So yesterday someone in my family put some celery stalks (with the hard stems included) down the garbage disposal, after which our drain drained much slower. I tried filling up the sink with water and running the garbage disposal. This forced the water down while the disposal was running, but when power was turned off it all came jetting back out. So now I'm faced with the question how to remedy this problem. I see two ways:
- Clear the drain myself
- Call a plumber
What tools are required to properly accomplish this task myself and how much will they cost? If they are cheaper (or even close to to the cost of a plumber) and this task won't take a whole day, I'll probably do it myself just to have the tools on hand. Any recommendations on which way to go (me with new tools or the plumber with more powerful tools)? I already have a hand operated pipe snake and some screwdrivers and an AC voltmeter. I assume that I'll need an adjustable wrench that can fit a pipe and I can't think of what else.
Best Answer
Have a look at the trap under your sink. Assuming it's PVC with large plastic nuts, all you should need is ChannelLock pliers:
Unscrew the trap from the wall and disposal, and clean the trap itself, or snake the drain going into the wall, depending on where your clog is. Be sure to have a bucket and towels handy since there will be water backed up before the clog and in the trap.
If you can't find the clog either in the trap or with the snake, and you know it's further down the drain (try running some water through the disposal and into the bucket with the trap out), then I have family that swear by these drain bladders that attach to a garden hose, get inserted into the drain (past the vent) and they swell up to seal your end of the pipe while sending water down until the clog is forced out:
Each one of these will cost around $20 give or take, well less than a visit from a plumber.