Drain Guides
Page 2 of 2
A slow sink, a gurgling tub, a floor drain that backs up after the laundry runs. These guides explain what each symptom points to and which fixes hold.
Drains Guides, Page 2
Basement Drain Backing Up? Five Causes and How to Tell Which One You Have
Most basement backups trace to one of five things: a main sewer clog, a blocked floor drain trap, tree roots, a failed sump pump or backwater valve, or a city sewer overwhelmed by rain. The warning signs and the fix differ for each.
Bathtub Not Draining? Three Fixes to Try Before You Call a Plumber
Most slow tubs clear with a gloved hand, a plunger or a baking soda and vinegar flush. The culprit is usually hair, soap scum, hard-water scale or a lost bottle cap. When all three fixes fail, the clog sits deeper in the line.
Smelly Sink Drain? Five Causes and Six Fixes You Can Try Today
Food, grease, a dirty P-trap and biofilm cause most sink odors, and most clear with boiling water, baking soda and vinegar or a drain brush. A sewage smell is different. It means the problem is deeper.
The Parts of a Kitchen Sink, From the Shut-Off Valves to the P-Trap
A kitchen sink is four systems working together: the basin, the water supply, the drain and the disposal. Knowing which part does what tells you whether a drip or a clog is a quick fix.
Egg Shells in the Garbage Disposal: Why They Don't Sharpen Anything and Can Clog the Drain
Egg shells can't sharpen disposal blades, because a disposal has no blades. It grinds with impellers, and shells break into gritty bits while the membrane wraps around the parts. A compost bin is the better home for them.
Main Drain Trouble? The Warning Signs and Five Steps to a Repair That Holds
Is every drain in the house running slow, gurgling or smelling? The trouble is usually the main line, and five steps take it from warning sign to a repair that holds.
Six Reasons Your Shower Drain Smells and Five Steps That Stop It
That shower drain smell usually comes from hair, soap scum, a dry P-trap or biofilm. Figure out which one you have and the fix follows.