You guys are always here when I need you, so I thought I’d post a few techniques that everyone is bound to find useful from time to time:
The following really only apply if you’re certain you’re dealing with a biologically based clog (TP & bodily effluviates ONLY- No GI Joes, Barbie heads, nerf balls, etc.)- AND- it’s not a solid blockage that water will not drain past at all- i.e. the water level doesn’t keep rising/overflowing.
Toilet unclogging technique numero uno: If you don’t need it returned to service immediately, leave it alone for an hour or two- even while you’re gone for the day. Some clogs will dissolve sufficiently on their own to flush without difficulty after some time passes.
Numero Dos: what I call “The Power Flush”. Fill a 2-3 gal bucket with water, and- starting low to get the stream aimed straight down the flush pipe, raise it up to waist level or higher and dump it as quickly as you dare into the bowl (like the annoying waiter in a fancy restaurant who can’t just fill your freakin’ water glass without making it a performance). Try this 2-3 times before moving on to Numero Dos, part B. Note: this trick also works when you need to flush a toilet while the water service is out, like if you’re on a well and there’s a power outage. Assuming you have some water stored for emergencies, of course.
Numero Dos, part B: Power Flush with hot water. Since many biological clogs are fat/grease based, hot tap water will help dissolve them faster. However, due to potential harm to the wax seal, I’d recommend retraint- USE BOILING WATER AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Numero tres: Proper usage of a plunger or “plumber’s helper”. Most people don’t have a clue about these handy little items so I thought I’d take a moment to go over the fine points. First, get one with a skirt or flange. The old style with just a cupped end are useless. Second, submerge the end against the side of the bowl and push all of the air out and suck it full of water- you want to be moving water, not air. Third, slide it down into the flush channel and use deep, vigorous strokes to create a powerful tidal action. Caution: If you ain’t splashing or sloshing some out, you probably aren’t doing it energetically enough. They can be surprisingly effective, but not if you use it like a nancy girl. Also, if it’s making much noise at all you’ve got too much air in the bell. Run silent, run deep.
I’ll leave you with this: One morning I had just stepped out of the shower and wondered why there was already a small puddle at the base of the toilet. Hmm, guess I’m headed for the hardware store. As I’m walking in the place, one of the clerks greeted me with a friendly, “How’s it goin’?” and I replied with the usual, “Just fine!”, but then stopped, reconsidered and said, “I’m here to buy a wax ring, does that tell you how my day is going so far?” He laughed at said, “Plumbing dept in the back!” and I told him that’s where I was headed…
best to all,
m
Edited 7/16/2007 8:27 am ET by mitch
Replies
The type of clogs you are talking about are generally limited to the internal toilet trap. Good decription of the proper plunging technique.
A fourth option is to use a water closet snake. A hand held cale within a lond handle with a crank on top.. The bottom has a rubber elbow on it, where the cable comes out. You insert the cable into the neck o toilet and turn the crank handle as you press down on it. The cable will feed through the internal trap and clear the clog, but is not long enough to go more than a couple of feet into the waste line.
Dave
Yeah, I pretty much go straight to the snake ("Closet auger"). Of course, by the time I get to it the wife has generally already tried the plunger.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
Just finished a double on a couple of urinals. Had to take down partitions, open access panels, pull out cast tees with fernco bands on them, and run the 5/16" cable cleaner in about 10'.
I love those jobs right b4 lunch. I think I'm gonna just put on some latex gloves to eat my samich. Sanitizer just doesn't seem enough sometimes <g>
Dave
Yeah, nice thing about urinals is the calcium oxylate that precipitates in the pipes. Hard as rock and nothing dissolves it. Eventually the pipes just have to be replaced.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
We call'm pizz balls and most of the time it is the urinal trap that slowly closes down with them. We pull the urinals off the wall and place them in a cut off 30 gal. plastic drum, then add enough de-limer or de- scaler to fill and cover the basin and trap. Let sit for a few days and hose out with hot water (that smell will bring tears to your eyes).
We have auto flush valves on all our fixtures now, so the problem is not as bad as it was years ago. We set the valves to flush on approach and then again when you move away from them. The real problems occur when they start to get slow draining and a maintenance tech. gets lazy and pours some type of drain cleaner in them. It is enough to release the trap build up and move it into the drain lines where it starts a bigger blockage.
The other problem is deodorant blocks. It has taken years to finally convince the powers that be that they cause more problems than anything else. We bumped up the cfm s on our exhaust fans and added auto deodorizers to all the restrooms. we can given anything from "linen fresh" to "mountain spring" fragrances. Then it just smell like someone poo-d the bed or a fuzzy bear messed in the woods <G>
Dave
I use the plunger first by slowly compressing it into the channel, hopefully not filling with water then try to unclog on the pull stroke, not push stroke. If not successful do the working it routine.
If you do not have a good plunger a washing machine hose with one of the connectors works pretty well, can be cut off with a scarf to help dig. Can be hooked to a hose for more hydo-mining.
Agree about the wait to see if it resolves. Good poop , I mean info.