A Blog About Clogs in Oklahoma City
Clogged drains are a common Oklahoma City home plumbing issue, occurring when hair, waste, or food products-depending on the use of the drain-get stuck in the pipe, stopping water or waste from draining. You can deal with some clogs on your own, but for serious issues, you may need to call in a professional Oklahoma City plumber.
One day, your shower, toilet, or kitchen sink is working just fine. The next, you take a shower, use the restroom, or wash the dishes and you’re left with dirty water that just won’t drain - or worse, is overflowing from the basin. What happened? Most likely, the drain is clogged with solid material-hair in the shower, waste and paper in the toilet, or food in the kitchen sink. Clogs start small but can get nasty fast, especially if you don’t deal with them in a timely fashion. There are a number of DIY fixes for minor drain clogs, but if you’ve exhausted your options or the problem is severe, you’ll need to call a professional Oklahoma City plumber.
DIY Fixes
You can attack a clogged drain head-on using a standard plunger. Fill the basin with enough water to cover the plunger head, and then place the plunger over the affected drain so that it creates a seal. Pump the plunger up and down rapidly, forcing water in and out of the drain, and then pop it off to break the seal. Repeat, if necessary. This should loosen and flush away minor clogs. If plunging several times fails to loosen the blockage, purchase a chemical drain opener and use it as directed on the package. Be aware, however, that the caustic agents in chemical drain openers can actually harm some fixtures. If a plunger and a full container of drain opener don’t do the trick, it might be time to bring in an expert.
What the Pros Do
Professional Oklahoma City plumbers have an array of tools in their arsenal to fight clogs. One of the most basic is the drain snake, also known as a drain auger. Plumbers spiral this long, flexible cable down into the pipe until it reaches the clog, displacing it. A more modern piece of plumbing technology is the hydro-jet, which is designed to blast through and eradicate pipe blockages. While a drain snake is generally effective on basic clogs, hydro-jetting can get rid of years of accumulated sludge inside your pipes.
Preventative Measures
Most Oklahoma City plumbing systems will need occasional maintenance and professional drain cleaning, but you can take steps to decrease the frequency of clogged drains. In the kitchen, avoid pouring cooking grease down the drain, as it can accumulate and harden inside the pipe. If you have a garbage disposal, always flush it with water to keep food from sticking to the pipe. In the bathroom sink and shower, use drain stoppers or strainers to keep hair and other materials from going down the drain. Only flush items down the toilet that are labeled “flushable.” Anything else may clog the plumbing. And finally, always address minor clogs before they become complete blockages. When you notice your water draining more slowly than usual, especially if it gets a little worse each day, it’s time to take action.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Penny_Q_Jones
If you are looking for a professional Oklahoma City plumbing company, then please call us today at 405-802-7769 or complete our online request form.
Noah Can’t Help You With This One
The laundry room, which can be located in such areas as the basement, the main floor of your Oklahoma City home, or even up in the attic, can be a place where a flood can occur. When a laundry room flood occurs, the damage can be extensive and expensive. Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to prevent flooding of your laundry room.
To determine if you have a plumbing issue that could result in a laundry room flood, check to see if the floors and walls around the laundry room sink are damp. Check the joints in the pipe connections to see if they are loose. If they are, you can tighten them yourself. Also, check to see if there are tiny holes or cracks in a pipe. If there is a small hole that can cause a leak, you can wrap the pipe in rubber hose and attach clamps at the top, bottom, and at the source of the leak. There is also plumber’s epoxy you can purchase which is effective at sealing small holes and cracks causing leaks.
Clogs are another cause of a laundry room flood as they can cause the floor drain line or sink drain line to backup. Causes of a clog can include: hair, soap, and lint which can accumulate in the line and eventually cause it to clog. To determine if you have a clogged drain, you can turn off the water, remove the u-shaped pipe, and try to locate the clog. You will also have to examine each side of the straight ends of the pipe to see if there is a clog. Once you have located and removed the clog, put the pipes back in place, turn the water on, and run water through to see if the water flow has returned to normal.
Burst pipes are also a cause of flooding. Burst pipes are often due to old worn pipes or frozen pipes. It is important to have your Oklahoma City plumber restore old and damaged pipes. To prevent frozen pipes, you should wrap the pipes in insulation wrap. Other times, a flood can be caused by worn parts such as a worn hose connection. If you have old, cheap, or worn connections, you should get them replaced. If your water hose bursts, it will flood the room with hundreds of gallons of water. You should consider installing a shut off valve to prevent such a disaster. As well, installing a floor drain can stop flooding of the room. Hiring a Oklahoma City plumber to install a washer tray under your washing machine will help collect water if a leak develops.
When implementing measures to prevent flooding of the laundry room, it is a good idea to have a Oklahoma City plumber inspect the plumbing system, appliances that use water, and plumbing fixtures, to check for damage and old and worn components. An examination and repair of high risk parts and appliances will go a long way in preventing flooding of the laundry room. It will prevent a lot of damage and save you a lot of money. When it comes to laundry room flooding, prevention is the solution.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adriana_N.
