Using a drain plunger to unblock drains
Drain plungers are a great first resort when dealing with a drain blockage in your home or business. There’s nothing more embarrassing than going to the toilet and discovering that it won’t flush due to a drain blockage. And there’s nothing worse than trying to brush your teeth when the sink won’t drain. If you need a blocked drain problem fixed urgently we recommend calling a qualified blocked drain plumber in Sydney. However, if the blocked toilet or drain blockage is minor in nature you can attempt to clear the drain yourself using a plunger.
Drain plungers and toilet plungers are cheap and readily available from hardware stores. Whether a plunger will work to unblock a drain or toilet depends entirely on the type and severity of the blockage at hand.
Things to consider when using a drain plunger or a toilet plunger
Never use a drain plunger in conjunction with chemicals: Drain cleaning products are made with strong chemicals and they need to be treated with care. This means using gloves and other protective gear. If you start plunging while there are chemicals in the drain, you risk spraying the dangerous substance onto your skin and around your home. We generally recommend against using drain cleaning chemicals because they can damage pipes and their effectiveness in clearing clogs is limited.
You get what you pay for: Drain plungers and toilet plungers are cheap in general, but there is still a difference in terms of quality. Not all plungers are created equal, and it’s worth spending a few extra dollars on a better quality plunger.
Choose the right plunger for the job: A cup plunger is effective for most drains in the home including sinks, bathtubs and showers. However, will need to invest in a flange plunger (aka toilet plunger) for blocked toilets. Toilet plungers have a wider lip that provides a better seal when used on blocked toilets. It's always best to have one of each type in the home, and make sure they are both clearly labelled for hygiene purposes. Drain plungers for sinks come in a variety of sizes so make sure you choose one that is big enough to cover the entire circumference of the drain opening.
There's a risk of making the blocked drain worse: Minor blockages can be cleared with a few forceful movements of the drain plunger or toilet plunger. In some situations, however, using a plunger can make the situation worse by lodging the blockage further down the line.
Things can get messy: When you’re dealing with a blocked toilet, the bowl may already be filled with water, toilet paper and faecal matter. Make sure you wear gloves and old clothes. If you don't have the stomach for messy situations, consider calling in the professionals at JAB Plumbing on 1800 225 522.
Handihome accordion toilet plunger available from Bunnings for $19.95
Enduraseal toilet plunger is a cheaper flange plunger option. It costs $13.75 from Bunnings.
Kinetic small sink plunger has a 10cm circumference. Available from Bunnings for $2.95
How to use a drain plunger or toilet plunger
As mentioned the first step is to choose the correct plunger for the type of blockage at hand. Use a toilet plunger for clogged toilets and a drain plunger for all other types of drain blockages (excluding sewers which require a qualified plumber).
Use a bucket or syphon to remove some of the excess water away from the blockage area.
Let some air out of the drain plunger so the cup isn’t completely full of air. Too much air in the drain plunger means the blockage won’t receive as much force each time you plunge, because unlike water, air is compressible.
Completely cover the blocked drain opening with the plunger head. You can also add some petroleum jelly on the rim of the cup to get a tighter seal.
Push down with quick forceful movements. This pushes pressure down the drain towards the blockage.
Final tip: Don't focus purely on the pushing technique. Pulling the plunger up with force each time you plunge is just as important and will increase your chances of unblocking the drain.
Call a local plumber in Sydney
If you’re not having any luck with the drain plunger, you should consider calling a licensed local plumber to fix the problem for you. Some blockages are more stubborn than others and require special equipment to be cleared. The Sydney plumbers at JAB Plumbing Solutions have the technology and expertise to find the problem and fix it quickly.
JAB Plumbing Solutions offer professional and friendly service and all our work is guaranteed. Our fleet are equipped with jet blasters, CCTV drain cameras and pipe location equipment so you can rest assured that even the toughest blocked drain or blocked toilet will be fixed in no time. We also offer a clean up service to ensure minimal damager and disruption to your home or business.
