Plumbing problem.......

[Scootman!]

So my bathroom sink became clogged a little so I decided bring out the plunger to free it up. Well, this only made it worse?!?! The water would not drain at all and all this black crap came up from the pipe, what the hell???? We went under the sink an unscrewed the u-shaped pipe and the clog was not there so ....here comes the cool part. Went to the store and picked up CLR Power Plumber. Its an aerosol that literally blasts the clog away. Two of the fourteen uses and the drain cleared like new and it was fun to use!!! I highly recommend this product!

[JohnC]

Thanks for the info. I'll get a can to have in stand-by, since our plumbing usually gets clogged while I am at work and my wife could easily operate an aerosal can. http://www.wftv.com/houseandho...id724

[zionzr2]

good to know!I have a periodically slow sink drain and that ought to help.

[keithvibe]

the black crud is hair,dirt,toothpaste,ect. Over time it builds up and lines the walls of the pipe. Compleatly normal!I bet you ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY that the clog was around the stop leaver that closes the stopper in your bathroom sink. When someone does their hair usually a wife or girlfriend.. or heck a man with really long hair.. it gets wrapped around the stopper and clogs the drain.You could have saved your money. Next time Pull the trap off like you did but then look up a tad bit on the extention pipe that comes down from the sink. Look for a small leaver that attaches to a nut/ballsocket. After you drop the "p"trap unscrew the leaver that controls the plunger on the sink and pull it twards the back of the wall removing it from the pipe.When you do that, it will free the hair clog. I warn you it's A MESSY job. But easy to do. After removing all the hair wrapped around the plunger assembly replace everything and check to make sure the plunger still seals the sink basin and that you have no leaks.I have to do this process about once a year in the bathroom that my wife gets ready in because of her long hair.

[jake75]

Quote, originally posted by keithvibe »the black crud is hair,dirt,toothpaste,ect. Over time it builds up and lines the walls of the pipe. Compleatly normal!I bet you ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY that the clog was around the stop leaver that closes the stopper in your bathroom sink. When someone does their hair usually a wife or girlfriend.. or heck a man with really long hair.. it gets wrapped around the stopper and clogs the drain.You could have saved your money. Next time Pull the trap off like you did but then look up a tad bit on the extention pipe that comes down from the sink. Look for a small leaver that attaches to a nut/ballsocket. After you drop the "p"trap unscrew the leaver that controls the plunger on the sink and pull it twards the back of the wall removing it from the pipe.When you do that, it will free the hair clog. I warn you it's A MESSY job. But easy to do. After removing all the hair wrapped around the plunger assembly replace everything and check to make sure the plunger still seals the sink basin and that you have no leaks.I have to do this process about once a year in the bathroom that my wife gets ready in because of her long hair.Frankly - the aerosol looks like a lot less work to me - worth the money. When you get it flowing again use some hair disolving Drano etc. to clean it out.I bought this plunger tool at Lowes for about $11. It has a couple of different "ends" to fit different size drain openings. It has a plunger rod like a tire pump so you can loosen the crud by both pushing down and pulling up. Another trick is to pour some bicarb of soda in - it will soak through the crud. Then add some vingar. The carbon dioxide gas that forms often will loosen up the plug.

[keithvibe]

mine method will require no money though. To each their own i guess.All you need is a bucket. As as far as the draino... just be careful of chemical burns from it.saving you 5bucks in gas and 12bucks for the product.

[Scootman!]

Quote, originally posted by keithvibe »the black crud is hair,dirt,toothpaste,ect. Over time it builds up and lines the walls of the pipe. Compleatly normal!I bet you ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY that the clog was around the stop leaver that closes the stopper in your bathroom sink. When someone does their hair usually a wife or girlfriend.. or heck a man with really long hair.. it gets wrapped around the stopper and clogs the drain.You could have saved your money. Next time Pull the trap off like you did but then look up a tad bit on the extention pipe that comes down from the sink. Look for a small leaver that attaches to a nut/ballsocket. After you drop the "p"trap unscrew the leaver that controls the plunger on the sink and pull it twards the back of the wall removing it from the pipe.When you do that, it will free the hair clog. I warn you it's A MESSY job. But easy to do. After removing all the hair wrapped around the plunger assembly replace everything and check to make sure the plunger still seals the sink basin and that you have no leaks.I have to do this process about once a year in the bathroom that my wife gets ready in because of her long hair.We spent a good hour trying to plunge, remove the pipe and try to reach the clog in the area after the u- shaped pipe. We don't have a drain stopper installed with the sink, but thanks for the tip.The best part about this product is that you get 14 uses out of one can.

[Cindragon]

I grabbed my husband when I read this thread, he's a plumber. He said that Keithvibes way was the correct way to do this for the top part of the sink. For the lower part a 10 dollar cable can clear it every time. You don't want to use too many chemicals in your drains as you can corrode holes in the pipes in the floor with them. Besides with a chemical you never know if you got all the stuff out, and may end up doing it many times