Slow drains, and what to try before calling a plumber

Cooking grease poured down a drain solidifies in the pipes, narrows them and blocks the flow. Grease from homes, restaurants and industry is the most common cause of reported sewer blockages, at 47 percent.

What you need

• A kettle or pot for boiling water
• A hand drain snake, from a hardware store
• Rubber gloves and a bucket
• Sink strainers

Steps

1. 1

   Clear what you can reach

   Lift out the strainer or the stopper and clean off whatever has collected on it.

   5 min

2. 2

   Skip the chemical opener

   Use boiling water or a drain snake instead of a chemical drain opener. On a septic system, drain cleaners are among the things never to pour down a drain.

   1 min

3. 3

   Pour boiling water

   Pour it slowly, straight into the drain opening, and keep your hands and face back from the splash.

   5 min

4. 4

   Run a drain snake

   Feed the snake into the drain until it meets the clog, turn it to break the clog up or catch it, and pull it back out. Have the bucket ready for what comes up with it.

   15 min

5. 5

   Run the water and watch it

   Run the tap for a minute. Water that drains as fast as it pours in means the clog is gone.

   2 min

Keeping it from coming back

• Scrape plates into the trash or compost before washing them.
• Use a strainer in the sink and empty it into the trash or compost.
• Pour grease into a can, let it harden, and throw the can away.
• Use the garbage disposal less. Limiting it cuts the fats, grease and solids going down the drain.
• Keep wipes out of the toilet. Baby wipes and facial wipes, even ones marked flushable, can block sewers too.

On a septic system, everything that goes down the drain ends up in the tank. Food from a disposal adds solids the tank doesn't need, and the tank needs pumping more often.

If something goes wrong