Basic Home Plumbing and Heating Maintenance Skills - Unplugging Toilets and Main Drains

If you are going to own a home, or even be a budding landlord you are going to have to learn some basic plumbing skills. It is not as if you can afford to wait around for a plumber or afford one for simple tasks that are easily learned, done on the spot and you should know how to do. It is as simple as that. One such plumbing skill can be the chore of learning to "unclog" toilets and also main water drains. On top of that many of these plumbing skills are also relevant and useful to heating system repairs especially when involved in repairs of hot water heating systems.

First of all, the first step is to bail out the excess water from a clogged toilet and use plunger with its cap fully extended. Do not flush the toilet - the waste water appliance or you can inadvertently cause a "flood". It is best practice according to most plumbers and plumbing and heating contractors not to rush and use chemical type cleaners. It is fast and easy, and so it seems, but false economy in the heating and plumbing trades strong caustic chemicals used to clear pipes are a quick fix - yet they are corrosive to pipes and piping and toxic to people and their pets. On top of that if the pipe or water bowls areas do not drain - you are left with a chemical soup to deal with and drain out anyways. Elbow grease is best hands down.

If the plunger does not work after several tries and good attempts next attempt to snag out the obstruction with a hook fashioned out of a simple standard wire hanger. Most likely you will have any number of wire hangers hanging up in your bedroom or front hall closet or closets. Alternatively you can cover your hand with a plastic garbage bag and try to pull out the obstruction causing item out of the pipe manually by yourself. This is yet another "old plumber's trick".

With any luck now, with your basic plumbing skills your toilet or main drain should be fully unclogged and running smooth. The plumbing or heating pipe obstruction is gone. You can pat yourself on the back for accomplishing the task and as well being able to keep some of your hard earned cash in your wallet and pocketbook.