blocked drains and can be rented from your local "rent-all" store.