Whether
accidental or on purpose, there’s nothing worse than the initial
panic you feel when something slides down the drain in your bathroom
sink. Items dropped down the drain can be frustrating as you lose the
use of that item and may also require the help of a plumbing service
in Atlanta, Georgia. Fortunately, with enough patience and the right
tools, you can retrieve most items from your drain, becoming a
plumbing superhero in the process.
Don’t
Make It Worse
The
most crucial step in retrieving an item from a drain is not to panic.
The item is safe in your drain trap for now, and any panicking you do
will likely only make it more difficult to retrieve the item. Above
all, avoid running any water down that drain until you’ve had a
chance to get the item out. Water has a surprising amount of force,
meaning that even a heavy item could be washed away for good if you
turn on the tap.
Clear
the Path
Though
the item that was dropped had no problem finding its way down the
drain, it will need a totally clear path to get back up. This means
you’ll want to remove the sink stopper and the plunger rod from your
drain by first unclipping the sink stopper bracket and then carefully
removing the plunger rod from the rear of the pipe. This will give
you more room to work and provide a clear path for the dropped item
to be removed.
Time
for Removal
To remove the item, all you’ll need is a wet/dry vacuum and a nylon stocking. Once you have the drain prepared, place the stocking over the nozzle of the vacuum, then turn the vacuum on. Push the nozzle as far down the drain as it will go, ensuring that the nozzle doesn’t become stuck in the drain or cause excess stress on the pipe.
The suction from the vacuum should be strong enough to pull the dropped item from the trap and onto the stocking covering the nozzle. Pull the nozzle out of the drain and retrieve the lost item, making sure to stand well away from the sink to prevent a repeat performance. If this procedure doesn’t do the trick, it may be time to call in plumbing service in Atlanta, Georgia. For a service, you can trust, contact the skilled plumbers of Rooter PLUS for more information.
