How To Clean Your P-Trap When Your Sink Is Clogged
When a sink in your home is not draining well, one of the options you have for trying to fix the problem is taking the p-trap apart to see if you can access the clog from there. This job is not overly difficult to complete, and it often helps resolve a lot of slow-moving drain issues. Here are several things to understand about the p-trap and how to remove it when trying to fix your drain.
What a p-trap is
The first thing to understand is what a p-trap is and how to locate it under your sink. Every plumbing fixture generally has a p-trap, and this part is easy to see under a sink. A p-trap is a pipe that drops below the other pipes. If you look under your sink, you should see a drainpipe coming from the drain. This pipe will then drop down and will go back up to another pipe. The lowest part of this pipe conglomeration is typically the p-trap. The purpose of it is to help keep sewer gases out of your house by keeping a small amount of water in this pipe. This pipe also helps you prevent clogs in your sewer line.
How to remove the clog
If your sink is clogged, you could remove this pipe to see if you can access the clog. To do this, make sure you have a bucket under the pipe before you loosen it, as there will be water that leaks from it when you remove it. After placing a bucket in place, you will simply need to loosen the pipe and unscrew it. You may need to use a wrench or a pliers to do this. Once you get it off and allow the water to drain from it, you could stick a plumber's tool into the pipe to see if you can remove any built-up debris from the line. In many cases, you will see the clog right when you remove the p-trap. If you do not see a clog in the pipe in this area, you may need to hire a plumber.
What you can do if the drain still is not working
Contacting a plumbing company or an HVAC company is the best option you have when you have any type of drain issue or plumbing issue. A plumber can locate the problem and fix it, which will help you get your sink up and running a lot faster. Removing small clogs as part of regular drain maintenance can keep your drains healthy.
Fore more information on drain maintenance, contact a local resource.
Share
