Many homeowners see the advantage of performing do-it-yourself projects around the house as a way to save money. Simple and complex projects can be performed by the homeowner in their effort to avoid hiring a professional. With just a simple basic knowledge and the ability to work with your hands, there are many things you can do around the home to add equity, and improve its functionality.

Tackling a Clogged Drain

Most drains in the house can become clogged. This is often a result of debris and hair getting stuck in the drain line. Usually, the plunger in kitchen or bathroom sink, or the screen that covers the drain in the bathtub can be removed to gain access to the clog. Just a few simple steps can have the homeowner unclogging their own drain, and avoiding needing to hire a licensed plumber at great expense.

Access to the plunger in the bathroom sink is easy to reach. Simply open up the cabinet and look just below the bottom of the sink to the plunging component that moves the plunger up and down. It is likely screwed in by hand and can be quickly removed by unthreading the nut. Pull back the stem that moves the plunger up and down, and reach up in the sink to remove the plunger.

The plunger will usually be loaded with all types of loose hair and debris. Simply clean it and replace it back in the hole and thread the stem back in place. Make sure that the nut is back on tightly and that the plunger works freely as before.

To unplug the clogged bathtub drain, simply remove the screen that covers the drainpipe. Typically there will be clogged hair and debris that is collected at the site where the screw connects to the drainpipe. Use pliers or a screwdriver to remove the built-up debris and clogging hair and reattach the screen once it is cleared.

Unclogging the Kitchen Drain

Unclogging the drainpipe in the kitchen is a little more challenging than the bathroom. Typically, the buildup of grease and other components will get caught at the bottom of the P-trap underneath the sink. Before getting started, collect a pipe wrench and a bucket along with a towel.

Place the bucket underneath the P-trap, or the area of the drainpipe where it turns directly underneath the sink. Some of the nuts that hold the P-trap in place are only hand tightened and require nothing more than backing off using fingers and thumbs. Others are tightened using a pipe wrench, and will require a pipe wrench to loosen them properly.

Once the threads have been backed off, the P-trap drops into the bucket along with the built-up water left in the sink. Simply drain out all of the clogged materials and built-up grease and reinstalled the P-trap exactly like it was before.

Unclogging a drain in the bathroom and kitchen is a home improvement project that can save the homeowner substantial amounts of money by not needing to hire a licensed plumber. It is one of the few home improvement projects that do not cost much, and provides a sense of accomplishment when done.

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