Kitchen Sink Back Up

[AJACKSON888]

Tim I appreciate taking the time to show this -- but look at your responses and determine for yourself if it makes sense to do something that your peers completely disagree with. Providing information to people who do not have a thorough understanding of this line of work may put them in danger.

[AsktheBuilder]

@AJACKSON888 I would agree with you if there was a significant danger. The truth is some of the drain-cleaning chemicals work. I'm a master plumber and have seen the name brands clear clogs. I've seen straight chlorine bleach do the same thing. As for a pro getting harmed who might come out to free up a drain when the chemicals fail to work, well that sort of goes with the territory. Roofers can fall, bricklayers can slip a disc, etc. Every job has some inherent risk.

[kusters2]

combining these chemicals can be pretty dangerous, so just DONT. furthermore they are bad for the enviroment. Just try to get past the trap by removing it or removig the cap and use a metal declogger. You will get dirty, and it will stink, but it will work and is way more safe

[TheOldkid888]

Plungers are great for unplugging sink drains. If it does not work I personally would go with removing the trap found under the sink usually.One problem with drain cleaners is that if you use them and they do not work then you have a drain full of chemicals that is quite hazardous to you. Play it safe when it comes to plugged drains. I have worked in this trade for over 30 years and refuse to use chemicals. Be wise and sometimes you just have to get dirty to get the job done. Not bashing

[1951jimmy]

Your videos are excellent. They deal with subject matter pertinent to all homeowners. A plumber advised me on a method to unclog drains similar to the one in your video. He suggested using bleach and a large pan of boiling water. This method seems to be very effective in unclogging drains.

[AsktheBuilder]

@1951jimmy Thanks for the kind words. Not all feel as you do. I try to show ways that have worked for me. Are there better ways? Possibly. Is there more than one right way to do something? You bet there is. Please spread the good word about the videos and my AsktheBuilder site. I need traffic to continue to offer all of this for free. Also, visit my AsktheBuilder Facebook fan page.

[Jeroin]

Draino and all those products are no good, they rarely ever kid rid of the blockage and usually make the matter worse.

[mmedefarge]

Please don't use one after another of these clog openers, bleach is hazardous mixed with just about anything, even if it gets mixed with vinegar.

[Deanzsyclone]

OH MY GOD, PLEASE DO NOT MIX different drain cleaners into a sink, it's possible with the right mix that it WILL/CAN explode back into your face, burning skin, or with the right mix, can create DEADLY fumes that can't be seen. Plumbers HAVE died from this in the past.

[K0K4NE]

or don't empty used oil, waste food or other junk down the sink in the first place.

[Procrastinater09]

you should always start with methodes that don't involve hazardous chemicals. you can try boiling water, pour 1/2 cup of baking soada down the drain then add 1/2 cup of vinagar. You can hear the noise it makes even after 5 minutes that its doing something, wait 15 mins then drain down with water. The plunger is a good idea but make sure you close the hole on the higher side of the sink. If all this doesn't work, you can buy the claw.

[plmbrgrl24]

Drano causes a health hazard.

[AsktheBuilder]

Thanks for your comment. You should have continued on as there was so much room. How about gasoline, motor oil, chlorine bleach, ammonia, paint thinner, latex paint, etc. These are all common liquids found around the average home.

[RC60618]

yes,but would have motor oil in the living areas.. They should be stored in metal cabinet.

[Wunderdogg]

@AsktheBuilder The surest sign of a weak argument is when someone points out a negative and the only response you can offer is to point out other unrelated negatives.

Anti-environmentalist consistently use this argument as they have no other points to argue with

Not trying to criticize, but just because someone uses a dangerous chemical is not justification for all other hazardous chemicals no more than the fact that somebody eats something unhealthy is justification to eat all things unhealthy.

[jamesccostello]

I wouldn't think that thick drano would work better than the thin type. The thick drano actually has less lye (aka sodium hydroxide) than the thin stuff, and both of them will stay in the p trap anyways. I've always had good experience with the kind that comes in pellet form (usually the clog is gone after about 10 minutes).

Thanks for the plunger idea, I never thought about that before and it makes perfect sense now that I know about it. I always thought plungers were just for toilets. :)

[AsktheBuilder]

You are right in many instances. These magic products tend to only work on fresh clogs created by some organic matter. Old drain pipes can calcify and become like concrete as you describe. In that case, you replace the piping or get a great auger.

[lostc0z]

Just wondering if you've ever seen this in your years of using drain cleaning chemicals? I have used "Drano", "Liquid-Plumr" and some others. The problem that has always persisted was that the chemical cleaner made the clog worse. After taking the drain apart to investigate what happened the cleaners had turned into a solid concrete like material and of course the plumbing snake had trouble with that. I've never known what went wrong and now steer clear of these "magic-solutions" in a bottle.

[anysewer]

Drano and the foaming stuff are "killers". If they don't take care of the clog they sit in the pipe and start to eat it out (until or unless you have pvc pipes throughout). The chemical also makes the job of a professional a little harder. Don't get me wrong, this stuff works once in a while but most of the time people waste money on them and still end up calling a professional.

[907441]

Hi Tim. I want to Home Depot and saw a Air Gun to unclog the drain. My question to you is it worth buying or should I used the chemicals? Thank

[AsktheBuilder]

The air gun tool is for soft clogs that just happened. It is a useless tool for chronic clogs that are the result of sediment buildup over years.

[AsktheBuilder]

I've used compressed air to unclog drains. Compressed air will work best on fresh, soft clogs.

[key7001]

why not use Kleer Drain?

[jjrs2110]

You as a professional plumber should know not recommend chemicals to clear a drain. Some of the chemicals are strong enough to eat through a pipe. Specially if they are old pipes.

[AsktheBuilder]

The chemicals shown in this video are safe. By design I did not show the chemicals that are dangerous.

[havannah45]

but what if the foamer doesn't work and u can't afford a plumber......

[AsktheBuilder]

Take apart the trap under the sink and try using a flexible drain snake in the drain pipe.

[havannah45]

okay, thanks!

[freespeachrulez]

LOL you try so hard Tim, great video, I removed the trap, put a small tub under the trap, and took it off, removed the hair..also on bathroom sinks the drain stop lever that goes into the side of the pipe can get hair around it.. then there is the ol snake..

[AsktheBuilder]

Correct! This video is Part One of a series on clearing drains. It is impossible to show all methods in two minutes. Wait until you see the secret tip for getting bathroom drains to smell like a new baby instead of a garbage dump. Thanks for stopping by!

[viro102eggs]

wouldn't mixing clorox and drano create a poisonous gas? When I did a yellowish-green gas appeared and I ran out of there in a heart beat

[AsktheBuilder]

You are 100% correct! That is a mistake in that video. I should have said, "If the chlorine bleach does not work, Remove the trap and get rid of all of the bleach." Yikes! We may have to retape this video.

[woww1994]

why does it do that chemical reaction

[AsktheBuilder]

Because that is what chemicals do. They react with one another.

[bigDbigDbigD]

The sound level of closing comments is TOO LOUD!

[AsktheBuilder]

Yes. I know. There is a batch of these that have that wake-up call. :-( All subsequent ones have a new ending. Go watch my Pressure Washer video to see the new ending with corrected sound.

[alxuk]

If you've got nothing good to say. Say nothing at all.