Paul's Plumbing Tips

Essential Kitchen Drain Unclogging Tools

One of the most common plumbing issues that homeowners face is blocked kitchen drains. Typically, kitchen drains clog when solid waste, such as papers, grease, and other insoluble debris, finds its way inside pipes. As the debris accumulates, it prevents water from flowing away with ease. Unfortunately, kitchen clogs can lead to foul smells and burst pipes if you do not identify and unclog the drains in good time. It is the reason you need essential drain cleaning equipment at hand. This post highlights a few pieces of equipment.

Plunger

One of the handiest tools when it comes to unclogging kitchen drains is a plunger. A standard plunger comprises a wooden or plastic handle with a rubber cup at the end. Typically, a kitchen plunger works via Boyle's law. Therefore, when you suspect a clog in your kitchen drain, the first thing you should do is get a plunger and seal the rubber cap over the drain's opening. As you push a plunger down, you increase the pressure inside the drain, pushing the water downward. When you pull a plunger up, the suction force created reduces the pressure, allowing water to rise. If you repeat the action several times, the sloshing motion eventually dislodges clogs and clears a drain. Notably, be careful when buying a plunger because some are designed for toilet drains and others for kitchen drains.

Drain Snake

A drain snake is another tool you must have in your kitchen to combat clog drains. As its name implies, a drain snake is a flexible wire coil fitted with a corkscrew-like head. Since the tool looks like a snake, you can insert and direct it inside a kitchen drain with relative ease, regardless of a pipe's design. Ensure you hold the grip firmly as you carefully push the drain snake towards a clog. Once you reach a clog, use the clasp at the end of the drain snake to grasp the debris obstructing water flow. A drain snake is one of the easiest kitchen tools to use if you can manipulate the clasp.

Drain Jet Cleaner

If you recently unclogged your kitchen's drain, but it clogs again after a few weeks, it could be the remnants of sticky residue on the sides of the drain. It can be frustrating unless you thoroughly scrub the sides of a pipe to clear all debris. A drain jet cleaner removes stubborn clogs by spraying water under high pressure directly towards a clog. However, you need a small pressure washer to produce a strong jet of water capable of flushing away sticky residue on the sides of a drain; hence, preventing future clogs.

If you have a blocked drain, contact a local plumber for help.


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