For many, if not most of us, what actually happens to bring water into our home and get wastewater out of our house is something of a mystery. So here are a couple of frequently asked questions about common plumbing problems and some of the best answers we could provide.
Question 1 – Help! My son flushed a roll of toilet paper. How do I get it out?
- The first step is to use your plunger or a toilet brush to try and remove the roll. Sometimes it’s just that easy if the roll isn’t too far in.
- Put a tablet of dishwasher detergent in the water and let it soak for 30 minutes. This helps the roll soak up more water and get softer.
- Remove the tablet and try flushing the toilet 3 or 4 times. Sometimes the roll gets soft enough you can just flush it down.
- If it’s still there go to work with the plunger with 4 or 5 compressions then try flushing again.
- The next step is a drain snake if you have one or a wire coat hanger to try and push the roll until its unstuck.
- Finally, admit defeat and call your plumbing company, Dixie Electric, Plumbing & Air. Then put your son’s allowance in escrow until he’s old enough to know better.
Question 2 – My drain is really slow in my bathroom sink (or shower). What can I do?
- The chances are very good the drain is clogged with hair and other debris.
- The good news is that it’s often easy, if a little messy, to fix.
- If it’s a sink you need to remove the stopper. Look in the cabinet below and you should be able to disconnect the stopper from the rod that opens and closes the drain.
- You should now be able to remove the stopper. If you’re squeamish you may want to wear gloves. A hair clog traps other dirt and debris, and it’s likely going to look pretty gross.
- Just remove the hair from the stopper and run some water to make sure there are no other stoppages. Then replace the stopper.
- It’s the same principle for the shower except you will likely need a screwdriver to remove the plate covering the drain. You can use your hand or some type of utensil to pull the hair out of the drain.
- In either case, if the drain continues to drain slowly you may need to try using a drain snake or call in the best plumbing company – Dixie.
- By the way, chemical drain cleaners generally don’t work well and are some of the most dangerous of household chemicals. There are great natural solutions such as Bio-Clean® or BioSmart™.
While some common plumbing problems and minor repairs can be handled by the homeowner, don’t overstep your bounds.
