SKILL SET

By Matt Weber

Here are a few quick tips for DIY'ers who need to repair a clogged drain.

BATHROOM DRAINS

Need to unclog a bathroom sink? To fight a sink clog, most folks start by using a simple cup-shaped bathroom plunger. Pick a plunger with a large enough suction cup to completely cover the drain and create an airtight seal against the surrounding sink. Seal off any other outlets, such as the overflow drain in sinks, with a wet rag to create a vacuum, then fill the sink with enough water to cover the suction area. Push out any trapped air beneath the cup, then give the plunger 15 to 20 up-and-down pumping strokes to jolt loose the clog. You might have to repeat this three to five times to work.

If that doesn’t unclog the problem, you can remove the drain cover which closes the drain. The drain cover operates using a ball-and-socket lever at the back of the sink’s drain pipe.

To remove the drain cover, first place a bucket beneath the sink to catch water. Unscrew and remove the retaining nut that holds the “ball” of the lever to the socket on the rear of the drain pipe. This should allow you to slide the lever rod out of the keyhole on the bottom of the drain cover. You should then be able to pull the drain cover freely out of the sink drain, which is often what traps hair, objects and other debris in the drain. Use a plumbing auger (or a wire coat hanger) and hot water to clear out the drain pipe and thoroughly wash the drain cover before replacement.

If that still doesn’t work, you can use a pipe wrench to remove the P-trap beneath the sink, in which a foreign object may have gotten trapped in the turn of the pipe. You can also run a plumbing auger or plumbing snake into the drain pipe past the P-trap to rout out clogs farther down the line. First step in clearing a drain with an auger is to remove the drain cap.

This inexpensive plastic plumbing auger is one of the best $3 or $4 purchases a DIY homeowner is apt to make. Available at most hardware stores, the augers are hooked to grab hair and gunk, stiff enough to shove through a pipe, but flexible enough to follow the turns in a P-trap or S-trap. Run the auger repeatedly down the pipe along all sides, and rotate the tool as you do. These things often get the job done.

TUBS

To unclog a bathtub, the same basic steps apply as when unclogging sinks. However, depending on the type of bathtub you have, a trip-lever tub stopper might be connected to the overflow plate. If so, remove the screws from the overflow plate and pull it out to access the drain.

With the stopper out, scoop out any visible hair or soap scum from the drain. A plastic auger or straightened coat hanger can make a good tool to hook and remove obstructions.

If the clog remains, seal the overflow with a towel or rag, then plunge the drain with a cup-style plunger.

If there is still no change, move on to a plumbing snake. A plumbing snake is basically a flexible steel cable that worms its way through the drain pipe and forces its way through clogs.

In the case of a tub, inserting the plumbing snake into the overflow opening provides a

better angle to the trap beneath the drain. You should snake both the overflow and the drain opening to make sure all pipes are clear. Push the snake into the pipe until you hit the obstruction, then try to hook the clog by twisting the snake’s handle. When the clog is hooked, push the snake back and forth until the obstruction breaks up. Then flush the pipe with water. Plumbing snakes are available in different sizes, but the thinner augers are best for bending around corners.

KITCHEN SINKS

Due to the nature of a kitchen, snaking out a kitchen sink might not be necessary. Kitchen sinks are less susceptible to hair clogs and more susceptible to built-up fat and grease from food. For this reason, you might want to pour boiling water into a clogged kitchen drain to see if that melts the problem away.

Kitchen sinks are generally built like bathroom sinks and have a P-trap, but they may also be connected to a dishwasher's drain line or to a garbage disposal.

A plumbing snake doesn’t work well in tight turns, so it might help to remove the P-trap and insert the snake directly into drain pipe. Snake the pipe until you hit the obstruction and break it up, then flush the pipe with water.

If this doesn’t fix or locate the problem, then check the other household drains to make sure the clog is only in one fixture. (If more than one drain is clogged, then there is a clog in the main drain pipe.)

LIQUID CLOG REMOVERS

Frequent use of chemical cleaners can damage your plumbing, but they can be helpful opening the occasional plugged pipe. If water is slowly draining, but the pipe is not completely clogged, then a liquid cleaner may solve the issue. Be wary, however, of the thin liquid drain cleaners. You risk pouring the watery cleaner down a sluggish drain only to hear the product rush straight past the clog, leaving the problem stuck in the drain. That's a big waste of money.

Choose a thicker foam or gel product rather than the cheapest, thin liquid plumbing agents.

The thicker products stick to the inside of the pipe and give the chemicals better coverage and longer contact with the blockage. Allow the product to sit as directed, usually about 30 minutes, and follow with running water to test the drain. Be aware of red flags when it comes to chemical cleaners. The active ingredient is often chlorine bleach, which is bad news for septic tanks, because bleach can kill the beneficial bacteria of a septic system. These products are best suited for systems connected to a sewer system.

Furthermore, liquid clog removers aren’t intended for all household clogs. They are not designed to remove the waste that may be clogging your toilet. Also, laundry drain clogs are often due to accumulated clothing fibers, and liquid drainers don’t dissolve these fibers.

The general rule of chemical cleaners: Read the instructions on the label and only use it as intended. Always use in a wellventilated area and wear rubber gloves. Don’t use a plunger if a liquid cleaner is in the drain, or you risk splashing caustic chemicals on your skin. And don’t pour in a liquid cleaner if the drain is completely blocked, because if it doesn't work, you'll be stuck with a sink full of caustic water.

Septic Tank Tip: Although chemical cleaners can harm septic tanks, treating a clog with vinegar and baking soda will not. First, pour hot (but not boiling) water into the drain to loosen the clog. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda into the open drain. Then, pour 1⁄2 cup of white distilled vinegar down the drain. You will hear the mixture fizzle as it begins to foam. Allow the mixture to act on the clog for 15 minutes to an hour, then try to rinse the obstruction away with hot water. A solid clog, such as hair buildup, will need to be broken up manually.

TOILET CLOGS

Toilet clogs can often be handled with a plunger, but you've got to use the right plunger. Plungers have different shapes to conform to different surfaces, i.e. the flat bottom of a sink or the funnel-shaped drain of a toilet. You'll find it difficult to create a plunging seal if you use the wrong shape.

If plunging doesn't work, you might try using a closet auger, which is a tool similar to a plumbing snake, but the end of the auger is bent to fit through the tight curves of a toilet trap. A closet auger operates using a hand crank to rotate a cable encased in a rigid shaft.

MAJOR CLOGS

If more than one fixture is clogged, then you may need to clean out the main drain line. To do this, locate the clean-out plugs on the large drain pipes in your basement or crawlspace. These drain lines may be found

in a garage or outdoors, along the foundations of the house. Each plug has a cap with a square fitting at the top. Remove the cap with a wrench. Be ready with a bucket to catch dripping water. Also, make absolutely sure no one is going to be using the facilities while you have the main drain line open. Use a plumbing snake or auger to break up any clogs in the open main line, running it in both directions of the pipe.

PROFESSIONAL PLUMBERS

When all else fails, you can always resort to the Yellow Pages.

Hire a qualified, full-time professional and not just a “handyman” that does the work on the side. This especially applies to bigger jobs, but even the smallest job can become expensive if not handled correctly.

When choosing a plumber, request an estimate and talk to them about the overall cost of the job, even if it seems like it's going to be a small project. Also, check for a license, ask for a time-frame and professional references, and confirm their insurance credentials.

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"Hey, boss ... This job STINKS!”

I rented a plumbing snake to clear out the main sewer line of a relative’s house. Tree roots had encroached into the drain line and clogged it. This resulted in smelly, dirty water backing up toward the house. To grind through the roots, I recommend the larger 5/8” auger size rather than a 1/2” or smaller, which is more likely to break against the roots. Plumbing snakes have a coil of steel rope with a cutter-head on the end to drill out the blockage. You feed the rope into the drain (through the clean-out plug, in our case) until it hits resistance, and then use the machine's foot pedal to spin the auger. I fed the auger into the pipe several times, ground through some blockage, then pulled out the auger to measure its length and mark our progress. After repeating this procedure several times, we finally broke through the clog so the water could drain. Note that if you attempt to use the machine, always wear gloves and be careful of the metal auger, which can crush your fingers if they get caught in the rope. - M. Weber

Pressure-Blast Plumbing Tools

If you don’t have a plumbing snake handy, or you want to avoid removing the P-traps, you might try a clog-removal tool that utilizes water-pressure or compressed air.

A common tool is a plumber's blow bag (AKA a drain flush bag, plumbing bladder, or pipe bladder). This is a heavy-duty rubber balloon that is attached to a garden hose to clear drain clogs using water pressure. The bladder is like an uninflated balloon, which expands to seal the drain opening and forces pressurized water into the pipe to power through the clog. Hardware and home stores now sell products that shoot compressed air into a drain to force the clog to move. Some compressed-air products are sold in disposable cans, which often work quite well. However, if the air-burst doesn’t work and requires repeat treatments, the compressed air cans can get expensive. Other tools use a pump design to generate up to 150 lbs. of pressure.

Another type of compressed-air product is a reusable device that uses cartridges of compressed CO2. Once the tool is loaded with a CO2 cartridge, just press down firmly on the handle, and a needle punctures the cartridge, sending a powerful burst of air into the drain, instantly unclogging it. The advantage is that you can keep the tool for future clogs, and all you have to replace are the individual cartridges.

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DREMEL ELECTRIC SCISSORS

Dremel released its new Electric Scissors to help practically anyone tackle a range of cutting needs around the house, and for crafting too. The HIR team got our hands on a test sample, and the scissors are an ideal tool for making short work of pesky clamshell packages. The scissors are powered by a 4V MAX rechargeable lithium-ion battery and have ultra-sharp blades to cut easily through materials from cardboard to fabrics and hard plastics. With a slim tool body design, the electric scissors can be carried in a toolbox or pocket. The tool set comes with a USB charger to power up in only 90 minutes, and includes an extra-set of replaceable shears. The Dremel Electric Scissor kit is now available on Amazon.com and in-store and online at The Home Depot and Lowe’s.

KNIPEX COBRA HOLIDAY ORNAMENT

One of the most popular products from the Wuppertal-based tool manufacturer KNIPEX are the Cobra pliers. This year, the smallest tool in the lineup, the Cobra XS, is available in a limited-edition holiday ornament (part number 87 00 100 XMAS). The festive metal ornament features white stars on a red background and has a diameter of roughly 4.5 inches. Hidden inside the ornament is the 4-in. Cobra XS. The ornament comes packaged in a matching box that sits nicely on countertops and is easy for gift wrapping. The KNIPEX Cobra XS is the world’s smallest, fully functional pair of water pump pliers and offers eleven adjustments positions, 1-in. jaw capacity, and one-handed quick adjustment. Like all products in the KNIPEX Cobra family, it is self-locking to pipes and nuts, which means no slipping from the workpiece and low hand force required. The compact design and slim head allow users to work in confined spaces, and the box-joint design provides high stability. Visit www.knipex-tools.com.

METABO HPT 18V MULTIVOLT RECIPROCATING SAW

Any home handyperson can use a good reciprocating saw, and Metabo HPT offers a new 18V MultiVolt model (CR18DBQ4) that features a counterbalance gear housing to significantly reduce vibration. Besides pro level cutting performance, this lightweight reciprocating saw offers an orbital cut mode, an LED light, variable speed trigger and tool-less blade change for quick transitions. It’s part of the expanding MultiVolt System of 18V and 36V power tools. As an 18V bare tool, the user can decide to go lighter by using a compact 18V battery or work longer with the flexible 18V/36V MultiVolt battery to double the runtime per charge. The tool’s “smooth as silk” low-vibration design makes it more comfortable to use for demolition and rough cutting applications. The user can decide between straight cutting or an orbital cut mode to boost performance. It delivers a no-load speed up to 3,000 SPM, and the variable speed trigger allows you to cut through various materials like plywood and PVC pipes with more control. Visit www.metabo-hpt.com.

DUST DEPUTY CYCLONE SEPARATOR KITS

The home woodworker now has a budgetfriendly way to keep their workshop tidy, thanks to the Dust Deputy Cyclone Separator Kits from Oneida Air Systems. The patented separator system attaches to the user’s existing wet/dry vac to collect wood dust and stop over 99 percent of fine particles and bulk debris from clogging the vacuum's filter. The dust separation eliminates suction loss while saving time and money on expensive filter replacements. The system also reduces cost and maintenance, since it has no motorized parts of its own. Two versions of the Dust Deputy 2.5 are available; one that mounts to the wall and collects dust in disposable bags, and another that collects dust into a rolling bin. Upgrade any make/model shop vacuum with 1.5- to 2.5-in. hose fittings by connecting it to the separator’s 6-foot hose. All parts come packaged in a compact box ready for easy assembly. Visit www.oneida-air.com.

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DIABLO’S DEMO DEMON SPADE BITS

Demo Demon Spade Bits provide one of the most durable, effortless, and longest lasting hole-drilling solutions on the market for nail-embedded wood. The DEMO-Edge dual cutting edges coupled with the selffeeding Dura-Tip will power through nails for a smooth drilling experience and up to 60X longer life. A curved paddle design enhances the chip-evacuation process for more holes per drill-battery charge. The Demo Demon spade bits are “Impact Strong” for increased shank stability and durability in cordless and corded impact and drill drivers. Visit www.diablotools.com.

BOSCH 12V MAX CHAMELEON

The Bosch Chameleon functions as four tools in one. This 12V Max Drill/Driver features the FlexiClick 5-in-1 Attachment System and a brushless motor for extended runtime and upgraded power—300 in.-lbs. of torque. It weighs only 1.2 lbs. (tool only, not including battery), has a max speed of 1,750 rpm, and offers two speed settings—0-460 rpm for high-power driving tasks and 0-1,750 rpm for high-speed drilling. The Chameleon includes a magnetic bit holder for basic driving and four attachments; a locking bit holder, a keyless chuck, an offset-angle and a right angle. Each attachment connects to the tool securely and easily with the One-Click interface. The right-angle attachment is for tight spaces, and it works with all three other adapters. The offset-angle attachment delivers precise screwdriving close to edges. Both of these attachments rotate to 16 positions without removing them. The locking bit holder attachment locks hex bits for high-torque drilling, while the keyless chuck provides standard 3/8-in. drilling and driving. Visit www.boschtools.com.

RYOBI 18V ONE+ HP COMPACT BRUSHLESS 6-1/2" CIRCULAR SAW

Ryobi introduces the 18V ONE+ HP Compact Brushless 6-1/2" Circular Saw to its new line of brushless products. The 18V ONE+ HP Technology delivers more power, runtime, durability, and speed utilizing brushless motors, advanced electronics, and high-performance lithium technology. The new tech enables this saw to deliver up to 32 percent faster cutting speeds of up to 4,900 rpm. An adjustable cutting-depth gauge allows for cuts up to 2-1/4-in. deep and a bevel capacity of 0° - 50°. In addition, this saw can provide up to 350 cuts on a single charge. The saw is 25 percent lighter weight than its predecessor, and it runs on the 18V ONE+ System of over 260 cordless products that all use the same battery platform. Visit www.ryobitools.com.

MAYHEW 3 PIECE DEMO DRIVER SET

Mayhew Steel Products’ new 3 Piece Demo Driver Set is made in the U.S.A. and features a unique hybrid design of a screwdriver and pry bar in one, making the tools ideal for various lifting and prying applications. Each of the Demo Drivers is comprised of Mayhew’s patented two-composite, ergonomic Dominator handle, providing superior comfort and a secure grip. The handle’s capped end allows for striking without damaging the handle, while simultaneously serving as a shock absorber to reduce user hand fatigue. A hardened and tempered alloy steel shaft runs from the prying edge straight through the handle for maximum durability and prying power, while also providing the added usefulness of a screwdriver. All Demo Drivers are backed by a lifetime warranty. Visit mayhew.com.

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MILWAUKEE M12 LASER

A tool of many uses, the new Milwaukee M12 Green Cross Line & 4-Points Laser is engineered to offer users the brightest green beams, all-day runtime, and easier setup. When paired with an M12 RedLithium CP 3.0 Battery, users get at least nine hours of continuous runtime for ultimate productivity. The high-intensity green laser offers superior visibility for long-range applications up to 125 feet. The vertical and horizontal lines allow for easier alignment and leveling applications, while the plumb points help with floor-to-ceiling point transfer. The horizontal dots squaring points give users the option for quick and accurate squaring alignment. The M12 Laser is fitted with amplified rare earth magnets, providing a secure hold and ensuring it won’t slide on steel studs. It is impact-rated for drops up to one meter, and the IP54 rating helps protect it from harsh working conditions. Visit www.milwaukeetool.com.

WORX 13 AMP, 1800 PSI ELECTRIC PRESSURE WASHER

The Worx 13 Amp, 1800 PSI Electric Pressure Washer delivers plenty of cleaning power, along with lightweight and user-friendly operation. Use it to tackle a wide variety of outdoor power washing jobs around the house and property, including cleaning whole-house exteriors, driveways, paved patios and more. Weighing only 17.2 lbs., the portable pressure washer is equipped with a powerful 13-amp motor and heavy-duty axial cam pump for durability and long life. The pressure washer delivers 1.2 gpm of water-flow (1.4 gpm. max) at a pressure of 1800 psi (1980 psi max). For cleaning mud and grime, it includes an onboard, 0.6 gal. soap tank and soap nozzle. The pressure washer is equipped with a turbo nozzle to apply maximum pressure and a 40-degree nozzle for washing windows and other lighter-duty applications. Swapping out the quick-connect nozzles is literally a snap. The compact pressure washer’s tubular steel frame has an integrated carry-handle, rubber feet, onboard wand holder, nozzle holder, and integrated cord-wrap for a 35-ft. power cord (included). Visit www.worx.com. H