Tips to Unclog Drains

By: bryanhofx
Clogging of drains in homes is a common plumbing problem faced by many home owners. To prevent this, it is important to use a strainer in basin to catch items and prevent children or maids in households to drop things into the drains to cause choking. Depending on the severity of the choke, you can unclog the choking yourself with the few tips below and save money from having to engage an emergency plumber.
One of the options to clear a clogged drain is the use of a plunger, which looks like a bowl on a handle. This can be conveniently purchased at your neighbourhood hardware shop. Scoop up any standing water and fit the plunger into the drain opening to make a tight seal. Once you have done that, start pumping the plunger quickly. This method will normally clear mild chokages often caused by soft materials. Just a simple note that some splashing is expected and thus, you may wear some protective gear to prevent getting stains on your clothing.

If your clog is slightly more serious and the plunger can't seem to work, one other option is to use the plumber snake. This useful plumbing tool can also be bought easily at the hardware shop and consist of a flexible metal tube (cable) attached to a handle. Insert the end of the cable into the drain and start dislodging the clog. Be careful when using this on toilet bowls as the cable may cause scratches on it. If the clog is at the toilet bowl, buy plumber snakes with rubber head so as to prevent the scratches.

For the more adventurous one, you can attempt to dismantle your drainage pipes to remove the chokages. Normally, clogs formed at drain trap or bends of the pipes. To do so, turn off the main supply and get ready a big bucket and wencher. A lot of water will spill when you remove the drain trap and thus, the bucket will prevent making a mess of the area. After you do so, clear the chokage and reassemble it back. If it is so badly damage, you will have to replace the whole affected section.

If you feel that the above tips are too much of any effort for you, you can always look for a reliable plumber to assist you in clearing the chokage. One reliable plumber in Singapore is 24hr Family Plumber who have been providing professional plumbing services since 1988

About the Author
Bryan Ho is the second generation owner of 24hr Family Plumber: Reliable Singapore Plumber & Plumbing Services since 1988. Visit his website at http://www.24hrfamilyplumber.com/.

(ArticlesBase SC #3366600)

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Prevent Plumbing Emergencies

Plumbing emergencies often occur due to improper care of your drainage piping system.  Doing so leads to a messy situation as well as burning a big hole in your pocket from engaging professionals to rectify the urgent problems.

Often, spending a bit of time and coming up with a must do “maintenance list” can help to prevent one from being caught in such situation. Below are some tips I gathered from my plumber to ensure that my home drainage piping systems are functioning well.

1)      Do not wash all your grease and oil on your dishes down your kitchen sink.

Often, after preparing and enjoying our meals, we dump all our dishes in the kitchen sink and wash all the grease and oil from our utensils down the sink. This is definitely a BIG no as grease and oil residues end up choking the pipes and in no time, you kitchen sink start to choke. Instead, try to wipe grease and oil with a paper towel before doing the dishes. Also, after a week or so of washing (or after any festive seasons when you did a lot of cooking and washing, run a kettle of boiling water down your kitchen sink. The hot water will melt any grease or oil residues that have accumulated in your pipes and clear them away.

2)      Ensure all floor traps in toilet and kitchen are cleared regularly.

The purpose of floor traps is to trap dirt from entering your pipe system and end up choking them. This is especially so for trapping hair in the shower room. You will be amazed by the amount of hair accumulated by all family members by a week. Clear those hair strands into a trash can and DO NOT throw them into your pipe or toilet bowl for convenience.

3)      Watch what you throw into your toilet bowl.

Do not be lazy and treat your toilet bowl like a trash can, emptying any hard to dissolve particles like tissues, cotton pads, and Yes, pampers or sanitary pads. I was told by my plumber that they really often do find such items stuck in the toilet bowls of homeowners. If you do have a maid, which is normal for a lot of Singapore families, make sure your maid understand this point as well as often, in their hometowns, they may not be used to using such products as well as our sanitary system.

Some plumbing emergencies can be avoided with a little bit of effort and maintenance. While doing so does not guarantee that you will not meet with plumbing emergencies, it will definitely reduce the possibilities of calling for a plumber frequently.

The Trend Toward DIY Home Improvement

Author: Colby Morrison

There has been a decline in consumer confidence in the building and construction industry. This may be the same reason why many are now doing home improvements by themselves.

Why not? A little knowledge of the technical aspects combined with the eye for creativity is enough to do the home improvement on your own.

Why are people turning to do-it-yourself home improvements?

Many construction workers who do not have a lot of experience or expertise in construction or home maintenance are out there right now trying to work on these homes across the country.
As a result, homeowners are finding that the jobs are not being completed to their satisfaction. Sometimes they are even prepaying for services that do not get done or are not part of the plan.
You do not have to rely and pay someone to improve your home. Why not try to do it yourself?

You can enhance your home's existing concrete surfaces using acid stains, acrylic stains, epoxy paints, and scoring techniques.

If you are tired of looking at dreary gray concrete, there are some easy projects for the serious home improvement do-it-yourselfer to give your patio, driveway, garage, etc. a refreshing new look.

Decorative concrete work costs double or even triple that of regular concrete. This is why many people cannot afford it.
There are inexpensive ways to decorate concrete after it has cured without having to pay skilled tradesmen.
Acid based concrete stains are becoming more and more popular for coloring concrete surfaces. They chemically react with the cementitious material to produce permanent color with variegated or mottled appearance like that of marble. This results in a natural, elegant looking surface.
Water based concrete stains are an alternative to acid stains and are much more user friendly because they're much less toxic. These stains do not chemically react with the concrete; they are absorbed into the surface pores and act like a dye. The big advantage of water based stains is the wide array of colors available.
If you want to venture beyond the basic staining of concrete, consider using some scoring techniques to create patterns on the surface.
You can make your concrete look like a tile floor for example. It is up to your imagination. An angle grinder with a 4 inch grinding or cutting wheel is the ideal tool for this.

The important thing to remember when scoring is to draw the pattern on the concrete first and make sure you are satisfied with the way it looks because scoring is irreversible.
Epoxy paints make an excellent coating for garage floors and basement floors. Many commercial floors have epoxy coatings because of their durability and resistance to chemical spills as well as their appearance.

In recent years, however, it has become very popular for residential use with an increasing availability of different colors. This is not a difficult project, but the key to successful application is surface preparation.

Epoxy paints have also become available in a water based form making it safe for the do-it-yourselfer and ideal for indoor applications. They cost a little more than stains. For a 400 square foot garage, you'll spend about $200 for the materials needed for this project.

See? You do not have to spend money to have your home improved. You have the capability to do it yourself. With some instructions and a little bit of work, anyone can turn boring concrete into their own masterpiece.

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