6 Ways To Unblock Any Drain Fast

Introduction to blocked drains

Blocked drains are common in homes and businesses throughout Sydney, including Baulkham Hills. Hair, grease, leftover food, and tree roots can cause blockages deep within the pipes.

Plunging or using a drain cleaner are simple do-it-yourself methods to resolve blockages. For issues within hot water systems, professional assistance can prevent damage and guarantee a fast resolution.

Baulkham Hills Plumbing is equipped with advanced tools and expertise, ensuring effective service for any plumbing system. Our technicians excel at clearing blockages, preventing pipe damage, and offering durable solutions.

What causes drains to get blocked?

Understanding what causes blocked drains can help you prevent issues, both indoors and out:

Indoor drain blockages

• Food remnants: The gradual accumulation of fats, oils, and grease from your kitchen sink along the pipe walls over time.
• Hair - Strands shed during showers invariably make their way down your shower drain, causing clogs.
• Soap scum - Buildup from bathing products and detergents can slowly form blockages.
• Foreign objects - Such as cat litter, toys, utensils, and tissues that mistakenly enter the toilet or a drain outside.

Outdoor drain blockages

• Leaves and debris: Accumulating foliage can obstruct the drain cover.
• Soil and sediment: Erosion and runoff can lead to drain blockages.
• Damage - Cracked drain pipes that allow dirt and roots to enter.

Homeowners and businesses can do much to prevent severe clogs by staying informed about how certain practices contribute to blocked drains. Some handy plumbing tips include using drain screens, avoiding grease in sinks, and trimming back vegetation from drains.

For significant outdoor drain issues, our skilled technicians excel at removing substances like hair, grease, and food particles, and can offer long-term blockage prevention strategies.

Signs you have a blocked drain

There are several clear signs indicating you may have a blocked drain:

• Water begins to back up in your sinks, showers, or toilets
• Gurgling sounds coming from drains
• Unpleasant sewage odours around drains
• Toilets that are slow to flush
• Puddles forming near drain outlets
• Reduced water flow down drains

When these indicators become apparent, it’s time to swiftly tackle the drainage issues within your pipes. The severity of the obstruction will determine if you need unblock methods to be effective, or if it’s necessary to call a professional Baulkham Hills plumber.

Consider straightforward methods like plunging or using baking soda and vinegar for initial drain issues. If these fail, pouring boiling water down the drain may offer a quick fix before professional help is needed.

When you know how to clear blocked paths early on, it can significantly reduce the risk of pipe damage. Should signs of trouble surface, don’t hesitate to unblock your drain by calling upon our plumbing service specialists at Baulkham Hills Plumbing for swift attention.

Trying home remedies to unblock drains

Before calling a professional plumber, there are several homemade drain remedies involving some hot water you can use to remove simple clogs:

• Baking soda and vinegar: Mix one-half cup of baking soda with one cup of vinegar, then pour boiling water down the drain and let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes to address clogs.
• Boiling water: Heat a kettle to boiling and carefully pour the water down to clear the blockage.
• Plunger - To unblock outside drain issues, plunge the area several times with a drain rod, covering the overflow hole to dislodge clogs.
• Wire hanger: A straightened hanger can be used to snag and remove debris.
• Drain auger: Utilise a manual drain snake to address and extract challenging clog locations.

These handy household items can often eliminate blockages comprising hair, grease, food remnants. However, if water continues backing up, call in Baulkham Hills professional drain technicians to properly clear the blockage.

Our Baulkham Hills Plumbing technicians are equipped with high-pressure jetters and sophisticated drain cameras to efficiently locate and resolve stubborn clogs lodged deep in pipes. We ensure your drain clear and safeguard against future complications.

Consider what can be done at home first, such as using homemade remedies like caustic soda to effectively address the clogged drain. Cover and let sit 15-30 mins.

Using baking soda and vinegar

A reliable home remedy for clear drains is a baking soda and vinegar mixture. The chemical reaction produces bubbles that can break up blockages.

Here are the steps for clearing blocked drain effectively using the reliable combination of baking soda and vinegar:

1. Pour a half cup of baking soda, followed by a cup white vinegar, down the drain first. Make sure it reaches the clog.
2. Continue by carefully pouring one cup of vinegar into the drain and watch the fizzing reaction that helps to break up the clog.
3. With care, use your hands to place a stopper or rag over the drain opening to contain the fizzing reaction and pressure.
4. Leave it for 15-30 minutes then rinse with hot water to flush away any loosened debris.

Tips when using this method:

• Wear gloves and eye protection to guard against splashes from the vinegar.
• Don’t overuse baking soda or vinegar as excessive amounts can damage your pipes.
• Do not shy away from having to repeat process if a single run-through doesn’t quite clear the obstruction effectively.
• Don’t use with chemical drain cleaners as it can create dangerous fumes.

Baking soda and vinegar can effectively unclog drains of grease, soap residue, and mild clogs. For severe or outdoor drain blockages, seek professional inspections and clearing from Baulkham Hills Plumbing.

Boiling water method

1. Boil a full kettle of water - using this method, flush drain pathways can be achieved with a rigorous boil for maximum effectiveness.
2. Carefully pour the boiling water down the drain to combat the blockage, ensuring you avoid splash back.
3. Let it sit for a few minutes, then allow cold water to go down the drain to rinse away any debris.
4. Repeated attempts may be necessary to fully clear a blocked drain.

Tips on how fix blocked situations:

• Wear gloves and eye protection when pouring.
• Don’t use on PVC pipes as boiling water can warp or damage plastic.
• If uncertain about pipe material, let the water cool a bit before pouring.

Utilising boiling hot water can be considered the easiest way to manage a drain clogged with substances such as grease, hair, and soap scum. However, if these methods don’t resolve your drain issue, try reaching out to your local Baulkham Hills Plumbing team for professional assessments and repairs.

Using a plunger

Should a clog occur at home, make use of a plunger, a simple method to tackle your kitchen sink blockages. When used correctly, a plunger can create suction and pressure to dislodge clogs.

Follow these tips to unblock drain effectively with a plunger:

• Begin by placing a bucket under the sink or basin, ensuring there is enough water to cover the drain opening completely.
• Use a large rounded cup plunger designed for sinks. Toilet plungers have a fold-out flap that won’t create an air-tight seal on a flat sink drain.
• Wet the plunger cup to form a tight seal over the drain opening.
• Equipping yourself with rubber gloves, plunge vigorously 10-15 times, using a rhythmic pressure to push and pull water through the drain, dislodging obstructions.
• Remove the plunger to flush away any loosened debris. Repeat as needed.

A plunger can effectively remedy sink shower clogs caused by accumulations of hair, grease, and soap. However, for more severe or outdoor drain blockages professional equipment may be required. Contact the experts at Baulkham Hills Plumbing if the plunger doesn’t solve your blocked drain.

DIY tools to unblock drains

For mild clogs, you might want to try using several handy DIY tools before calling a professional:

• Wire coat hanger: Straighten a coat hanger and insert it into the pipe to hook and remove debris.
• Zip-it drain cleaner: A flexible tool with teeth, designed for snagging and removing hair from drains.
• Drain snake: A tool featuring a hand crank to navigate and break up blockages within drains.

When employing DIY drain tools, be cautious to avoid scratching or damaging your pipe interiors. For outdoor or severe clogs, contact Baulkham Hills Plumbing to properly inspect and clear drains.

When to call a professional plumber

While DIY methods may resolve simple clogs, certain drain issues require professional equipment and expertise. Contact Baulkham Hills Plumbing when:

• Blockages persist after trying several home remedies
• Water is backing up from multiple drains
• You have a main sewer line clog
• Outdoor drains on your property are blocked by tree roots or collapsed pipes
• Drain blockages are accompanied by nasty sewage odours
• Clogs are located deep within pipes, beyond the reach of DIY tools
• Your pipes make gurgling noises indicating air is trapped
• You experience reduced water flow from multiple fixtures

Our licenced technicians can address issues like hair grease food with high-tech gear such as high-pressure jetters, sophisticated drain cameras, and root cutting augers, ensuring drains can be effectively cleared, whether outdoor or indoor. We can accurately pinpoint clogs, remove blockages without damaging pipes, and provide long-term solutions to recurring drainage issues.

If DIY methods don’t clear the blockage, reach out to Baulkham Hills Plumbing for swift, expert intervention, available 24/7 to address any blocked drain or sewer line issue.

Advanced methods plumbers use

Professional plumbers have specialised tools and techniques to tackle drain blockages that are beyond the reach or ability of DIY methods:

• Mechanical drain snakes: Electric augers designed to penetrate stubborn blockages and navigate deeply within extensive pipe systems.
• High-pressure jetters - Truck-mounted water jets producing up to 5000 PSI to scour pipes clean.
• CCTV drain cameras: These provide real-time visibility inside pipes, pinpointing blockages and assessing overall pipe health.
• Pressure hose devices, or hydrojetters, combine high-pressure water with an abrasive element to pulverise stubborn organic materials and grease.
• Pipe relining - Trenchless repair of damaged pipes causing blockages using epoxy resins.

Our licensed technicians at Baulkham Hills Plumbing can remove any drain blockages with our sophisticated drain camera and cleaning equipment. We can restore full drainage capacity without damaging pipes in the process.

For prompt and permanent drain unblocking, trust the experts at Baulkham Hills Plumbing. Reach out to us to clear blocked drains via our contact form or by calling 1300 349 338.

Hydro-jetting

When DIY methods can’t clear stubborn drain clogs, professional hydro-jetting is an advanced solution. Hydro-jetting uses high-powered water jets to scour and clean blocked drains.

Here’s how hydro-jetting works:

• Pressurised water around 5000 PSI is sent down blocked passages through a specialised hydro-jetting machine and hose.
• The hose is manoeuvred down into the drain blocked, directly aiming for the obstruction your plumbing is contending with.
• The extreme pressure from pouring boiling water into your pipes can pulverise and expel years of accumulated grime, waste, grease, and organic residue.
• An added abrasive, which can used with the water, offers even more cutting power against tough accumulations.

Hydro-jetting is an ideal solution for clearing chronic buildup or blockages deep in pipes. It thoroughly scrubs the drain system without risk of damage when done by experienced plumbers.

For the most effective and safest hydro-jet drain cleaning, trust the experts at Baulkham Hills Plumbing, contact us today. Our techs have the specialised hydro-jetting equipment and training to restore full drainage while protecting your pipes.

When DIY methods can’t clear stubborn drain clogs, professional hydro-jetting is an advanced solution.