Drain cleaning

The sink drains more and more slowly, the shower drain smells, and the basin gurgles when the toilet is flushed. These are signs that a blockage is building somewhere in the waste pipes. Drain cleaning is best done before the water stops going down altogether.

Where blockages come from

• in the kitchen: grease from dishes that sets in the pipes and catches food scraps;
• in the bathroom: hair, soap and scale in the basin, bath and linear drain traps;
• in the toilet: wet wipes, cotton wool and building debris after a renovation;
• in old soil stacks: deposits and horizontal runs with too little fall.

How the handyman clears drains

They start simple: unscrewing and cleaning the trap, because that is often where the problem sits. If the blockage is further along, they use a manual or electric drain snake that travels down the pipe and breaks up or pulls out the blockage. On bigger systems in houses and businesses, high-pressure water jetting is used as well. Finally, the handyman runs plenty of water and checks everything drains.

If the blockage is in the building’s shared stack, it is a matter for the building manager or residents’ association. The handyman will tell you whether the problem is on your side or in the stack.

What not to do

Strong drain chemicals help with fresh hair blockages, but with grease and solid objects they usually just sit in the pipe. Bottle after bottle eats away at old pipes and seals, and the handyman then has to work in caustic water. If you have already used such a product, mention it in the job.

Common questions