Water pipe blockage removal – tips and methods

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Here are some easy water pipe blockage removal methods……..

You don’t have to necessarily call in an expensive plumber to get rid of whatever is clogging the drainage system in your home.

You neither need to hire advanced tools to clear out the blockage in your pipes.

But you’ll certainly need two things:

A strong will to do it.
Some tips to help you along the way.

We cannot supply the will (lol) but we will show you how to clear pipe blockage in this article.

Read to the end if you are a DIY person.

Table of Contents

Water pipe blockage removal methods

We have another piece of good news: There are dozens of techniques (some incredibly easy) you can use to unblock a drain pipe.

I cannot see you employing all of them but understanding each method will give you a huge advantage just in case one doesn’t work or proves a hard nut to crack.

Here are our most recommended water pipe blockage removal methods:

Use boiling water to remove water pipe blockage

Pouring a bucket of extremely hot water into the jammed pipe could help ease the congestion.

It sounds so simple, yet it’s surprisingly effective especially on minor blockages.

Tip: Be careful if you’re unblocking PVC pipes- exceedingly hot water (175 degrees and above) may make the joints in the pipes melt. We suggest that you use ordinary hot water if unsure about your pipe type.

Use common cleaning products to get rid of the gunk

One of the friendliest techniques is the use of household cleaning products such as vinegar (plus baking soda) to loosen and dislodge the nasty debris.

Procedure:

Purchase the essential supplies- vinegar and baking soda.
Boil an adequate volume of water.
Mix vinegar and boiling hot water (1 cup each).
Pour the hot water down the blocked pipe.
Now pour baking soda down there (you can use half a cup).
Wait for about 5 minutes.
Next, pour your vinegar/water solution into the clogged drain.
Wait for around 10 minutes (this is adequate time to have sludge soften).
Pour more hot water down the pipe. This flushes away the blockage.

Use a commercial pipe blockage cleaner

If you’re unhappy about the results from the other two methods, try a quality liquid cleaner.

The cleaners are typically made of chemicals that are strong on muck but easy on the pipes and work wonderfully even on water pipes clogged with calcium.

If you’ll be attempting this method, we recommend that you purchase non-toxic liquid drain chemicals as they’re safer to store at home.

Here are some great examples:

Drano Clog Remover.
Liquid-Plumr Clog Eliminator
Thrift (this is powder-based and fast acting- one application and all goes down)

Tip: For the best results, remember to flush hot water down the pipe after pouring the cleaner (follow the instructions on the package.

Water pipe blockage removal with a drain snake

There are a couple of handy accessories you can rely on when trying to unblock clogged water pipes.

Now, a drain snake is perhaps your best bet if the clog is deep in the pipe and unmoved by the other procedures.

For starters, the device –plumbers often use it to force out buildup out of pipes- consists of an extra-long piece of steel fixed to a handle and an auger (resembling a spiral) at the front.

It’s rather simple to use: simply insert it down the pipe until you feel the debris (auger first) and start to pull it back out.

You keep pushing it down and back out until the deposits causing the hindrance break up or are driven out.

Employ a hydro-jet to displace the blockage

Hydro jetting (drain jetting for some) uses a high-pressure hose equipped with a specialized nozzle, itself hooked to a machine to break up drain clogs and could be worth trying.

This plan of action works fairly well for nearly all types of blockages (except those more solidified).

Our only worry is that hydro jetting might prove a nightmare for beginners and you may have to involve a professional.

You can rent a Hydro Jetter from tool rental centers including Home Depot or plumbers.

Use compressed air for water pipe blockage removal

Plumbers use the innovative Kinetic Water Ram on pipe blockages and you can try it too.

The well-liked device uses powerful bursts of compressed air to drive a shock wave/kinetic energy through water pipes to break up rust, scale, and other buildups in water lines.

We love that it doesn’t harm the pipes and can effectively tackle blockages stuck even on tight bends.

Alternative method: Tractor-driven air compressor

This can provide a tremendous blast up the blocked pipe even over longer pipe length and is an option for experienced users.

How to unclog galvanized water pipes

For homes with galvanized water pipes, there are a handful of ways to remove the iron buildup blocking the pipe (it’s often the culprit).

Take for instance chemical solutions such as sodium hydroxide- they work though you must be careful because of the risk of weakening the pipes (you can solve this by looking for solvents that are kind on metal).

The other effective tactic- but a bit difficult- is drilling into the blocked water pipes and manually ejecting the foreign objects, dirt, or other buildup using a screwdriver.

What makes this approach somewhat taxing is the possibility that you might be forced to remove the water pipe to reach the galvanized pipe.

Tip: Try hammering on the clog gently until it breaks up if a screwdriver won’t move it.

Lastly, you can try to use a plunger – excellent where sinks or the toilet is blocked -to forcefully push water the blocked galvanized steel pipe (plunge the pipe opening until the mess is cleared).

If lucky, this could dislodge the clog because the water rushes down the piping at a higher pressure.

How to unclog copper water pipes

The process of unclogging copper water pipes isn’t the easiest though it’s not insurmountable.

Steps:

Narrow down on the point where the obstruction is.
Cut the pipe open with a hacksaw and scrape the impediments out with a file or drain cleaning tool. It may be necessary to repeatedly file the blockage to get it out of the way totally.
Make a new fitting and mount it on the pipe.
Reseal the spot properly- a blow torch and solder may suffice for this operation.
Test if water is flowing again and without leakage.