Clogged drains can be very annoying. So can losing valuable items down the drain. Here are some tips for unclogging a drain by yourself.

The first thing you should try is to find a liquid drain product that works with your plumbing system. Some drain cleaners are only meant to be used with certain pipes. Read the drain cleaners carefully to make sure they are compatible with your system.

If you already have a cleaner be careful with them. Don’t mix different types of chemicals when cleaning. Many cleaners won’t be compatible with each other and shouldn’t be mixed.

If there are chemicals in a trap don’t unscrew it. You will want to suction that out before you try to remove the trap. Chemicals that have been sitting can become rather strong, and have a possibility of burning you when it spills down.

The best way to unscrew a sink trap is to loosen the end nuts. Some nuts can be taken off by hand, but many of them will need to be loosened with a pipe wrench. Keep a bucket nearby to catch any liquid that comes free of the trap.

If you are looking for something lost down the drain, stop the water flow down the sink immediately. That way the item will be stuck in the trap and not lost down the water line. Remove the P or S trap and spill all the contents in the bucket before setting the trap aside.

If you can’t find your valuable after sifting through the contents of the bucket, it might still be stuck inside the trap. Sometimes they get caught on the slime and buildup in the piping. Hold the trap over the bucket and run some water through the trap to see if it could still be in there.

Before placing the trap back on, check the washers or nuts for any damage. If you notice any that are misshaped replace them. Its better to replace any damaged washers now so you don’t have to worry about having to deal with a leaky sink later on.

It’s important to have a trustworthy plumber to take care of your plumbing needs and air conditioning, and heating