Plumbing - currently a blocked plughole

[Arzosah]

Okay, I've more or less sorted it - a knitting needle, 2 sets of lots of soda crystals, tweezers, I'm about to flush the 2nd lot of crystals with some hot water. The plunger recycled the water via the overflow for a while - that may have been what ultimately shifted things, but there's a *lot* of gunk still down there, so I'll need to open the trap, I think. Can't do it right now as I have a client arriving in an hour.

Thing is, I'm thinking of Sheltering In Place in any of our scenarios - blackouts, pandemics, whatever, where you just don't want people in your house. What plumbing tools do people have, in order to aid this? I have:
- plunger
- knitting needles of various sizes
- disinfectant
- soda crystals

And thats about it. On reading up, I see I may need some slip joint pliers to open up the trap ... and I also probably need some drain rods. Anybody have a brand or size they recommend for domestic use? This definitely needs sorting.

[Yorkshire Andy]

For slip joint aka water pump pliers Go for knippex cheap versions are generally crap and can do more damage than they are worth. And anyone who has ever had them slip in use and splat a finger between the handles will confirm they swore a lot.....

As for drain rods are you thinking internal pipe work ? Bit of stiff fencing wire would by my reccomendation

[Holomon]

Rotherberger pipe grips, a phillips screwdriver (for jubilee clips), a plunger, a standard set of drain rods and a bottle of one shot will sort most things out

[Arzosah]

Hi Andy,

Internal as in "inside the house", yes. Its the "cloakroom" basin thats got blocked.

Knipex - their website doesn't say prices! But on Amazon, their water pump pliers are £21 odd - you're right, I was thinking of the cheapo version at £10 or so. But the price of failure in mashed fingers is very high.

Thanks!

What do you think on the drain rods?

NB - I'm with a client from midday, so won't be back online till 3ish or so.

EDIT - just seen Holomon

Holomon, what sizes are a standard set of drain rods?

[Holomon]

Usually about 30ft or so a set. They're just under a metre a rod, and some places you get 10, some 12 rods to a pack.
Definitely take Andy's advice about a decent set of grips though, on the cheap ones the half round bit that locks them to size usually sheers off after a while and they're not worth a carrot.

[Yorkshire Andy]

About 28mm max diameter ( just put the vernia calipers on one that's laid by the machine I'm on ) that's the metal end bit actually rod is 20mm ish by 1m long


Google drain snake that should do the trick there is one for less than three quid

http://www.google.co.uk/aclk?sa=l&ai=Cn ... 27472.html

[Decaff]

I have a plunger and this long wire thing that you screw into the pipe whck collects whatever the blockage is and you pull it out. Sorry no idea what it's called though! Worth investing in a plughole trap that stops the bits going into the pipe to start with though. Also a good idea to use sink/drain cleaning gels monthly to stop any build up.

Living in a 2nd floor flat means we get slow draining pipes every so often and this is how we get round it.

[Devonian]

Rotherberger pipe grips, a phillips screwdriver (for jubilee clips), a plunger, a standard set of drain rods and a bottle of one shot will sort most things out

Rotherberger pipe grips - more commonly known as Water Pump Pliers, and yes very useful.

Jubilee clips normally require flat head screwdrivers (not a Phillips), but also you do not normally find jubilee clips on domestic plumbing installations, they are normally used on the hoses around your car engine, and not for plumbing.

Also a short stubby flat head screwdriver is essential for turning inline isolation valves on and off.

I decent plunger will clear most blocked sinks and one of these is great is you have a blocked toilet:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Monument-MONMP1 ... pd_cp_kh_2

Alternatively Caustic Soda will clear almost anything, but be careful when using it as it is highly corrosive and will burn your skin and damage your eyes if you splash it around!

[Arzosah]

I'm back

Thanks for the replies all. My word, though, this gets complicated - by virtue of the fact that both my basins have funny-posh "pebble" plugs in them, and the pebble stays in there all the time. Then underneath that is a normal-ish thing that prevents anything massive going down the pipe.

The rods, I don't think I currently need to buy them - I'm sure the blockage is in the U-bend of the little cloakroom washbasin, everything else is running perfectly. So I'll get the equivalent of the Silverline drain snake that Andy linked to - the "Kitchen Craft and Sink Overflow Cleaning Brush" for a whole £3.25 which has brilliant reviews.

And one of the Knipex range, the individual item also has brilliant reviews, even if the drain snake does the job, it might be a good idea to have this little bit of kit.

I do have a plunger, but I don't have the ability to plunge *and* block the overflow, cos my arthritis is in lots of the necessary bits, like shoulders and fingers but I appreciate that with normal physical abilities, it should work.

I'll let you guys know how it goes - thanks for the input all. I'm trying not to see the image of a blocked toilet in my head

[Holomon]

Jubilee clips normally require flat head screwdrivers (not a Phillips), but also you do not normally find jubilee clips on domestic plumbing installations, they are normally used on the hoses around your car engine, and not for plumbing.

Unless you're draining down your system at a joint or cut point, or generally going from copper to hose. Or on a washing machine etc.
I buy the phillips head ones because the flat head ones always seem to shear off, maybe I'm just clumsy lol