Did Something Just Fall Down Your Drain?

Accidents happen, and sometimes objects fall down the drain. One moment you could be washing your hands, and the next your ring could slip off and fall into the sink and down the drain. The first thing you need to remember is that all is not lost. While this is terribly inconvenient, you don’t need to worry about paying for a complicated plumbing repair that’s more expensive than the average water heater replacement cost just to get the object out of your pipes. 

Let our skilled plumbers at Oak Plumbing Inc. walk you through the first few steps you need to take when something accidentally falls into the drain.

How Sinks Work

Fortunately, sinks are designed in such a way to make it fairly easy for people to retrieve items that fall down the drain by accident. If you take a look inside the cabinet, you’ll see that the pipes will usually have a P-bend that traps potential clogs while still allowing the drainpipe to function normally. Whatever object you lost in the sink will likely end up in the P-bend. The good news is, retrieving the object is definitely not as costly as a big-budget water heater repair.

The P-Trap

Before attempting any work on your pipes, first turn off the water main. Afterward, locate the P-trap or the P-bend underneath the fixture. This will usually resemble the letter P (hence the name). You’ll see two bolt nuts holding a small section of piping in place in between the sink and wall. This section is called the overflow pipe. and its function is to trap objects that could otherwise clog up the plumbing. Take a wrench and loosen the bolt nuts to check the overflow pipe. Then you should be able to retrieve your item, after which you can secure the pipe back into place.

What to Do If It’s Not There

If the object you’re looking for isn’t inside the overflow pipe, only then will you need to call on a professional. You may not need a clogged sewer line repair, but you will have to explain the situation to your plumber so they can help resolve the matter adequately.

For all your plumbing needs, trust only our experts at Oak Plumbing Inc. Give us a call at (707) 200-7594 or fill out our contact form and get a free service estimate today. We serve homeowners in Benicia, CA.

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