Drain Doctor Plumbing and Drain Commercial

Can I fix a bathtub drain stoppage?

Can I fix a bathtub drain stoppage?If you have the newer tub drain with the metal pull up stopper at the drain, yes you can. The trick is to get the stopper off the drain. If you can, the cross bar under the stopper will be the major catcher of hair. Pulling the hair off the crossbar will fix your drain.

There are 3 types of pull up drain stoppers. Each has a secret way to remove them. When the stopper is down in the closed position and you can spin the stopper, it probably has the removable center knob. Pull the stopper up to the open position and get 2 adjustable pliers. Place one on the stopper disk and hold it. Take the second pliers, grab the knob and turn it counter clockwise. Under the knob you will see a post that may or may not have a slot for a screwdriver. Unscrew this post and the stopper disc should come off the drain. You will see the crossbar that holds the post and the hair that stopped your drain.

If your stopper does not spin in the down position but does in the up position, look under the stopper disk for a set screw pointing sideways toward the post. If there is one, get a screwdriver and unscrew while pulling on the knob till the stopper pulls off the drain. You can now get the hair.

If their is no screw under the stopper disc, put the stopper in the down closed position and use pliers to turn the knob counter clockwise. The stopper and post should come off to expose the crossbar and the hair.

Or you can call me or a plumber in your area to clean the drain.

Garbage Disposal can cause kitchen sink stoppage

Improper use of the garbage disposer can cause kitchen sink stoppage.
Millions of pounds of pumpkin pulp is scraped from pumpkins throughout the Halloween season, resulting in yummy pies, creative jack-o'-lanterns... and plumbing nightmares.Every year, plumbers get lots of calls to repair garbage disposers and kitchen sink drains that have been clogged with slimy, stringy pumpkin pulp and seeds.
Follow these tips to guard against Halloween drain disasters...
Never put pumpkin pulp or seeds down the toilet, sink drain or in the garbage disposer. The stringy, sticky gunk hardens and clogs drains and disposers.
Carve pumpkins on a thick bed of newspaper. Wrap up pumpkin-related materials and throw away in the garbage can or compost pile.
Separate the seeds, then roast for a tasty treat. Or grow your own pumpkins by planting this year's seeds early next spring.

Kitchen Sink Stoppage

The best way to tell if your kitchen drain is easily fixable on a double sink with a garbage disposal is to fill the clogged sinks about 3 inches deep, place the basket strainer/stopper on the non-disposal side of the sink and hold it down. Turn on the disposal and if the water goes down on the disposal side, turn it off. If the water does not refill the sink, pull the stopper from the other sink. If that water drains, you just fixed your stoppage.
If the water does refill the disposal side of the sink, the stoppage is past the vent and you need to call Drain Doctor Plumbers to cable the drain.
If the water on the disposal side just swirls around and does not drain out, turn off the disposal. The stoppage is before the vent and may be in the P-trap under the sink. You can place a bucket under the P-trap and loosen the nuts on the P-trap and remove the trap and see if it is clogged.
WARNING! DO NOT DO ANY OF THIS IF YOU ALREADY USED AN ACID DRAIN OPENER. CALL DRAIN DOCTOR PLUMBERS.
Caution: This process my damage or cause leaks in old chrome plated metal pipes under the sink.

"Can I fix it myself?" is a weekly post for the benefit of our customers and future customers.