Some of the most basic home remedies will often do the trick provided that the blockage isn't too far down the drain to be reached or if the blockage is so severe that it can't properly be cleaned at all. For many of the home remedies it won't even be necessary to leave our home , things like pouring very hot water into the drain in an effort to loosen a clog, or pouring a combination of vinegar and baking soda down the drain to 'eat away' at the clog are very simple remedies that will often work on very simple clogs and blockages.

Even if you have to go to the next level and remove the trap under the sink for hand cleaning, you may have the necessary hand tools to perform this small job at home as well. Newer sink traps can often be removed with an adjustable wrench and the cleaning will require no special equipment or skills to perform, it could simply be a matter of reaching in and removing the blockage. This may not sound like the most glamorous job, but common blockages are normally just comprised of hair,(in bathrooms) or grease and food particles , a quick and easy clean out without incurring the expense of a plumber's visit.

If you don't already have one in your home, it's also advisable to pick up a plumbers snake to have around the house , nothing fancy, just a simple twenty five foot piece of flexible metal. This will extend the range of blockages that you can break up on your own and is particularly helpful with toilet clogs that a plunger can't handle or minor blockages in the main drain that can't be broken up with chemicals. The one thing that you need to be cautious of when using a plumbers snake is being too rough in PVC (plastic) piping. Some clogs need a little vigorous activity to break up but getting to overzealous can lead to cracks or breakages in your pipes which will cause you drastic problems that you will most certainly need a plumber's assistance with.

There are also a wide variety of 'professional strength' chemicals available for purchase that help to break away clogs and blockages. These chemicals can work in certain situations, but take care to only buy ones that are safe to use on all types of piping and be sure to keep them out of reach of children and pets.

In the event that you have a blockage that can't be taken care of with any of the methods above, it may be necessary for you to contact a plumber , that's one of the most important lessons you can learn, know when a blockage has beaten you. If you go too far or try too many things you could potentially make the situation far worse than it was , try the simple methods mentioned above and if nothing seems to be working even a little bit, then break out your yellow pages and start looking for a local plumber's number.

A plumber will have access to a whole lot more, not to mention a whole lot better, equipment , plus years of training and experience to get the knowledge required to handle things that you aren't capable of. If you have even the slightest notion that you are in over your head, call in a professional before you make an even bigger mess of the situation.