Down the Drain

Clogs. The word itself seems unpleasant, but homeowners know that a clogged drain is about as inevitable as property taxes. A clogged drain is good for plumbers because many of their jobs originate with an S.O.S. to get a toilet or kitchen sink draining properly. The better news is that just a few tools, coupled with a little know-how, are enough to open even the most stubborn drains.

"When you know what to do—and also know what not to do—unclogging drains gets easy," says Ed Del Grande, master plumber and host of "Ed the Plumber," which airs on the DIY Network.

Know the clog before showing up to make the repair. That's the only way to know which tools are right for the job. How to know? Ask the following questions:

• What's clogged?
• Did anything particular clog it?
• Did it occur suddenly, or did draining slow over time (common with root issues, for instance)?

Ask enough questions and, quickly, this clog will reveal its true nature to an inquisitive plumber.

Know the Tricks
Quick now, what's a home's most common clog? "The toilet," answers Del Grande but, solutions are instant, with the right tool in hand. "Sometimes all it takes is a plunger," Del Grande says. His secret: Never push on a toilet clog. Brute strength won't open the drain but physics will. "Use the plunger to create suction, and then pull the plunger up quickly."

If sufficient suction is hard to achieve, coat the lips of the plunger with petroleum jelly, Del Grande says.

But not all toilet clogs can be solved with a plunger. For Del Grande the second line of defense is an auger. "Just remember always to use it gently to avoid scratching the bowl," Del Grande says.

With shower clogs, Del Grande says the critical tool is a grabbing tool. Unscrew the drain and you'll probably find a mass of hair and soap that Del Grande colorfully refers to as a "wet mouse." Do not plunge a clogged shower, urges Del Grande, who explains that will only exacerbate matters by shoving the "wet mouse" down the pipe. Instead, lift out the "wet mouse" and, probably, this drain will be in tiptop form.

With bathtubs and bathroom sinks, usually a plunger will do the trick, but "always put a wet rag over the overflow drain," Del Grande says. Fail to do that and there's no suction, which means a plunger won't work. Some plumbers put a second plunger on the overflow drain and that will do the job, but when only one plunger is handy, the wet rag trick works as well.

Liquid Help
Del Grande says to use caution when using chemical drain cleaners because some chemicals can harm pipes, especially older lead pipes. "Use caution if you decide to use drain chemicals and carefully read and understand the manufacturers instructions before pouring any chemical cleaners into your drains," he says. And carefully read the labels. Some drain cleaners are safe for all pipes, while others can cause havoc with older pipes and septic systems.

The Big Guns
Probably the most common cause of serious clogs are tree roots which can penetrate sewer lines that run from the house to the street via joints or cracks, says Paul Abrams, a spokesperson for Roto-Rooter, the nationwide drain cleaning company. A thoroughly clogged sewage pipe can cause backups in all of a home's drains. New technology is opening these lines faster. Particularly impressive are high-pressure tools that jet water at more than 3,000 pounds per square inch down sewer lines to open stubborn clogs. But before calling in that artillery, deploy tried and true approaches such as running a snake—powered by a hand drill—down the line. The next step up is using a cable drum machine with a 100-foot cable that's powered by a self-contained 1/3-hp motor. When tools like that don't open a drain, it's probably time to call in outside professionals who have specialty gear such as that high-pressure water jet as well as the know-how to safely use powerful tools on oftentimes surprisingly delicate pipes.

Good to Know
Most drains can be unclogged in 5 to 10 minutes, Del Grande says. If it's taking much longer, stop and re-assess. Is the cause known? Are you using the right tools, in the right way? Stop, think, and try again. Soon that clog will disappear. They always do when a smart plumber uses the right tool.