What to do in a Plumbing Emergency

There may come a time when a blocked drain gets the better of you and you need to act quickly to prevent as much damage and mess as possible as your sink, toilet or floor begins to fill with water.

How to Unblock that Clog:

This is more of a common situation when it comes to the toilet, which often becomes blocked by too much toilet paper. In this case it is advised to use a plunger to try and remove the blockage. However, if this does not work or if you do not have a plunger, throw half a block of soap or half a bottle of shampoo and 4 to 5 litres of hot water down the toilet. The hot water and soap will dissolve the toilet paper and help you get it out more easily. If this does not work, switch off the tape next to the base of the toilet and call Inspector Jet.

Other clogs that can occur in you kitchen or bathroom drains can be broken down by pouring hot water and salt down the drain and using a plunger. Another do-it-yourself method is to wrap tinfoil around the sink trap and heat it up with a hair dryer. This works only for kitchen drains, where grease has caused the blockage, as the tinfoil heats up and melts the hardened fat.

Additional tips:

• When unclogging a kitchen sink, cover the second drain with another plunger to maintain the pressure of the suction and get the most force out of the plunging.
• If there is a blockage in the drain of your bathtub, it is also wise to remove the chrome cap around the drain so that are able to see into the drain better. As with the kitchen sink, it is also best to use a second plunger to block the tub’s overflow hole.
• Forced cup plungers are the best plungers to use to remove a blockage as they have a funnel that can apply extra force down the drain, which is good for sinks or toilets.
• After any emergency solution is applied, you should always call a plumber as soon as possible to have a look at your plumbing and ensure the crisis is averted and there are no other issues.

The Best Solution:

Although there are many ways you can immediately deal with an emergency plumbing situation to prevent damage to your property, the best solution is a preventative one. If you notice that you may have a plumbing problem, such as a blocked drain, it is important to call us so we are able to save you time and money by attending to the issue before it becomes a serious problem.

Signs of a blocked drain include gurgling drains, slow draining sinks, high rise toilets and sinks that overflow, and sulphurous smells.