Unblocking Your Drains

We all take care of our plumbing and drainage needs. Proper plumbing and drainage can be a boon for households and offices as they provide safety and secure disposal of water and wastes. We often however face a lot of issues with our plumbing and drain pipes.

These problems can heighten up if not looked into immediately and can cause further problems to arise. We should endeavour to take proper care and maintain our drains regularly. Then only your drains will work and function efficiently for you.



Drains can sometimes get blocked over time. Blocked drains are caused mainly due to accumulation of excess water, waste, soap foams, etc. Everyone wants to keep their sinks, bathrooms, toilets clean and tidy. There are some areas of the house which are used quite often.

These areas are more prone to blockages and cloggings. A blocked drain can cause a lot of trouble for the home owner or resident. Blocked drains cause the bathroom to appear dirty and stranded with water. Also previous wastes can seep out from the sink hole and create a whole lot of mess which can be difficult to clean up.

Blocked drains are a huge pain and they can create floods. They can also lead to unpleasant odours in the sink or in your washroom. In this article we shall teach you how you can take care of your blocked drains all by yourself without having to call the doctor.

Fixing your blocked drains

There are number of ways to fix your clogged drains and sinks. Read on to find out more about how you too can clear your blocked pipes.


Pour one tea spoon of baking powder in to the hole of the sink or drain. Make sure that the entire powder makes its way through the drain pipe inside. Then pour about two cups of boiling water and wait for some time. Then add one more cup of baking soda and immediately add one spoon of white vinegar.

Take a wire hanger and bend it to make it straight. Then take one end of it and curl it to make a hook. Insert the end with the hook into your drain and start fishing. In sometime the accumulated waste will make its way down to the bottom.

You can even simply use boiling water to clean the pipes and get rid of all your blockages. This is a simple home remedy that anyone facing problems with their drains can use. Simple boil about four to five cups of water.

Then pour water down the pipes at regular intervals. After some time you will hear a searing noise and bubbles will start coming out. The accumulated waste will get dissolved and get cleared from the pipe.

You can also use some salt and some baking soda. Pour salt and baking soda down the drain. Wait for a few minutes and then pour boiling water. The salt plus soda will create a chemical reaction inside the pipes which will clear your pipes.

To Get Help With Your Blocked Drains Visit localplumbersnearme.co.uk

Five Common Plumbing Problems And How To Fix It By Yourself

Plumbing problems are one of the most common issues that can happen on UK homeowners.

The good news is you can actually do the repairs by yourself from a slow draining sink to leaky pipes and low water pressure. You can get a drain cleaning kit from a place like B&Q.

To learn about this, check some easy fixes below and save your pocket of hundreds of pounds.

Do-It-Yourself Drain Cleaning Tips

Low water pressure

Low water pressure affects sink faucet and shower head. Check it first by removing the fixtures and examine the aerator. The common cause is the calcium deposits slowly build up. For an easy fix, make sure you carefully remove the aerator and try cleaning it by soaking the faucet or the shower head in a water-vinegar solution. Replace the device if it doesn’t work. After drain cleaning or replacing the device put it back on and turn on the water.

Slow Draining Tub

Another very common plumbing problem is a slow draining tub. However, this one can easily be fixed. A common issue with this is that the tub drain is full of hair. This is the reason why the water slows down as it drains out of the tub.
To clear out the debris in the drain, you can use a pair of needle-nose pliers as it is can easily reach in. In cases wherein your tub has a tub stopper in the drain, you have to remove it first before you get to remove the hair clog.

Leaking Pipes

Leaky pipes are common to houses with an old plumbing system. The elements that can corrode pipes over time are oxygen, chlorine and hydrogen sulfide.
When you saw it, fix it fast by stopping the leak temporary or until you do a full repair. You can put an epoxy clay to the leaking area. Make sure the part is dry. Afterward, you cover it with a rubber and set it for an hour or more. After it has dried, use a water resistant tape for double protection.
In worse situations that would need a pipe replacement, you may call a professional plumber to do it.

Running Toilet

Running toilet is one of the common plumbing problems that most people are familiar of. It can waste gallons of water a day and can cost you an increase in the water bill. Well, fixing it is easy but what you need to do first is to examine what causes the problem.
Flappers are usually the problem. If you examine and see that there is a mineral buildup, clean the flapper by soaking it in a bowl of water-vinegar solution for 30 minutes and scrub it with an old toothbrush.
Other things you can consider to do is to adjust the chain length just right and to adjust the water level to prevent draining of water constantly. Lastly is to test the fill valve by making sure that there is no running water in it. If there is, just adjust the float height as necessary.

Congested Garbage Disposal

A garbage disposal or a waste disposal unit. It is a device underneath that shreds food waste so it can pass through plumbing. However, putting anything that is too hard or too scratchy can cause blockages and congestion to the garbage disposal.
What you can do is to avoid putting items that are large and hard to shred. Moreover, you can also clean it by throwing some ice cubes from pure vinegar or lemon juice or a cleanser. This lets the waste to go down easier because the water pushes it down

Visit Local Plumbers Near Me to help with your emergency drain cleaning.