Drain Cleaning Alaska

If you have some idea of how the drains in your home in Alaska work, you will not be afraid to tackle some basic drain cleaning when necessary. Having some knowledge of each drain in your home will also help you to know if the job is too big for you to tackle. Even if you do need to call in the experts, you will have a better idea of how to cope until they arrive.

When you start learning about your home drainage system you will see that each drain works on the simple principle that water runs down hill. When a drain isn't working, it is usually because something is blocking the water from obeying that law of gravity. Once you can establish where the blockage is, you may then be able to do the required drain cleaning.

It helps to know that each fixture in the drainage system, such as toilet, shower, bathtub and washing machine, has its own drain line that joins up with other nearby drain lines under the floor before continuing on to the main line. Before joining with the other drain lines, each individual drain line goes through a trap. This is the S-shaped, or curved piece of pipe under a drain. Drain blockages, often caused by grease and hair, occur most frequently at the trap or before it. If you have the right tools, you may be able to do the drain cleaning yourself.

The last thing you want to do when embarking on drain cleaning is to flood your home in Alaska. In a major emergency you may need to close the main shutoff valve that is usually located close to the water meter. If you are dealing with only a small drain blockage to a fixture, and if the fixture has its own individual supply shutoff valve, you may need to turn off only the water supply to that single fixture.

Even before you find yourself faced with a drain cleaning problem, make sure you know which fixtures have their own shutoff valves, as well as the exact location of the main shutoff valve. Show other members of the family its location too, in case an emergency happens when you are not at home, or in case you need another pair of hands when that emergency does occur. Knowing these things in advance can save valuable minutes if you have to work quickly.

Another handy piece of advance knowledge when you are about to tackle drain cleaning relates to just what work you are allowed to do without a license. Code checks for the type of work you are permitted to do are available on the Internet, or you can obtain information from your local Alaska plumbing code official. By knowing in advance whether you are permitted to do the work or not you can save time, either by getting started on the drain cleaning job or calling in the experts immediately instead.

Every home in Alaska should have at least one plunger. Also known variously as the plumber's friend, plumber's helper and plumber's mate, the plunger should be the first tool in your hand when drain cleaning is needed. Both toilet and sink plungers are available from hardware centers and a variety of other Alaska stores.

Inexpensive as well as indispensable, a plunger can usually get rid of minor blockages without too much trouble. Whether you are dealing with a toilet, sink or tub drain, you should try using the plunger when you suspect a blockage before attempting any other solution. Either a toilet or sink plunger is simple to use and does not require a great deal of strength.

A sink plunger consists of a rubber cup that is attached to a wooden stick and fits over a sink or similar opening, forming a seal. By pushing the cup against the drain and then pulling it up quickly the user creates suction that can loosen or break up a blockage. A toilet plunger works on the same principle but is designed to fit into the bottom of a flush toilet and has a flange that enters the exit pipe, also forming a seal. By flipping the flange inside the toilet plunger you can adapt it for use as a sink plunger if necessary. A word of warning: if you have first tried a chemical drain cleaner, don't use a plunger immediately as some of the cleaner could splash into your eyes.