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Clear Plumbing Drains With A Water Bladder

  
  
  

water bladderClearing plumbing drains can be a foul business. If you have a drain that is blocked, you can try a water bladder to push it out. There are good and bad points with this tool.

A water bladder is a rubbery expandable bag that you attach to your garden hose. You place the bag into the drain or cleanout and turn on the water. As the water fills the bag, it pushes against the inside of the pipe sealing it off. The bag will then start pulsing water into the pipe in hopes of pushing the blockage out.

The good thing about these is that they are inexpensive and easy to use. Basically, you attach it to your hose, stick it in the pipe, and cross your fingers.

The bad thing (and there are several) is that they don’t always work, they may burst and cause some water damage. When you are using this tool, you want to keep checking other drains and toilets to see if any water is backing up in those locations. Also, if there is a vent in between the blockage and the bag, the pulsing may cause the water to back up into the vent and out onto your roof. Try to find the closest drain to the clog and insert the bag there.

Additionally, there is a risk of the increased pressure causing drain joints to separate, which can lead to water damage. These joints are not under pressure, except for the weight of draining water, and it can happen that adding pressure may cause a weak joint to leak or separate.

When you clear the drain or give up, turn off the water and allow the bag to shrink back to its contracted size and then remove it from the pipe.

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