Ten Tips for Drainage Care

You could be having a drain problem in your house when you begin to notice that your sink is taking a bit longer to drain. The other indicator is when water begins to pool around your feet as you stand in the shower. The final sure sign is when you get that strange unpleasant smell. All the above are indicators that you'll probably soon be facing a drain that is clogged or blocked. It's something that you'll need to handle quickly lest you face a burst pipe mess.

Here are 10 tips to keep drains flowing:

Flush Using Boiling Water

This is typically the quickest and easiest way of clearing blocked drains. Pour plenty of boiling water slowly down your drain in several stages, letting your hot water work for a couple of seconds before the next pour. Try three hot pours for effect.

Clean It Using a Coat Hanger Hook

Take and straighten a wire coat hanger, then bend it at one end to fashion a small hook. Push the improvised wire hook past your drain cover and begin to fish inside there. This ought to get all manner of nasty stuff from the drain. When you feel you have removed as much as possible, flush down using hot water and hopefully, it ought to nicely clear things up.

Using A Plunger

This handy tool will easily and quickly break up any blocked drains. You may, however, need to take a couple of shots at it before the problem is fixed.

Try Baking Soda and Vinegar

If using a plunger doesn't bring the desired results, mix about half a cup of vinegar and a handful of baking soda. Pour the mixture down your drain and follow up with a couple of cups of hot water. You may leave it to sit overnight and then flush down using more hot water come morning.

Use Caustic Soda to Unblock Drains

Add about 3 cups of this stuff to approximately 2 liters of water and mix it well. Also referred to as Sodium Hydroxide, it could cause some nasty chemical burns, therefore always use eye protection and rubber gloves. When the mixture begins to heat up and fizz, pour it down into your clogged drain. Leave untouched for between 20 and 30 minutes and then flush down the drain using hot water. If you deem it necessary, have the process repeated.

Use Water To Check The blocked drains with a ducted or central air conditioner, you can check the drains by using soapy water. Firstly, ensure you turn the power off to your air conditioning system or your home. Now, once in the roof, you will see a drain tray or emergency tray situated underneath the air conditioning unit.

This drain removes all of the moisture from your system. Decant the water into the tray and it should rush to one end where it flows down a pipe and to the exterior of your house. Have somebody watch outside to work out if this water runs out unreservedly. These drains usually flow out somewhere close to the outside unit's compressor. If the drains don't flow, it's a good sign that you have got a blocked drain.

Look for Obstructions

Obstacles like sticks and insects can easily get up from outside into the drains and cause blockages. Insects regularly crawl up drains and may make nests with twigs or spiders may make webs that will block your air conditioning systems pipes. To remove these obstructions, you can get a long flexible strap often called a snake, which you push up and down the drain to eliminate these obstructions. You can also blow compressed air down from the roof to try to blow the obstructions out from the pipework.

Remove Mildew from Drains 

Mould can naturally grow in your air conditioner's drain causing an obstruction. To get rid of it, prepare a water and bleach solution and pour this down your air conditioner drains.

Alkaline cleaners are your basic supermarket products. These are poured directly into the drain. They will work on simple hair and grease clogs, but won't do much to clear long-term waste accumulation.

Enzymatic Cleaners are environmentally friendly drain cleaners that use enzymes to break down clogs. However, they are slow to work, often taking three or four days to realize significant results. Enzymatic Cleaners are perfect for drain maintenance.

Acidic Cleaners are extremely useful but can be quite destructive in the wrong hands. They will dissolve most anything clogging a drain. They will also dissolve metal, porcelain, and degrade aluminum and Stainless Steel. Only use an Acidic Cleaner as a last resort. If you decide to use a mechanical device to clear your drain, here are the standard tools of the trade:

Plunger - your basic plunger can clear blocked drains from both the tub and the kitchen sink. A tight seal is needed if they are to work. Be careful when using a plunger, especially if you pour a chemical drain cleaner into the drain first. Splashback can be very harmful to your face and eyes. Use safety goggles or a splash-back mask.